Group Income Protection Cover

What is Group Income Protection Cover? (Irish Life)

Income Protection is designed to provide an income for employees if they are unable to work for a prolonged period of time due to illness or injury.

The importance of Income Protection cover

  • Retaining Employees: Loss of income due to illness or injury is a real concern for employees. Therefore, employees will perceive the Income Protection cover provided by their employer as being very valuable.
  • Return to work programme: Irish Life takes an innovative and pro-active approach to Income Protection claims management and aims to help employees recover and return to work after they have been out of work on an Income Protection claim.
  • Standard of Living: The monthly payment from Irish Life will help bridge the gap between the employee’s social welfare benefits paid in the event of disability and the income they require to maintain a reasonable standard of living while they are ill or injured.
  • Pension Plans: Regular contributions to the pension plan can also be insured through Income Protection.
  • Benefits payable under the scheme may increase annually by the lesser of an agreed percentage or the rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the preceding twelve months.
  • The scheme may also provide a proportionate benefit for employees who are unable to return to work fully and either resume their normal occupation on a part-time basis, at reduced earnings, or undertake an alternative occupation at reduced earnings. This is a valuable support for employees who are keen to return to the workforce but who cannot resume their original job in a full capacity.

Cost

The cost can be significantly less than if an employee applies for similar cover on an individual basis. Rates are normally set for three years. On receipt of employee data, we can provide a quotation specific to your company.

Top Benefit – Less strict Underwriting

Underwriting requirements are generally much less strict for Income Protection on a group basis than if an employee applies for cover on an individual basis. In most cases a ‘non-medical’ limit (under which no medical underwriting is required) is set which reflects scheme membership and salaries. Members who satisfy our actively at work requirements and whose benefit is below the non-medical limit will not be required to submit details for further medical underwriting.

Back to Work Programmes

Below examples from Irish Life.

Irish Life assists in returning claimants to the workforce under a number of rehabilitation programmes. The cost of these programmes is borne by Irish Life. Many people have been assisted to date on these programmes and have successfully returned to work.

The principle is to work with people from the earliest possible stage, assess their needs and capabilities, and assist their return to the workforce as quickly as possible.

While Irish Life obviously benefits from an earlier return to work, so does the employer and particularly the employee.

This is a real win-win situation. 

Income Protection Rehabilitation – Key Facts

  • Currently we have a number of rehabilitation programmes available, catering for mental health problems, back pain, neck pain and cancer.
  • We also offer a Career Change Programme.
  • Over 600 home visits conducted each year to meet Income Protection Claimants by our four full-time Health Claims Advisors.
  • To date over 40% of claimants who have completed their rehab programme have returned to at least part-time work.
  • Typically, a rehab programme costs about €2,000 per claimant, but can cost up to €6,000 (all funded by Irish Life).

Source: Irish Life

Income Protection payments can cease for a number of different reasons:

  • The employee returns to work
  • The employee is deemed to be fit to return to work
  • The employment ceases
  • The employee reaches the expiry age specified in the policy
  • The employee retires
  • The employee dies

Deferred Period:

  • Payment begins once a predetermined period called the “deferred period” has passed since the onset of the condition leading to the claim. The deferred period differs according to the specific terms of each policy but is usually 26 weeks.

For further information please call Stuart directly on 0872447775.