Friends Life has enhanced its Protect Plus critical illness cover proposition by improving the cover on the core illnesses where most claims occur.
Friends Life will now pay out on diagnosis of a heart attack, as long as it is supported by evidence of raised troponins (proteins that are released when the heart muscle is damaged) and either a positive ECG or other diagnostics test such as Echocardiogram.
The provider has also introduced a simple diagnosis definition of multiple sclerosis without needing to provide evidence of continuous symptoms.
Friends Life has also extended the range of treatments covered for a benign brain tumour and it now includes those who undergo chemotherapy or radiosurgery.
Childcover benefit is now extended to the age of 21 for those not in full-time employment, “taking the weight off many parents who are financially responsible for their children who are continuing their studies”.
Further to this, Friends Life claims it is the only provider in the UK market to also include cover on a range of serious and often debilitating child specific illnesses, namely cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, hydrocephalus, muscular dystrophy and now with this enhancement, spina bifida.
Protect Plus was launched in October 2011 and delivers protection products to customers through relationships with independent advisers.
Steve Payne, managing director of protection at Friends Life, said: “We believe that making any enhancements to our proposition must bring a real benefit to our customers when they truly need it. That’s why our products are built around our customers, for our customers, and offers the best quality and value available in the market today.
“Customer insight, claims experience and incidence rates drive the way we design our propositions. For example, we’re moving towards diagnosis rather than severity on the most common conditions and adding a new definition specific to children. We continually strive to offer more than just financial support.
“We want our customers to have peace of mind knowing that they have protected themselves and their family should the worst happen. And more than that, knowing that they are protected by a company that is setting a new standard for what critical illness protection should be.”
