The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has relaxed its policy on sending life insurance applications electronically.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has relaxed its policy on sending life insurance applications electronically.

The financial services watchdog says it will allow life companies to accept partial policy applications electronically.

Applications previously had to be in the form of a single paper document, but clients will now be able to lodge compulsory personal information and specify their required level of cover via insurance agents who would email the details to the company.

Advisers can help clients to complete the electronic part of the application form using any client information already available in the life company database, transmitting the data after it is verified by the client. The adviser must also forward the paper part of the application containing declarations by the client and the client's signature.

Although the life company can start its underwriting processes immediately upon re-ceiving the electronic part of the application, it can only issue a policy after receiving both sections and verifying the consistency of the information in both documents.

ASIC says it has granted relief from the standard application form requirements for three life companies, and is willing to grant similar relief to other life companies that wish to adopt similar processes.