Underwriting where you declare your medical history and the insurer decides cover up front.
You complete a medical declaration and the insurer sets out any exclusions, premium loadings or acceptance terms before cover starts. The advantage is certainty: you know at the outset what is and is not covered. The disadvantage is that the application takes longer and an exclusion applied this way can be permanent. It suits people with a medical history who want the position settled before they rely on the policy.