Manulife has launched the Manulife Advisor AI Assistant, an AI-powered capability that gives advisers 24/7 access to underwriting guidance drawn from Manulife's underwriting adviser handbooks. The Toronto-based insurer announced the launch on 14 October 2026.
Advisers ask questions in plain language and receive AI-generated guidance from the handbooks, helping them prepare before an application is submitted. The first release supports life insurance, critical illness insurance, and Synergy products, and the tool is available through Advisor Portal.
The assistant complements MAUDE, Manulife's AI-enabled underwriting engine, which supports decisions after an application is submitted. Manulife says the new tool does not make underwriting decisions or give a binding indication of insurability, premium, coverage, or outcome.
"The faster advisors can get to the information they need, the more confidently they can help clients move forward," said Karen Cutler, Chief Underwriter, Manulife Canada. "The Manulife Advisor AI Assistant puts underwriting guidance at their fingertips, making the process easier to navigate while laying the foundation for new ways we can support advisors in the future."
"AI is most powerful when it takes complexity out of the way and helps people do their best work," said Jamie Campbell, Head of Artificial Intelligence and Data, Canada, Manulife. "The Manulife Advisor AI Assistant does exactly that, making underwriting information easier to find so advisors can spend more time focused on their clients. It's another example of how we're applying AI in practical ways across the insurance journey."
With the launch, Manulife now uses AI on both sides of the application: the Advisor AI Assistant before submission and MAUDE after it.
