Changes to pending applications

We are changing how we will handle pending applications in order to account for paramedical vendors who may not be in operation in certain areas. The following changes are effective immediately, including cases that have already been submitted.

• We will extend the time that a case can stay pending while we wait for underwriting requirements from 60 days to 120 days.
• We will extend our deadline for receiving premiums (after the policy has been issued) from 30 days to 45 days.
• We are extending our shelf life for labs and paramed (case-by-case basis) to 24 months.
• We can also take insurance labs from other companies that have been completed (case-by-case basis) within 24 months.
• Please contact your regional team for options when a paramed exam isn't possible.

Reminder about Temporary Insurance Agreements

TIA is valid for 90 days maximum. TIA guidelines will remain the same and will terminate automatically on the earliest of:

• 90 days from the date the application was signed;
• The date that insurance takes effect; under the insurance contracts as applied for in the application
• The date an insurance contract other than as applied for in the application is offered to the proposed owner;
• The date the company mails notice of termination of coverage and refunds the advance premium payment to the proposed owner at the address shown in the application.

Statement of health

As we closely monitor COVID-19, a completed Statement of Health and Insurability form will continue to be required for all New Business and Policy Change cases. For non-1035 cases, the Statement of Health form will be required upon policy delivery. For 1035 cases, the Statement of Health will be required prior to initiating the 1035 exchange.

Policy postponements

Effective Tuesday, April 14, 2020, we implemented the following temporary changes to our New Business and Policy Change underwriting guidelines. For all cases not already approved or issued, we will postpone any applications on individuals of the following issues ages* and table ratings:

This applies to all products and:

• All pending business that has not been approved or issued
• New business
• Policy change cases

*Issue age is determined by applicable product rules.

Acceptable forms of submission & document types

If you aren't currently using our e-App process, acceptable forms of submission for documents are as follows:

• Mail
• Fax
• Secure Email
• Document upload from the North American website

Note: Images of documents that are captured via a camera, program or an APP can be accepted, regardless of the program used.

Temporary travel guidelines

• We will underwrite any planned international travel per our underwriting guidelines

Known COVID-19 diagnosis

• We will postpone policy issuance for new business and policy change until the proposed insured is completely recovered.
• Admitted past diagnosis of COVID-19--additional requirements will be requested on a case-by-case basis.

Our vendors have provided us with the current state of their operations and status of their business continuity plans. It is important to note that our vendors are complying with all state, county, and local government directives. To comply with these directives, some areas of the country might experience delays in completing paramedical exams or may be unable to provide these services. Since these directives are frequently changing, please contact your preferred paramedical vendor for availability in your area.

Paramedical exam process updates:
When scheduling appointments to complete paramedical exams, our vendors will now ask the applicant about signs of fever or respiratory distress, recent travel, and close contact with others who have these symptoms or have recently traveled. The answers to these questions will determine the timing of the paramedical appointment. The examiner will also confirm the same information about themselves.

Lab processing:
Our lab companies are operational, have business continuity plans, and do not expect any impacts in processing time.

Medical records providers:
Our medical records providers have also confirmed that they are operational, have business continuity plans, and have stated that there may be some delays in receiving medical records from certain medical facilities. Overall, we are experiencing minimal delays in receiving medical records.

Clinical Reference® Laboratory (CRL) Access my Labs

North American has partnered with Clinical Reference Laboratory (CRL) on a new service to provide lab results to clients electronically. In order to take advantage of this service, clients must provide a cell phone number to the examiner when completing their paramed requirements. If a client does not provide a cell phone number, this new service will not be available but lab results can still be requested by contacting New Business or Policy Change. In the near future, the CRL Health Savvy card will no longer be available on Forms Factory or mailed with the policy packet.

How it works
When labs are completed for North American and sent to CRL by the examiner's office, clients will receive a text message indicating the lab results are available once CRL has finished analyzing them. This text will typically be received 7-10 business days after the samples are collected. Within the text message there will be a link for the client to access their lab results. When the client accesses the link, they will be taken through a validation process that includes providing their phone number, date of birth, and SMS text verification. After validation is successfully completed, the client will be presented with a welcome statement and their complete lab report. The lab report will be in an easy-to-read format that will clearly show if the test results are within normal range. Test results can be exported as a PDF document for the purpose of saving and printing, and will be available for 7 years.

COVID-19 antibody testing
Also available with this new service is the opportunity for clients to choose to have a COVID-19 antibody test using the original blood sample. A COVID-19 antibody test can determine whether an individual has had a past infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This testing is being provided solely for the benefit of clients and the results will not be made available to North American. There will be a small fee of $14.50 that the client must pay via credit card if they choose to take advantage of this service. The COVID-19 antibody testing will be available for 5 weeks from the date the sample was collected. Clients will be provided the option for the COVID-19 antibody testing when they access their lab results through CRL. When the results are available, the client will receive a text message with a link to access the COVID-19 antibody test results.

Two processes – eDelivery with DocuSign® and PDF Delivery – are available to review and download policy documents electronically to help eliminate the need for in-person meetings. Select the option for electronic policy delivery in ExactApp and your case will proceed through the process that matches eligibility requirements

Resources for clients

Grace period for premium payments on inforce policies

In these challenging times, state insurance regulators are issuing bulletins which address insurance carriers making allowance for customers who have been impacted. These temporary procedures do not waive the policyowners' obligation to pay premiums due but may allow the extra time in which to pay them. If you have a client that has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and needs additional time to make their premium payment, please contact our Customer Contact team to discuss the accommodations available.

Accessing policy info online

We’re keeping it simple for policyowners to access inforce policy information on the website.

• Clients who sign up for an online profile at My.NorthAmericanCompany.com can complete a number of transactions and make simple changes like updating contact information or changing beneficiaries themselves online.
• The site also offers Secure Upload, so your clients can scan and transmit paper documents. It works like a modern version of the fax machine (without the long wait).

Policy change

North American's policy change team is here to you keep your business moving forward. We would like to remind you of a few digital options for managing inforce policies:

• Internal exchange requests can utilize the e-submission process
• All policy change forms can use DocuSign, except for those that require a wet signature (i.e. 1035 exchange form)
• Prior medical information, including information gathered through WriteAway^® Online Part 2, may be used up to 24 months on any subsequent policy change requests on a case-by-case basis.

Please continue to use the paper application/.pdf and form process for other inforce policy change requests, including:

• Conversions
• Increase/decrease in face amounts
• Reinstatements
• Adding/removing benefits
• Rate/class changes

When submitting paper documents, the secure document upload tool on NorthAmericanCompany.com offers the quickest option.

We have great resources to keep your business moving and help you remain compliant when you can’t be face-to-face with clients.

• 6 Ways to Keep Selling flyer — Our end-to-end application process and digital tools make it easy when you can’t be face-to-face.
• Digital Selling Webinar — View our webinar recording to learn about tools available to you to help you keep selling and protecting clients.
• Digital Compliance flyer — Stay compliant in the virtual world.
• 3 Quick Tips Flyer — Today's environment of uncertainty, social distancing and market challenges require us to think differently about how we conduct business.
• Best Client Tools Flyer — Get our best tools for getting your clients' attention.
• Client flyer — Use our customizable flyer to help inspire confidence in clients' decision to choose North American.
• Virtual meeting guide — Use our virtual meeting guide to help make planning, preparing and hosting your next virtual meeting a success.
• Virtual meeting checklist — Don't miss a thing! Our checklist walks alongside you as you hold virtual meetings.

More cases can now be run through WriteAway, North American's accelerated underwriting process, as the maximum face amount for ages 18 – 50 doubles from $1 million to $2 million. The maximum face amount for ages 51 – 60 will stay at $500,000.

WriteAway can offer your healthiest clients the ability to secure death benefit protection without an exam or lab. Your client can simply fill out a few personal health and history questions as part of their e-App, or paper application in all states but California, to determine if they are eligible for this process.

To learn more about WriteAway, please visit northamericancompany.com/writeaway or view the resources linked below.

WriteAway Resources:

• Accelerated Underwriting Field Guide
• Accelerated Underwriting Field Guide for California
• Agent Q&A Guide

How do deaths related to COVID-19 impact benefit claims?

There is no specific COVID-19 exclusion impacting death benefit payments of our life insurance policies. Please note that any death that occurs during the contestable period requires a routine contestable investigation, as defined by the incontestability terms in the policy. An investigation includes the review of multiple variables (including accuracy of information presented on the application, policy provisions and applicable state laws, rules and regulations).

North American does not provide legal advice. If your agents or your clients have specific questions with regard to state laws, we recommend that you discuss those with your own independent legal counsel.

North American is committed to providing resources to help you continue to run your business in the midst of challenges from the current environment.

• We have extended the time that a case can stay pending while we wait for underwriting requirements from 60 days to 120 days.
• We have extended our shelf life for labs and paramed (case-by-case basis) to 24 months.
• We will also take insurance labs from other companies that have been completed (case-by-case basis) within 24 months.
• If provided, we will review labs and chart notes from client's doctor for visits within 24 months for consideration in lieu of paramed.
• Please contact your regional team for options when a paramed exam isn't possible.

North American's eBusiness Solutions is also available to help make doing business virtually easier.

• WriteAway, North American's accelerated underwriting process, is available for face amounts up to $2 million for ages 18-50, and $500,000 for ages 51-60. Learn more.
• North American has processes in place to allow you and your client to receive a digital copy of the policy. Learn more about electronic policy delivery.