Employers with a Canada Life Group Income Protection arrangement written from 1 October 2009 onwards can now offer EmployeeCare and Best Doctors to non-insured staff.
The services are offered at no additional cost irrespective of the number of insured employees and, irrespective of the ratio of non-insured to insured employees, all employees ordinarily resident in the UK will have access to the services.
The move is part of a Canada Life focus on its Income Protection offering focus to Group Income Protection. The insurer said it intends to offer employers added value - and offering services to non-insured staff is one way it can do this.
Canada Life added it is looking at ways of opening up the market for intermediaries to help them engage with employers and ultimately grow the group risk market.
A December update to IFAs said: "We've considered the risks very carefully. However, we will monitor take up and utilisation of these services and if there is a higher than anticipated non-insured to insured ratio then we will review the provision of this feature.
"Being able to offer both EmployeeCare and Best Doctors to non-insured employees at no additional cost is unique in the market. In addition, workplace promotion of the services becomes easier as they can be promoted to all staff on the same basis."
