Carrier underwriting guidelines are the internal rules and reference materials that insurers use to evaluate risk and determine eligibility, rating classes, and coverage limits for life, disability, and long-term care products. Guidelines cover medical conditions, build and blood-pressure tables, avocations, occupational risk, financial justification, foreign travel, and retention and reinsurance limits. They translate actuarial assumptions and risk tolerance into practical decision tools for underwriters. While not usually public in full detail, guideline summaries and field guides give advisors insight into how different carriers view specific impairments or case types.

Underwriters consult carrier underwriting guidelines on every case to ensure that decisions are consistent and defensible. BGAs and advisors use available guideline summaries and impaired-risk field manuals to pre-screen cases and choose appropriate carriers. When guidelines do not clearly address unusual situations, underwriters may consult medical directors or reinsurers. Advisors who understand the basics of carrier underwriting guidelines can set more accurate expectations, avoid submitting unplaceable cases, and position borderline risks with carriers most likely to offer favorable terms.