Life, pensions and investment company Royal London has changed its underwriting limits for HNWI, increasing limits in many cases.

The changes aim to improve the underwriting journey for advisers and their clients, the mutual said.

Since acquiring Aegon UK’s individual protection line of business a year ago, Royal London said it has increased its focus on the large case market.

It said it has bolstered its specialist team dedicated to supporting advisers with high net worth cases, increasing the overall team by 50% and appointing Mark Preston as service delivery manager with responsibility for large cases.

Craig Paterson, chief underwriter at Royal London, said: “Financial underwriting remains an important component of higher sum assured business, but the process should support the cover being applied for, not be a barrier to sale.

The changes we’ve introduced should improve our speed to offer, conversion rates and make Royal London easier to do business with.

“High net worth clients typically have sophisticated financial needs and are looking for high levels of cover, so it’s vital that our proposition meets their needs and processing their business is as efficient as possible.”

Changes include increasing life cover limits on single and joint life (first death) policies from £1m to £1.5m for ‘no automatic evidence’ to raising the limits for ‘corrobative evidence’ cases to £4m from £3.5m.

Royal London is the largest mutual life, pensions and investment company in the UK, and in the top 25 mutuals globally, with assets under management of £162bn, 8.5 million policies in force and more than 4,200 workers.