Income Protection

Legal and General is considering shortening its early notification period to just 10 days for group income protection customers.

PPI controversy, opaque financial services and lack of trust in the industry are key barriers to widespread apathy about insurance protection, pensions and savings, Zurich has warned.

Zurich paid out nearly £14m in income protection claims, to 765 customers, in 2012.

All Canada Life's group income protection clients will now have access to its rehabilitation and on site claims team, nearly doubling the amount of employees covered.

Personal Group has made changes to its Voluntary Group Income Protection (VGIP) plan, increasing the maximum benefit and improving its occupation definition to Own Occupation.

One in four (23%) of the 325,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients in the UK - an estimated 70,000 patients each year - lack support from family and friends during their treatment and recovery, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Legal & General has partnered with a national charity to help employers minimise absences due to staff mental health problems.

Aviva has reported concern about long waiting times for mental health treatments despite the government having pledged to provide greater access by 2015.

An employee benefits advisers has called on insurers to address neglected workplace mental health issues, by building better group income protection rehabilitation and support programmes.

Group income protection premiums could soar by as much as 17% with minimum rises predicted to hit at least 7% this year, according to Capita Employee Benefits.