Frequently Asked Questions About Contactless Underwriting
Answers to the questions we hear most from carriers, MGAs, and actuaries evaluating contactless health screening for their underwriting programs. If you do not find what you need here, our team is available to discuss your specific use case and integration requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contactless screening uses rPPG (remote photoplethysmography) technology to capture cardiovascular vitals from a smartphone camera instead of requiring an in-person paramedical visit. The applicant completes a brief camera session that extracts heart rate, heart rate variability, and estimated blood oxygen. These data points supplement or replace the vitals component of a traditional paramedical exam, enabling underwriters to make risk decisions without scheduling delays.
The screening captures heart rate (pulse), heart rate variability (HRV) metrics including SDNN and RMSSD, estimated blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and derived stress indicators based on autonomic nervous system analysis. All data points are delivered as structured values with confidence scores, allowing underwriting rules engines to incorporate them alongside traditional data sources.
Integration is handled via RESTful API with webhook delivery or batch file export. Screening results are delivered in JSON format with configurable field mapping to match your policy administration system schema. Most carriers integrate the data alongside existing MIB, prescription history, and MVR feeds within their underwriting workbench or rules engine.
The screening runs in standard mobile browsers on iOS and Android devices manufactured within the last five years. No app download is required. The system detects device capability and camera quality before initiating the scan, ensuring data quality thresholds are met. If an applicant's device does not meet requirements, they are guided to alternative screening options.
Applicant biometric data is encrypted in transit and at rest using enterprise-grade encryption standards. Data retention policies are configurable to match your regulatory requirements. The system supports on-device processing configurations where raw biometric data never leaves the applicant's device, with only derived vitals values transmitted to your underwriting platform.
Carriers typically deploy contactless screening for accelerated and simplified issue programs where it replaces or supplements the paramedical exam requirement. For fully underwritten products, the screening data serves as an additional data source alongside traditional requirements. The technology is configurable per product line, allowing different screening protocols and data thresholds based on face amount and risk tier.
Have Questions About Your Specific Use Case?
Our insurance technology team works with carriers, MGAs, and insurtechs to design screening integrations for specific underwriting programs and product lines.