This section is for information only. The articles were correct when we published them, but please don't rely on them to still be accurate.
October 2008
- The real cost of absence
- The direct financial cost of absence to UK businesses is £13.2* billion a year. When the cause of absence within the workplace is managed, employers benefit from more than direct cost savings alone.
*CBI press release – sickies and long-term absence give employers a headache – CBI/AXA survey July 2008
- Why early notification is important
- Often early notification can help employees recover more quickly. In fact, 71%** of our cases notified early returned to work within the deferred period.
**AEGON Scottish Equitable, Employee Benefits claims statistics, July-December 2007
- Working with you
- We want our clients to get the best possible value from their group income protection cover. That’s why we’ve introduced our new ‘working with you’ process.
- New improved Group Income Protection
- Eligibility is a key issue for group income protection (GIP). And it’s clear that with the introduction of the Welfare Reform Act 2007, it’s only going to get bigger. So we’ve made some changes to our GIP eligibility options.
- A fresh approach to underwriting
- We’re introducing ‘one and done’ underwriting for our group income protection (GIP) customers.
- Welfare Reform - changes to our income protection product
- We’ve changed our benefit levels to reflect the introduction of the Employment and Support Allowance.
September 2008
- Our fresh approach to underwriting
- We've introduced 'one and done' underwriting for our group income protection (GIP) customers.
- Working with you
- From the moment a scheme goes on risk, a dedicated claims assessor will work with you or your client to make sure we provide the best fit for their organisation.
- You’re working with the experts
- Our claims team is now working with the leading experts in both musculoskeletal and mental health care, Nuffield Health and Priory. We've also added RED ARC to our GIP claims process, providing support to both employers and employees where appropriate.
- Our online claims tracker – you’ll know exactly where you are
- Our new online claims tracker provides updated information whenever you need it, from individual claim information to downloadable scheme summary reports. We'll also help manage absence through our monthly email update, and alert you when the status of a claim changes.
- New website enhancements including downloadable video podcasts
- We’ve also improved our website. You can find details of our new partnerships with Nuffield Health and Priory as well as podcasts, including one from our Head of Claims, Alison Hewitt.
July 2008
- Welfare Reform Act changes to our Group Income Protection
- From 27 October 2008, State Incapacity Benefit (SIB) is being replaced by the new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). This will affect all of our Group Income Protection policies.
April 2008
- Catastrophe cover – we’ve increased our capacity
- In the past, the market has typically limited catastrophe cover to postcode areas to reduce the concentration of risk. But thanks to links with our parent company AEGON NV, we can now offer you and your clients increased capacity – which is particularly important for some of the UK’s most significant postcodes.
- Critical illness cover – new product literature
- We’ve refreshed our voluntary and group critical illness literature to make it even more relevant and useful for you and your clients.
- Meet Stewart Ireland, our Head of Sales
- Here Stewart talks about his views on good sales practice and the challenges and opportunities facing Employee Benefits in 2008.
March 2008
- Welfare Reform Act – new state benefits announced
- The details we’ve all been waiting for are finally out. See what our technical expert, Sue Sneddon, has to say about it.
- A- day – two years on and how much has really changed?
- As the two-year anniversary of A-day arrives, there are still opportunities to advise your clients about the legislation and its implications. And don’t forget the clock is still ticking.
- AEGON results
- On 6 March, Otto Thoresen, our Chief Executive, announced an increase in new business growth.
February 2008
- Update on Employee Benefits Group underwriting
- Our aim is to improve our service and provide timely and accurate underwriting decisions using the minimum evidence necessary. Read on to find out how we’re doing.
- Meet Jacqui Halliwell, our Head of Servicing
- Here Jacqui talks about her experience and her role in Employee Benefits servicing.
- An update from Sue Sneddon
- Employee Benefits Technical Manager Sue Sneddon discusses the latest legislative issues.
January 2008
- Improved terms for new group life schemes switching to us
- We’re working hard to make sure we deserve your business, so from 1 February we’ll be making some improvements to our terms when you switch your group life cover to us.
- Why excepted group life?
- Some of your clients may have highly paid employees who might not want to join their company’s registered group life scheme after A-day.
- Supporting your clients through a difficult time
- When we know that one in three of us will get cancer in our lifetime, it’s probably no surprise that cancer is the most common claim we receive through our group critical illness.
December 2007
- 88 per cent of our group CI claimants use RED ARC service*
- We feel that critical illness claimants need more than a cash payout. They also need practical information and emotional support. That’s exactly what our RED ARC service provides.
- 'You don’t realise how important CI cover is'
- Our RED ARC service provides much-needed emotional and practical help to ill or bereaved employees.
- RED ARC bereavement support service available for group life clients
- Find out how the RED ARC bereavement support service works.
October 2007
- Changes to Group Income Protection
- We’ve made some changes to our Group Income Protection product which’ll effect both new and existing schemes.
- Making a claim just got easier
- Remember how much easier your life got when we made our new business forms available online? Well, we’ve taken the next logical step and added a claims section to our Employee Benefits website...
- e-Excellence survey - the results are in!
- The Financial Technology Research Centre (FTRC) has just published the results of its first e-Excellence survey of the group risk market. And in Employee Benefits we’re delighted to have been awarded a 'ee' rating.
June 2007
- 06/06/2007 - Group life cover now available to age 75
- We can now offer group life cover to age 75 after the FSA removed its 'age 70' rule.
April 2007
- 05/04/2007 - Latest focuson now available
- The March edition of our regular Employee Benefits technical newsletter is now online. Articles include the ongoing impact of tax simplification and an update on age discrimination legislation. Read focuson.
February 2007
- 20/02/2007 - New product terms from 1 April 2007
- We’ve updated our product terms for new business starting on or after 1 April 2007, including new features which could benefit your clients.
- 13/02/2007 - Simplified accounting at renewal
- We’ve listened to what you have to say, and we’ve improved the way we produce renewal accounts.
2006
- 13/10/2006 - Dealing with age discrimination - impact on group risk
- We're here to help you tackle the issues posed by the new legislation.
- 02/08/2006 - See the latest edition of focuson
- Topics include the age discrimination regulations, transitional protection for death benefits and reporting in the new post-A-day regime.
- 05/07/2006 - Long-awaited Pensions Regulator guidance on S225
- This is the last piece of the jigsaw trustees of occupational pension schemes (OPS) have been eagerly waiting for, to let them know whether they can continue to provide a death-in-service (DIS) only category under their OPS without being in breach of their Pensions Act responsibilities.