May 2026

Since we enhanced our Manulife E-Application in the fall, your feedback has highlighted more opportunities for improvement. In response, we’re improving drop-down search functionality to make case entry easier and faster for drug lookups, in both English and French.

Thanks to our enhanced Manulife E-Application, we increased the number of submissions that can be approved quickly through MAUDE, our Manulife Automated Underwriting Decision Engine. This improves straight-through outcomes and reduces time to decision. This also increases capacity in underwriting so more complex cases receive timely, consistent decisions, and we continue to hire and train to support nuanced business with speed and clarity.

Earlier this year, with reinsurer support, we increased our autobind  and jumbo limits to $75,000,000 and $100,000,000. This allows for faster decisions without exchanging details  with reinsurers for additional support. For cases that do require reinsurance, we continue to advance automation to share information quickly and receive reinsurer decisions sooner, resulting in faster underwriting assessments.

We removed Motor Vehicle Reports (MVRs) from age and amount thresholds and reduced Attending Physician Statement (APS) requirements where possible. MVRs are now obtained only for cause, including driving, sports or avocations, or medical reasons. In addition, underwriters now use an AI tool that categorizes APS content, making extensive medical reports easier to navigate and review, which speeds up assessments.

For Platinum Elite advisors, and high net worth business, PDF contracts are available through your case coordinator. This provides a more flexible option. When you request a PDF contract, it’s sent directly to you—so you’re in control of the delivery experience. You can choose your own electronic signing method, include any supporting documents your client needs, and manage the timing and follow-up. Once signed, you simply return the completed delivery documents to Head Office.

Updates to Underwriting and New Business content on Advisor Portal ensure guidance, tools, and resources are always up to date and easy to find—right when you need them.

Together, these improvements reduce friction across submission, underwriting, and delivery, helping you move faster, work smarter, and deliver a smoother experience for your clients, from start to finish.

For more underwriting tips and insight follow Karen Cutler on LinkedIn. Karen is our VP, Head of Underwriting and Claims, Chief Underwriter Individual Insurance.