Traditionally, insurers have looked purely at a person’s medical condition to determine how long they were likely to remain off work. However, for several years Unum has questioned whether this ‘Medical Model’ provides a full and accurate picture.
In our experience, two people with the same medical condition can react very differently to that condition: one may carry on as usual, remaining in work; the other may feel they are unable to continue working.
We believe that the Biopsychosocial Model of incapacity provides an explanation of why this may be the case: it considers that individuals are not only affected by the biological illness from which they suffer, but also, equally, by their past experiences and their attitudes to, and beliefs about, illness:
Bio – Physiological dysfunction
Psycho – Illness behaviour, beliefs, coping strategies, emotions, distress
Social – Culture, social interaction, sick role
In 2003, we began integrating the Model into the foundations of our business, enabling us to be innovative and bold in the areas of claims, rehabilitation and medical underwriting. We have been able to forge new ways forward that would not have been thought possible even five years ago.
In 2008, our application of the Model earned us the accolade of ‘Underwriter of the Year’ at the British Insurance Awards.