People taking out an insurance policy to put their mind at rest should they be diagnosed with cancer must read the small print, warns Bupa.
To avoid disappointment when it comes to claim the health insurer says read through the policy carefully because not all private medical insurers fund treatment for every stage of cancer.It says some providers stipulate time or pre-set monetary limits on funding for cancer drugs, while others offer varying levels of cover.
Bupa UK Health Insurance assistant clinical director Dr Rebecca Small says: “We believe a policy should give people access to treatment at every stage of their cancer. It’s about the right cancer treatment, at the right time, in the right place and is ultimately about giving patients the best possible chance.”
LV= intends to upgrade the mortgage payment protection insurance sector with a new product offering accident, sickness, unemployment and mortgage payment cover.
The new mortgage and lifestyle protection policy will pay out guaranteed premiums until the claimant returns to work or until the plan ends with disability definitions based on the policy holder’s occupation.
LV= says the longer term of its new policy is a key distinction from other mortgage payment protection plans which are often limited to one or two years.
The insurance company formerly known as Liverpool Victoria says the plan will offer a choice of level or index-linked living expenses protection.
‘We saw that the market needed a more flexible product that could be tailored to their client’s individual needs and that was easy to understand,’ said Chris McFarlane (pictured), head of protection at LV=.
McFarlane said LV=’s new plan will stimulate the protection market, and will be a helping hand for advisers hit by the downturn in the mortgage market.
Tele-underwriting with medically trained staff will be used in the application process, said McFarlane.
‘An additional bonus of this product is its flexibility, the client can alter their cover when their life circumstances change, for example if they move house, have children or get married,’ said McFarlane
Bright Grey will double the maximum amount of critical illness cover it offers to £1 million as part of a drive to beef up its personal protection business.
The arm of Royal London Group is investing in its back office to speed up applications with a new team of experienced underwriters dedicated to large cases starting on 28 July.
Bright Grey will raise the maximum amount of life cover consumers can claim to £5 million from £2 million. Consumers will be given an extra 30 days to return completed application forms as Bright Grey relaxes its deadline to 60 days.
‘This year our focus has been on improvements to the customer experience of our application and underwriting proposition,’ said Roger Edwards (pictured), Bright Grey’s product director. ‘These enhancements reflect and build upon market trends, such as the requirement for higher levels of cover from individuals as well as businesses.’
Bright Grey has also tweaked its online application system to give advisers and clients more time to check details in an effort to cut non-disclosure.
Aegon Scottish Equitable has added five more illnesses to its critical illness cover. In addition, it has extended it maximum term on guarantedd rates from 25 to 40 years. This now takes the total number of conditions covered to 36. The additional five critical illnesses are rheumatoid arthritis , open heart surgery, primary pulmonary hypertension, systemic lupus erthematosous and encephalitis.
The life insure has aslo improved three critical illness definitions to the Association of British Insurers’ plus standard. They are coma, heart attack and third degree burns.
Extending the maximum term on guaranteed rates by 15 years, Aegn confirmed to us that this was in response to people taking out longer term mortgages than the previous normal term of 25 years
With the current credit crunch stretching many families finances, Legal & General are advising them to take out suitable insurance protection.
Product marketing director of protection at Legal & General, Bonnie Burns, says: ‘Most families’ finances would unravel if a parent died or became too ill to work.’
She adds: ‘They are risking their futures by not protecting their key asset - their future income.’
With family protection policies such as Critical Illness, Income Protection or Life Cover a monthly income can be provided should something happen to the policyholder.
If you are interested in taking out an insurance policy with How Much Cover please click here.
The insurance company launches new home insurance via Insurecom.
AXA has announced that its ABC and Exclusive household insurance products are now available to customers of the software solutions firm Insurecom.
The software company will host the household products as Full Cycle EDI, which should give brokers a more effective method of managing their household insurance business with AXA.
ABC insurance is a buildings and contents policy created for the average homeowner and offering a number of additional features such as Family Legal Protection and Home Assistance.
Exclusive insurance is aimed at higher value homes and contents customers. It provides all risks cover worldwide and identity theft cover.
According to general manager of Personal Lines Intermediary at AXA, Mike Keating, Insurecom has more than 700 users and the move will broaden the group’s distribution of its two most popular products.
Friends Provident is the latest insurance provider to join Paradigm Mortgage Services’ dual protection panel.
The insurance company’s range of protection products will be available on Paradigm’s preferred whole of market and limited panels.
Products on offer will inlcude level term assurance, home buyer protection and income protection as well as deals providing cash sums, benefits and life cover.
Chief executive of Paradigm, Bob Hunt, says: ‘The addition of Friends Provident to our dual protection panel offers brokers a number of additional services including eSelect, its interactive online system.’
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Legal & General’s Trust which was launched on the 30th April last year has a good first year.
The Dynamic Bond Trust’s approach is based on flexibility and unconstrained investment, and utilises the UCITS III investment powers.
Ben Waterhouse, Legal & General’s sales director, is very pleased with the Trust’s initial year, describing the last 12 months as a turbulent time for fixed income markets.
The sales director added that despite the difficult conditions, Dickie Hodges, the fund’s manager, has both managed risk and generated alpha effectively.
Leading insurance company AXA has cut its rates across its life protection range to keep up with an increasingly price-driven market.
The biggest drop is for its Guaranteed Level Life Cover, with an average reduction of 6% across all products.
Other covers affected include Decreasing Life Cover and Earlier Critical Illness Cover.
Director of protection marketing at AXA, Iain Mallon, says: ‘As part of our continuous review of our pricing we have brought down the cost of these covers to make sure we remain one of the most competitively priced protection insurers.’
A leading insurance company has revealed a new income protection product designed to replace mortgage payment protection insurance.
The income protection product, pays out until the policyholder goes back to work, the plan term ends or the policyholder dies.
It offers cover for accident, sickness and unemployment, with level mortgage payment protection and the choice of level or index-linked living expenses protection. The policyholder can claim as often as necessary.
Their head of protection, says:
‘Based on extensive research, we saw that the market needed a more flexible product that could be tailored to their client’s individual needs and that was easy to understand. We believe this will stimulate the market at a time when advisers really need quality protection products to satisfy their clients’ needs as well as supplement their income.’
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