Working with us

How we're different

New Business creates partnerships with Equitable Advisors and Independent partners to provide financial security for our clients and their families. We have a unified team that is committed to helping you grow your life insurance business. Our team includes the following areas: Sales, Underwriting, New Business, Licensing, Commissions, Advanced Markets, Marketing and Communications, and Operations — all working together to help you succeed.

Our goal: Get your case issued quickly and efficiently

This is where your Relationship Case Manager (RCM) comes in.

• Your RCM’s job is to shepherd your case through the stages of the process — from submission to commission.
• We encourage you to build a strong relationship with your RCM, because open communication will help them do their job better, which helps you get your case through quickly.

Contact us

We're here to assist with your New Business needs. If you need to reach out to us, please use our interactive contact map.

View the contact map for Equitable Advisors

As an agent or registered representative, you must be licensed in every state in which business is transacted with Equitable (both the application state and the owner resident state, if they are different).

Independent Channel

If you are not appointed with Equitable yet, we strongly recommend that you do so before soliciting business.

• Submit appointment paperwork before the application is signed.
• Send all appointment paperwork to your Brokerage General Agency for approval; they will send the completed paperwork to Equitable. 
• Find forms and paperwork by visiting equitable.com/log-in, log in and following the path New Business>Licensing>Appointment Forms

Equitable Advisors

Equitable Advisors must be licensed in a state before they can solicit business in that state. Please contact you branch manager for details.

Time frames:

Attending Physician’s Statement (APS) play an important role in helping us assess the risk of a proposed insured. They are also one of the most time-consuming parts of the Underwriting process. Here are a few ways that you can help us shorten the timeframe so that we can get you a competitive offer in an efficient manner.

1. Complete the Medical Supplement with the Application. If the Underwriter decides an APS is necessary, he or she will order it within 3-5 business days from application receipt. If the Medical Supplement is not included with the application, we cannot order the APS until the exam is received, which could take another 14 days.
2. Encourage the client to contact their doctor’s office to release the APS. This can sometimes help to expediate the process.

Typically, here’s what happens:

• Underwriting orders the APS via an Equitable-approved vendor (3-5 days)
• Vendor initiates APS request with doctor or facility within 24 hours
• Vendor follows up with facility every 5 days
• Case Managers proactively follow up with APS vendor for status every 4 business days
• If Special Authorization is needed, case manager will advise agent immediately
• After 14 days, case manager will request that agent contact client to assist with records release to vendor
• Once Underwriting receives the APS from vendor, they match it with the case and review the APS within 3 business days.

Best practices

For faster service, submit your client’s application “in good order.”

Transmittal forms

When submitting a new application please be sure to include the New Business Transmittal Form.

Important addresses, emails, and fax numbers

Companion cases

If you identify cases as companion cases, we will keep them together throughout the New Business process. 

High priority cases

To expediate your high priority cases, it is wise to keep in constant contact with your Relationship Case Manager, and follow high priority best practices.

Term conversions

A term conversion can be made from any term policy, rider or term element (5th dividend) that includes a conversion privilege to convert to a permanent policy. If converting to a permanent policy, the new policy must be issued under the New Business portfolio. 

Conforming illustration requirements

Equitable market all life insurance products, except level term products, with illustrations. Policy forms are filed in all jurisdictions with a statement confirming that they are marketed with illustrations. 

Temporary Insurance Agreement (TIA)

Temporary insurance coverage on a proposed insured may begin when money is accepted with an application. Read the Temporary Insurance Agreement to learn more.

eApp

Life eApp is a web based tool that enables advisors to fully complete their applications electronically from application creation through submission to the Operations Center. It allows for straight through processing when used with e-signature and e-submission, and is the easiest way to ensure that your clients have answered all of the questions needed to process their application.

To access eApp:

Independent Channel – Go to equitable.com and follow the path Quick Links>E- Forms for Life

Equitable Advisors – Go to equitable.com and follow the path Tool>Life eApp 

eSign

If electronic signature is selected, the advisor and insured have a choice of In Person or Remote. In Person signature is used when the insured and/or owner are present and all signatures are done using the advisor’s computer. Remote signature is used when the parties will be signing the application through the email link.

eDelivery — for Equitable Advisors Only

Once a policy was been eSigned by the proposed insured, owner and Equitable Advisor, the owner will receive an email that brings them to their policy documents.

Drop Ticket

Use our Drop Ticket program for a faster and more efficient way to submit Term business.

Funding the policy

Acceptable forms of payment include:

Register date guidelines

The register date is the date the client’s life insurance coverage takes effect. All charges begin on this date.

Commissions

Contact information:

Requirements

Many state insurance regulations have articulated a specific definition and procedural requirements for replacement sales that may be in addition to the Company’s policies and procedures.  Some states require agents to provide notices or disclaimers to customers if there is existing coverage regardless of whether or not the sale involved a replacement. Other states require customers to sign replacement forms. All appropriate state required replacement forms must be signed and submitted.

Replacing a policy from another carrier

1035 exchange

Equitable will not issue a 1035 policy until the 1035 funds are obtained from the company whose policy is being replaced. If the proposed insured/policy owner submits the full minimum initial premium, Equitable will send a policy to issue without waiting for the 1035 funds, as long as there is not a loan being carried over from the policy being 1035 exchanged. We also need an illustration with the 1035 amount factored in the illustration in order to send the case to issue. It can be signed on delivery if we have a signed illustration on file.

• Replacement Forms - All appropriate state replacement forms must be submitted.  State required replacement forms and kits are posted as followed
  • Independent Channel – Access forms by logging in to Equitable and following the path Quick Links>E-Forms for Life
  • Equitable Advisors – Access forms by logging in to Equitable and following the path edox>build kit

Regulation 60-NY

Independent Channel
Log in to Equitable and follow the path My Business>New Business>Replacements>NY Regulation 60

Equitable Advisors
Contact your branch manager for details. 

Replacements for term conversion

A term conversion is considered a “change in coverage.” Not all states exempt term conversions from the replacement definition.

Our motivation

Our vision:  A best in class underwriting organization

• Help our team members thrive
• Sound underwriting
• Excellent customer engagement
• Modern and efficiently organized

Our mission:  Fulfill our noble purpose

• Assess, classify, and accept good risks to deliver on our promises
• Efficiently serve our customers
• Build lasting relationships that will grow with us 

A wealth of experience guides our decisions

• Over 1,120 years of life underwriting experience
• Over 70 industry designations and growing
• 6 MBAs
• Our medical directors are board certified in Internal Medicine and Family Medicine. All are board certified in Insurance Medicine and are active in leadership; roles in the American Academy of Insurance Medicine

Contact us

We encourage you to reach out with your Underwriting needs.

Our interactive contact map.

View the contact map for Equitable Advisors

Competitive offers delivered quickly 

• 70% of cases completed within 30 days
• Easy Underwriting (EU)
  • 60% of applications are eligible for EU
  • 50% of eligible cases are approved through EU
  • 60% of cases approved in 10 days or less
• Underwriting service level agreements
  • 1 day – final requirements
  • 3 days – formal initial reviews and requirements
  • 5 days – informals

Competitive underwriting

• Underwriters are empowered to apply their knowledge and utilize discretion when developing an offer on a case
• Competitive Preferred criteria
• Competitive offers for most impairments
• Strong Long-Term Care Services^sm Rider (LTCSR) supported with progressive underwriting approach
  • LTCSR is available through Easy Underwriting
• Commitment to routinely monitoring the competitiveness of offers and mortality – adjusting guidance as needed 

Proactive communication

Our team is committed to keeping you informed throughout the process with proactive communication and fast responses to your questions.

Retention and automatic limits

We offer competitive retention and automatic reinsurance limits for standard or better risks in all age groups. We have the strong financial standing, experience and knowledge to support your large case needs with retention for:

• Individual Coverage:  $20M up to age 69 and $10M for ages 70 to 80
• Survivorship Coverage:  $25M up to age 69 and $15M if either life is > age 70 

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) 

Under certain circumstances, we will underwrite clients with a history of HIV infection that have no AIDS defining illness, have been treated with highly active anti-retroviral therapy for the past three years and have no history of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction.

Long-Term Care Services^SM Rider (LTCSR)

Our LTCSR is one of the most competitive in the industry today and is available on Term conversions.

High profile individuals

We offer flexibility for professional athletes, teams and other high-profile clients including liberal contract requirements, no group or team coverage caps/limits, and policies up to Equitable’s full retention limit. Term policies are available for teams or groups.  Term and permanent policies are available for individuals. 

Insuring professional athletes and high profile clients
Professional athlete life insurance process
Professional athlete life insurance case study
Insuring High Profile Clients

Charitable Legacy Rider

Your clients can make donations to their favorite charity as part of their estate plan using their life insurance policy without paying any additional charges. Clients can leave up to 1% of their base face amount ($1 million minimum) simply by selecting the rider at policy issue.

Charities can also use life insurance to provide benefits for their executives or owners, and leave the charity a donation upon death, using the Charitable Legacy Rider.

Aviation

Evaluating aviation risks is anything but simple. With multiple variables to consider and each case unique, Equitable has the underwriting expertise to help you navigate through you’re your client’s aviation risks. If you have clients who are private pilots with at least 300 solo hours of experience, expected to fly 200 hours in the next 12 months, you may want to consider an Equitable insurance policy.

Financial Underwriting

Our underwriters take a holistic approach to understanding the financial facts and circumstances surrounding each case, making sure the amount of insurance requested is reasonable and aligned with the proposed insured’s needs. In many cases, this eliminates the need for additional financial information.

Life underwriting condensed guide (LUCG)

Quick reference guide to determine which ratings may apply to your clients based on medications, family history, blood pressure and driving record. Also includes height/weight requirements and financial underwriting guidelines.

Life Underwriting Condensed Guide

Field underwriting guide

Comprehensive reference tool for life underwriting at Equitable. This guide provides a high-level overview of the factors considered during the underwriting review and the potential outcome.

Field underwriting guide

Tobacco guidelines

If your client is currently using tobacco, they will typically be rated as follows:

Tobacco rates for:

• Positive Cotinine urinalysis result.
• Use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or hookah.

Standard Non-Tobacco rates for:

• Any nicotine or tobacco products (such as chew, nicotine gum) other than above with urinalysis negative for cotinine.

Best class may be considered if the client uses 12 or fewer cigars per year, urinalysis is negative for cotinine, and client otherwise qualifies.

If client’s used tobacco in the past, they will typically be rated as follows: 

• No nicotine or tobacco use in past 5 years – Preferred Elite
• No nicotine or tobacco use in past 3 years – Preferred Non-Tobacco
• No nicotine or tobacco use in past 12 months – Standard Plus
• Former cigar users, less than 12 per year, may be considered at rate otherwise qualified for

Long-Term Care Services^SM Rider (LTCSR) guidelines

This publication provides guidelines for our LTCSR, including underwriting guidelines.

Visit the Long-Term Care Services^sm Rider section for details

Easy Underwriting program

Now, more than ever, Equitable is committed to making the purchase of life insurance less invasive for clients. Changes have been made to give more clients the potential to benefit from underwriting that does not include paramedical exams or labs.

• Easy Underwriting FAQ
• Easy Underwriting and eApp Process for Independent Channel 

Projected Inheritance

Special program to protect the assets of two generations – the client and the future beneficiaries – by using the assets of one generation to justify life insurance coverage for the next. Planning addresses existing and projected estate tax liability.

Underwriting a Projected Inheritance

Smart Total Evaluation Program (STEP)

This program allows a one-class rating improvement for clients with favorable risk factors and a healthy lifestyle. For example, clients who qualify for a Preferred rating may move up to Preferred Elite using routine age/amount requirements such as insurance labs, paramedical information and MVRs. Available for all fully underwritten products and both lives on a survivorship policy.

Approved Paramedical Examination Vendors

Approved APS Retrieval Services

Approved Laboratory Testing Services