This article discusses the effects of the profusion of medical data on daily underwriting and then attempts to derive conclusions as to future developments in this field. Whereas the volume of medical information is constantly increasing, access to this information is in many cases being rendered difficult as a result of a highly critical attitude to the insurance industry on the part of applicants and medical practitioners. The second part of this article looks more closely at the handling of medical information and makes reference in this regard to the experience of insurance medical officers and directors of underwriting departments in the most important international markets.