Will Covid-19 impact your client’s protection benefits?

These are worrying times and therefore it is understandable that policyholders will be concerned about their protection policies and whether they would be covered should they become ill or worst case die as a result of contracting Coronavirus.

We remain totally committed to supporting you and your clients and that’s why we want to reassure you and all our policyholders that their protection benefits remain completely unaffected by Coronavirus.

For any RL360 policyholder who contracts Coronavirus and subsequently passes away, we will pay out on a valid claim, the full amount of life cover linked to their policy.

This includes all legacy products sold by Scottish Provident International, Scottish Life International, Clerical Medical and Scottish Widows.

If you have clients with current or legacy products that include additional life or critical illness cover, or they are considering buying a LifePlan and have any questions, then please don’t hesitate to contact us on underwriting@rl360.com.

We can all play our part

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that it is critical we all prepare for Coronavirus. Simple precautions and planning can make a big difference in slowing its spread.

Coronavirus is incredibly contagious. According to the WHO, if one person gets the virus they can infect between 2 and 2.5 people. If each of these people then infect another 2 to 2.5 people, by the time the infection has been through the tenth cycle of contagion, at the lower rate of 2 people, 1,024 will have been infected however, at the higher rate of 2.5 people that jumps to 9,536 infected by just one person.

By comparison, if one person were to contract influenza, they can on average infect 1.3 people. If we apply the same calculations as we did above, by the time we get the tenth cycle of contagion, only 14 people will have been infected by one person.

Proactive action and education now can help protect you, your family and your community. These simple steps can help to protect you and slow the virus:

1. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol based solution. Such frequent washing kills viruses that may be on your hands. It is simple, but very important.

2. Cover your nose and mouth with a bent elbow or tissue when you sneeze or cough. Dispose of the tissue immediately and wash your hands. Droplets spread the coronavirus. By following respiratory hygiene, you protect the people around you from contracting viruses, such as cold, flu and coronavirus.

3. Avoid touching your face, particularly your eyes, nose or mouth to prevent the virus from entering your body. Hands touch too many surfaces and can quickly pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your face, from where the virus can move inside your body, making you feel unwell.

4. In terms of social interaction, stay at least two metres distance from others. By maintaining such social distancing, you are helping to avoid breathing in any droplets from someone who sneezes or coughs in close proximity.

5. Only leave your home if it’s essential. The more we isolate ourselves from other people at this time, the greater the chance we can slow the spread of coronavirus, reduce pressure on medical services and cut the number of unnecessary deaths.

6. If you feel unwell, stay at home. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance.

7. Keep informed. Local health authorities provide the latest information on the situation in your area. Please follow their instructions, and call in advance to allow them to direct you to the appropriate local health facility. This serves to protect you and to help prevent the spread of virus and other infections.