Aegon health and wellbeing service
Aegon has launched a health and wellbeing service for its protection customers, which is delivered by partner organisation Health Assured. The service is available to all protection customers and their families and gives:
24/7 access to Health Assured’s qualified and experienced counsellors.
Support and guidance on a wide range of issues, including:
- loss of a family member or friend
- diagnosis of a medical condition
- emotional issues
- marital and relationship concerns
- family concerns, for example childcare
- work-related concerns
- consumer rights, legal and debt issues.
Access to Health Assured’s innovative Online Health Assessment tool, providing health and fitness assessments along with nutritional, fitness and lifestyle information.
The service is available throughout the lifetime of the policy and can be accessed regardless of whether a claim has been made.
Comment: The Seven Families initiative has shown just how valuable support services can be to those who need them. Despite that, the industry doesn’t have a great track record in either providing such services universally or of promoting them in such a way that they help people make the decision to seek and buy protection insurance.
Aegon’s solution is a well thought out package, provided by a specialist that is there when needed for customers and their families. There is no corresponding incentive system to encourage good lifestyle choices (e.g. rewards for good lifestyle decision) but not everyone thinks that’s what an insurer should be doing anyway.
We like the fact this service is free and applies to all Aegon’s protection plans, is 24/7 and can help family members as well as customers, whether a claim is made or not. Aegon also says that last year it was able to offer terms to 96% of applicants. Given the time wasted when an application has to be declined on top of the disappointment of customers who are rejected by insurers, that’s an important factor when considering providers too.
Plus points: A comprehensive support service that lasts the lifetime of the policy; Delivered by a leading specialist provider; No extra charge; Available to customers and their families.
Not so plus points: Little that is radical; Reactive in that it relies on the customer contacting the service if no claim is made; No automatic system to encourage better lifestyle choices; Support services provide immense vale when needed but are rarely a key factor when choosing which policy to buy.
Website: http://www.aegon.co.uk.
Rating (max 10): Innovation: 7. Overall: 8. Gold
Tags: Other; Aegon