It is only a “matter of time” before general practitioners end up facing legal action if they persist in taking an “unreasonable length of time” to process policy applications, advisers have warned.
Peter Chadborn, co-founder of Colchester-based PlanMoney, said GPs could face litigation if it could be proved that an estate had been deprived, and dependants’ financial security had been jeopardised by GP delays.
Mr Chadborn said: “If the doctor is holding up the application, what happens if the applicant has an accident or takes a sudden turn for the worse?
“We had one client who was healthy at the time of application, and two days later had a heart attack.”
Another adviser, who requested anonymity, said that one of his clients was facing a five-month delay because the GP had not responded.
He said: “If there is a claim, the life company is not obligated to accept it. It is only a matter of time before someone dies or is seriously injured while their application is pending.”
A spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said the organisation was working with the British Medical Association to see how the process could be streamlined.
Dr John Canning, chairman of the BMA’s GP professional fees committee, said: “The first priority of all GPs is to treat the sick and unwell as part of their work in the NHS.
“Given that all GP practices are under intense pressure from a combination of rising patient demand, especially from an ageing society, and falling funding, many GPs will not have the time to provide this service.
“In these circumstances, GPs should return any insurance form request with an explanation as to why they are not available to do this work. On some occasions, it may be the doctor is waiting for further information before being able to reply, such as after tests or a referral.
“If this is the case, the requesting organisation should be kept informed, but they will need to be understanding about the time-frames involved.”
