LV= has today announced that its Business Protection policies will include LV= Doctor Services, giving customers access to three expert medical services in one app, making it the first provider in the market to do so. Through LV= Doctor Services, business owners and key employees can speak to a GP to talk through any health or medical concerns by video or phone consultation, get a private prescription without needing to visit a GP or get advice on treatment options with a UK medical specialist by video or face to face consultation.
Nearly 5 million UK businesses (SMEs) have less than 10 employees, and a third (32%) think that their business would survive less than a month if a key member of the business was to die or be diagnosed with a critical illness that meant they couldn’t work. However, only one in six (16%) SMEs have business protection.
In addition to medical advice, LV= is also the only provider to offer small businesses free access to VAT and tax experts, as well as legal advice, as a value added feature through LV= Business Care. These services are estimated to cost approximately £750 a year for businesses.
Chris McNab, Head of Life Propositions at LV= said:
“Protecting people should be an integral part of any business plan, as without them, the survival of a small business can be at serious risk.
“From today, we’re including LV= Doctor Services as part of every business protection policy, to ensure that key people in a business can access the medical advice they might need, at a time that suits them, and without having to take time off work, whether it’s for their mental or physical wellbeing.
“Alongside other benefits such as legal and tax advice, putting the long term health of individuals at the forefront of a business’ success means that this is much more than a pure protection product.”
LV= Doctor Services and LV= Business Care will come without the need for additional underwriting and no added cost.
For more information, visit https://www.lv.com/adviser/business-protection.
Insurance Edge Comment:
In an age when it can take two weeks to see your GP, this is a logical, and yet deeply depressing, sign of the times. Few business owners or managers can wait a month for an employee to be diagnosed, and then parhaps referred to a specialist, while paying their wages – and perhaps the wages of a temporary replacement.
The NHS isn’t working and major reform is needed, especially within the antiquated GP Surgery system, populated by part-time GPs and jobsworth reception staff/Practice Managers seemingly keen to deter as many patients as possible from actually attending. But will any political party take on the poisoned chalice of restructuring the sacred cow of UK politics? No chance.
That leaves a massive opportunity for private medical insurance companies because the process of catching medical problems early, getting accurate test results done in hours, not weeks, can mean the difference between life and death. People will pay to protect themselves, as will bigger companies, while the NHS is busy protecting its own back.
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