The “intelligent underwriting” capability is something that Accuro has been working on for some time.  It was made available this week.

Russell Hutchinson, director of Quality Product Research, which runs Quotemonster, said it was the first time a fully underwritten application for health insurance could be completed online.

He said he expected to see advisers “turn the device around and hand it to clients” who they had determined should have an Accuro policy.

“It’s trying to get away from what we refer to as the 30-year memory test using a pen and paper, which is inefficient, cumbersome and prone to errors.”

He said traditional health insurance applications were often so difficult to navigate that advisers ended up completing them for clients.

Accuro chief executive Geoff Annals said it was not designed to take the place of advisers, although it will be available for customers to access directly. “The fundamental issue is that health insurance is not easy and anything we can do to make it simpler has got to be a good thing.”

He said health and health insurance was constantly developing as technology improved but underwriting was one of the most difficult parts for consumers. “This will make it easier.”

It should deliver better information to Accuro, he said.  “The health insurance relationship is between the company and the customer ... this is a tool advisers can see benefit from as well. We are always looking to do things that simplify the complexity that health insurance presents to consumers.”