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Newspage RawSource: David Stirling, Mint Wealth

How are weight loss drugs affecting life insurance underwriting?

ended 21. October 2026

How is Mounjaro affecting life insurance applications? 
How has the surge in prescriptions for the GLP-1 weight-loss and type 2 diabetes drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) impacted the UK life insurance and protection market.
As more clients present with Mounjaro on their medical histories, we are asking how providers are reacting.

Questions for Newspagers

  1. Underwriting Trends: Are you seeing mainstream UK insurers offer standard rates to clients on Mounjaro, or are you experiencing frequent premium loadings, medical report requests (GPRs), or temporary postponements?
  2. The "Weight Rebound" Factor: How are underwriters treating rapid weight loss? Are providers in 2026 still "adding back" a percentage of lost weight to calculate active BMI, or have they modernized their approach?
  3. NHS vs. Private Prescriptions: Does it impact the application’s smooth progression if a client secures Mounjaro privately online rather than via an NHS weight management pathway?
  4. Client Disclosure: Are clients proactively disclosing GLP-1 usage, or is non-disclosure becoming a rising risk at the claims stage?

3 responses from the Newspage community

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David StirlingVerified
Independent Financial Adviser at Mint Wealth
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Mounjaro is increasingly becoming part of medical disclosures rather than something unusual, and insurers need to look beyond the name on the prescription. Taking Mounjaro for weight management is not the same risk as taking it alongside type 2 diabetes and other health complications.

The interesting bit for underwriting is often the scales. If somebody has lost a substantial amount of weight very quickly, their BMI today might look fantastic, but the insurer will understandably want to know where it started and whether that weight is likely to stay off.

The biggest concern for me is disclosure, particularly where Mounjaro has been obtained privately online. There may be a temptation to think ‘it’s not on my NHS record, so it doesn’t matter’. That's precisely the wrong way to approach insurance. Tell the insurer everything, let them make the decision, and make sure the policy is worth more than the paper it’s written on when a claim arrives.
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Rebecca RobertsonVerified
Independent Financial Adviser, Planner and Director at Evolution Financial Planning
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This is a moving object as it is not clear on any side affects yet. Around 60% of people regain the weight lost within a few years, so currently underwriters are currently using their pre weight lost BMI anyway. This is what underwriting will be based on, however this could change in the future.
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Oliver JordanVerified
Director at Check Financial
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Right now, the insurers are particularly accepting of weight loss injections. The main thing to look out for: Is it prescribed by a Doctor (Private or NHS). With plenty of adverse affects and limited research on the use of peptides, insurers want to make sure that someone isn't taking it purely for vanity purposes (A dodgy online pharmacy would cause problem). The client will often need to confirm that they are being monitored as they progress through the treatment and sometimes show they have maintained a weight for 6-12 months.
L&G, one of the biggest UK insurers, will offer cover on life cover without needing much disclosure or underwriting.
When Mounjaro first became popular, it was MUCH harder to obtain an offer. I believe the research now shows that although weight loss injections are not ideal, it offers a better health outcome than being morbidly obese - Providers likely couldn't offer cover with a BMI of 50+ but can now with a lower BMI + Injections.