Travel insurer comparison site Zoom is now offering cover to Australians and New Zealanders with medical conditions by making use of Verisk’s latest technology.

Nasdaq-listed Verisk launched its Black Box 3 (BB3) solution in January to help insurers make smarter underwriting decisions for risks posed by travellers with pre-existing medical conditions.

Zoom Director Natalie Ball says gathering medical information and assessing risk “can be a challenge for travel insurers”.

BB3 analyses customers’ answers about their health using a proprietary algorithm. A risk score is generated that reflects the likelihood of a cancellation claim arising, and also the risks of medical expenses and repatriation.

Depending upon the type and number of conditions declared the assessment could take from one to 15 minutes to complete.