Swiss Re Updates Life Guide with New Underwriting Guidance for Longevity Drugs
Swiss Re has updated its Life Guide underwriting framework to include specific guidance on evaluating life insurance applicants using repurposed longevity drugs, such as metformin and rapamycin, which were originally developed for other conditions but are now used for their potential life-extending properties. This update reflects the insurer's response to emerging medical risks and aims to assist underwriters in making informed decisions amid evolving clinical data and the uncertainty around long-term effects of these medications. The August 2025 update also introduces enhancements to chronic kidney disease calculators, prostate cancer risk assessment tools, and broader medical risk evaluation resources, supporting more nuanced underwriting processes.
The Life Guide platform, utilized by over 800 insurers globally and processing more than 23 million underwriting queries annually, has incorporated AI-driven tools like Life Guide Scout. This generative AI assistant aids underwriters by delivering evidence-based answers quickly, aiming to enhance decision speed and promote consistent application of underwriting guidelines. Other technological improvements include advanced cardiovascular risk assessment tools with interactive features for coronary artery disease.
Swiss Re's approach includes updating medical risk definitions beyond traditional metrics, incorporating assessments of metabolic health and fat distribution in obesity evaluations. These innovations align with the insurer's commitment to proactively address medical risk evolution and provide practicable support to underwriting professionals. The enhanced guidance for repurposed longevity drugs considers experimental or self-prescription scenarios, detailing how to rate or refer such cases to medical officers when risk concerns arise.
The inclusion of medications like metformin, studied for potential anti-aging effects related to insulin sensitivity and inflammation reduction, and rapamycin, an immunosuppressant with off-label use in life extension, marks a significant development in underwriting practice. Given the drugs’ uncertain long-term safety profile, Swiss Re’s updated guidance aims to standardize risk assessment and facilitate more accurate underwriting outcomes. These changes underscore the industry's movement toward integrating emerging biotechnological trends and medical research into risk evaluation frameworks.