Transition Rules

Fully Underwritten Applications

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, Platinum Advantage California applications may be signed and submitted using the new Platinum Advantage application and supplemental forms. Applications for Protector Platinum^SM and Protector Essential^SM may be signed through Jan. 31, 2020 using those products’ application and supplemental forms. Applications must be received in the home office March 2, 2020 or earlier.

New Business Transition Rules

• Applications pending an underwriting decision Jan.1. You may request Platinum Advantage. A new Platinum Advantage application must be submitted to the home office before the policy can be issued for delivery.
  • To request Platinum Advantage, immediately notify your case manager that you wish to change the application to Platinum Advantage. We’ll continue underwriting. The new Platinum Advantage application must be received in the home office before we'll issue a policy.
• Applications approved, but not issued for delivery as of Jan.1. You may request Platinum Advantage. A new Platinum Advantage application must be submitted to the home office by Jan. 17, 2020.
  • To request Platinum Advantage, immediately notify your case manager that you wish to change the policy to Platinum Advantage. We’ll place the policy on hold until we receive the new application.
• Policies pending delivery or accepted with a Dec. 1, 2019 or later effective date. You may request a policy reissue on Platinum Advantage until Jan. 17, 2020. A new Platinum Advantage application will be required* and may be subject to additional underwriting. Please contact your case manager with questions.
• Policies accepted with an effective date before Dec. 1, 2019. Policyowners may apply for a Platinum Advantage policy by submitting a Platinum Advantage application, updated authorizations and any required supplemental forms. The new application will be processed with full underwriting as a Cancellation/Replacement. We’ll terminate the existing policy and issue a new policy with a current effective date.

In all cases, if the original application was a TeleApp, a new TeleApp interview will be required.

Commissions for the new policy will be adjusted based on the product and premium difference between the new policy and the policy being replaced.

New or Updated Discounts for Fully Underwritten Policies

• The Residency Multi-Life Discount, available only with Platinum Advantage, allows accredited hospitals and university medical centers to establish a 10% discount for residents when applications on at least three lives are submitted within a six-month period. See Residency Discount Institutions for more information.
• The Preferred Occupation Discount provides a 10% discount to some 5A occupations including but not limited to executives earning at least $200,000 a year, CPAs and Ph.D. scientists.
• The Business Owner Discount is 15% for Protector Platinum applications signed on or before Jan. 31, 2020 and received in the home office March 2, 2020 or earlier. The discount is 10% on Platinum Advantage policies.

Please see the Online Reference Product Guide for complete information on these and other available discounts.

*Platinum Advantage can’t be issued using the Application for Disability Insurance, form DIAPP. Please use the new Platinum Advantage application forms. Alternatively, the applicant may complete the Full Underwriting Application Supplement in addition to the Application for Individual Disability Insurance.

Increase Option Transition Rules

Note: Increase Options for GME policies will be transitioned to Platinum Advantage at a later date. The guidelines below are for increase options on fully underwritten applications.

• Increase options with effective dates between Dec. 1-March 1, 2020. The increase may be issued as Protector Platinum, Protector Essential or Platinum Advantage upon request. For increase options requesting Platinum Advantage, a Platinum Advantage Increase Option application must be submitted. 
• Increase options with effective dates before Dec. 1, 2019. Platinum Advantage is not available.
• Increase options with effective dates after March 1, 2020. Increases will be issued as Platinum Advantage. A Platinum Advantage Increase Option application must be submitted.

Gender-Neutral vs. Gender-Distinct

Increase options on base policies issued as gender-neutral must be issued with Platinum Advantage gender-neutral rates. Increase options on base policies issued as gender-distinct must be issued with Platinum Advantage gender-distinct rates.

For increase options questions, please contact DIChanges[at]standard.com.

Guaranteed Standard Issue

After Jan. 1, 2020, all new requests for proposals in California will be quoted on Platinum Advantage GSI. The final day to submit requote requests for Protector Platinum will be Feb. 28, 2020. All offer letters for Protector Platinum must be signed and returned by March 31, 2020.

Graduate Medical Education

GME programs in California will transition to Platinum Advantage for the 2020–2021 program year.