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Mike Taylor, chief underwriter for protection for Axa, said the insurer had seen a surge in interest since February when it overhauled its pricing structure.

The large case team deals with applications for life cover greater than £1m, critical illness cover in excess of £500,000 and income protection of more than £50,000 a year. It also deals with any case where premiums are more than £5000 a year.

The team, which has grown to five underwriters, offers a case manager for every application and is the adviser's single point of contact for all their queries related to a case, according to Axa.

Mr Taylor said the team, which now has 40 years of combined experience, could provide expert advice on the most complex of cases.

He said: "As people take out bigger mortgages and with the growth of business protection, we are increasingly seeing applications for ever bigger sums assured. It is not unusual now to receive applications for life cover more than £10m.

"Larger cases are often more complex, requiring detailed medical and financial assessments, which is why it is smart to have one person dealing with the application from start to finish. This makes the process more straightforward for the customer."