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Question

Difficulty: MediumCompleting the Application

An applicant meets with a broker to finalize the paperwork for a new major medical policy and provides the initial premium check. The next morning, before sending the documents to the insurer's underwriting department, the broker discovers that a specific question regarding the applicant's recent outpatient surgeries was left entirely blank. According to standard application protocols, which of the following is the required course of action for the broker?

  1. A
    Submit the application as it is, because the underwriting department will automatically interpret any unanswered questions as a negative response.
  2. B
    Fill in the missing information on the applicant's behalf to prevent processing delays, provided the broker sends a written notice of the correction.
  3. Contact the applicant so they can answer the missed question and physically initial the newly added information.Answer
  4. D
    Utilize implied agent authority to complete the blank section, ensuring that the conditional receipt remains legally binding.

Answer

The broker must contact the applicant so they can answer the missed question and physically initial the newly added information.
The correct action when an application is incomplete is to have the applicant answer the missing question and initial the change. An agent or broker can never alter or add information to an application without the applicant's direct involvement and initialed consent.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the core issue in the scenario.
An application has been signed and a premium collected, but a required medical history question is blank.
Understanding the state of the application dictates which regulatory protocols apply.
2
Determine the rules for altering an insurance application.
Only the applicant can authorize changes or additions, which must be verified by their initials.
The application represents the applicant's formal declarations, which form the legal basis of the insurance contract.
3
Evaluate the consequences of alternative actions.
Submitting a blank question leads to a returned application or a waiver of the insurer's rights. Unilateral agent changes constitute an unauthorized alteration.
This confirms why contacting the applicant is the only legally compliant choice.

Key Concept

Application Completeness and Alterations
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Topics

Completing the Application

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