Insurance still has a role to play at this time
Insurers must be adaptable and flexible in supporting clients to maintain vital cover, especially private medical insurance and health cash plans, an industry leader has warned.
Association of Medical Insurers and Intermediaries (AMII) chairman Mr Stuart Scullion said unemployment, reduced hours and financial worries meant members had a key role to play in supporting clients.
He said: ‘It would be easy to say: “Why should I keep my cover when I may be unable to access private hospital facilities?”, but private medical insurance and health cash plans provide much more than hospital treatment.
‘Digital GP services, employee assistance programmes and digital and phone-based mental health support can be invaluable to customers at this difficult time and continue to deliver real value to customers.’
Mr Scullion said insurers were looking at several options from payment holidays to enhanced NHS cash benefits for those unfortunate enough to contract Covid-19.
He praised private hospital groups providing staff and facilities at cost and asked all insurers and intermediary firms to work together to fight the pandemic as one.
Customers also needed to protect their underwriting status, he warned. ‘Private medical insurance is not like a TV subscription service that you can cancel and recommence when you are ready. Consumers need to protect their underwriting status and cover to ensure they do not find themselves with a new moratorium or exclusions applied.
‘Intermediaries have a responsibility to ensure they convey this message clearly. We would encourage anyone who is thinking of cancelling their cover to speak with their intermediary or insurer before doing so.’