The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has welcomed the launch of the Dilnot report on long-term care, supporting its proposed partnership between the state and the individual. The ABI’s chairman, Tim Breedon, says the report offers hope of a “clear, stable framework” in which the insurance market can develop a range of products that can [...]
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has joined with health organisations and charities to urge the Government to “grasp the nettle” over care for the elderly. In an open letter to The Daily Telegraph, 10 signatories argue that the UK’s current system of care provision is “complicated, expensive and under-funded”. The letter states: “The uncertainty [...]
Legal & General has raised medical evidence limits in efforts to reduce processing times. The changes mean that more underwriting decisions will be made at the point of sale, allowing more customers get confirmation of cover quickly. For life cover up to age 35 next birthday L&G has increased the automatic medical evidence limit to [...]
Now Health International is cutting premiums and making improvements to its group discount structure in response to feedback from the intermediary market. Following negotiations with underwriter AXA, the worldwide medical insurance provider says it has reduced the cost of individual premiums by a minimum of 15% on WorldCare Excel and WorldCare Apex, its two most [...]
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is calling for a clampdown on the “pain in the neck” culture which it says has made the UK the whiplash capital of Europe. With one in every 140 people claiming whiplash injuries a year, the ABI highlights the need for action as follows: Nearly 1,200 whiplash claims are [...]
Premex Group has been acquired by ExamWorks, a New York Stock Exchange listed company with offices in the US, Canada and the UK. The acquisition, which makes ExamWorks the UK’s leading provider of independent medical reports, will see all Premex directors and management remaining with the business at its Bolton headquarters. Commenting on the transaction, [...]
The British Bankers’ Association (BBA) will not be appealing against April’s High Court judgment regarding banks’ handling of Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) complaints. Following a judicial review of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and Financial Ombudsman Service, the BBA had been given until 10th May to appeal against a ruling in favour of new FSA [...]
Aviva has set up a new US network for its International Solutions healthcare customers, with Miami-based Olympus Managed Healthcare. Managing over 125,000 claims a year, Olympus has access to medical provider networks across the US meaning that Aviva’s customers can now access around 6,000 hospitals, over half a million physicians and 57,000 pharmacies across the [...]
New research from Aviva Health Insurance reveals that Irish people are spending almost €2,000 per year on alcohol, with men typically spending €2,395 and women €1,607. According to the study, men are consuming an average of 15 alcohol units per week and women an average of nine. The insurer suggests that while this is below [...]
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has today announced that the long-standing Concordat and Moratorium on Genetics, agreed with the Department of Health, has been extended to 2017. The moratorium means the results of a predictive genetic test will not affect a consumer’s ability to take out any type of insurance, other than life insurance [...]
Half of employers questioned in a recent survey consider long-term sick leave to be an issue for their business, with 27% admitting it gives them a major staffing headache. However, new research from Aviva UK Health also indicates that employers feel the strain emotionally when managing more complex illnesses in the workplace. While musculoskeletal problems [...]
International healthcare group Bupa has announced that it has enhanced its provision of cancer coverage by no longer selling corporate health insurance schemes which include overall cost or time limits for the disease. New drugs introduced several years ago steeply increased the cost of cancer treatment which led to financial and time limits being imposed. [...]
Zurich has announced that its employee benefits network will in future be working with AIA in the Asian employee benefits market. The cooperation should benefit multinational companies with operations throughout Asia, improving their access to comprehensive employee benefit programmes. Commenting on the deal, Zurich Employee Benefits Network (ZEBN) head, Theo Lutgendorff, says: “Asia is a [...]
Protection specialist LV= has announced that it is enhancing its critical illness and income protection coverage. Those with income protection can now benefit from a £1000 benefit guarantee, with the maximum age of cover expiration rising to 70. In addition, the maximum percentage of the salary covered is increased to 55% and the ‘suited’ occupation [...]
Bupa has today announced a new multi-million pound campaign launched to complement the firm’s repositioning to offer products and services beyond core health insurance. The Helping You Find Healthy campaign, which begins TV advertising from 10 March, is a multi-platform campaign and replaces the animated shapes that formed Bupa’s previous advertising series. The new campaign [...]
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has announced that customers of Welcome Financial Services Limited (WFSL) may be entitled to receive compensation in relation to advice on, or the arranging of, payment protection insurance (PPI) by the firm on or after 14th January 2005. The doorstep lender, which is part of the Cattles group, has [...]
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) recorded a 15% increase in new complaints in the second half of 2010, compared with the previous six-month period. Complaints involving payment protection insurance (PPI) accounted for over half of the new workload, with 24,955 such cases lodged in the final quarter of 2010 alone. The Service received a total [...]
Those needing to make a claim on their critical illness (CI) insurance should in future have a better understanding of their cover, following an updated Statement of Best Practice from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The new Statement takes account of past problems with the insurance and aims to improve understanding of Total Permanent [...]
Specialist affinity scheme provider Heath Lambert Insurance Services has extended its partnership with The Stroke Association to provide stroke survivors, their families, carers and supporters with a new suite of travel products. The Association’s supporters will be able to take advantage of two levels of coverage, either gold or platinum, both of which cover all [...]
