Group Income Protection

• Working with your client, we’ll ask you to let us know which employees need to be covered by the scheme, and the levels of benefit to be provided
• We usually offer your client a Free Cover Limit (FCL) with no individual medical underwriting needed, speeding the process up considerably
• For employees who do need underwriting, we’ll provide full benefits for up to 180 days – in excess of the FCL and excluding any pre-existing conditions – or until our underwriting decision is made, whichever is earlier

There may be cases where we’ll want to work closely with your client if they’ve had long-term absenteeism that’s been prevalent in the business over a number of years. One of the main reasons for doing this is that our focus is on helping people to stay healthy, so we’ll look for pro-active ways in which to help your client identify risk areas in the business.

Download an application form.

Download a Direct Debit mandate form.

Our Group Income Protection policy can help individuals financially – but we’d like to help you explain the practical benefits of the policy and the cover options available to your clients.

• Flexibility – choose the length of time an employee is absent before the payment of benefit is triggered – after a 13, 26, 28, or 52-week deferred period – the longer the deferred period, the lower the premium 
  
• Your client can also contain costs by setting a limit on the amount of time we pay a benefit, from a choice of 2, 3, 4 or 5 years, or cover can be provided to pay benefits until the chosen policy cease age, to a maximum of state pension age (SPA) 
  
• By selecting our lump sum option, clients could receive a one-off payment at the end of a limited term, up to £1.6 million 
  
• With our Pay Direct option, the income benefit can be paid directly to the employee as instructed by the employer 
  
• Pension fund contributions can be insured for up to £75,000
  
• We recommend that the employer contacts us with details of any employees who are absent for four weeks or longer, so that we can offer early intervention support 
  
• Our Group Income Protection gives access to a fully-rounded suite of wellbeing services, designed to help provide emotional and practical support.
  
• A wide range of support and training options are available to help clients and their employees with workplace wellbeing issues 
  
• In most cases, our Group Income Protection policy premiums will qualify as a trading expense and therefore attract corporation tax relief depending on the employer's circumstances
  

As a result of government legislation, most people claiming Incapacity Benefit from the state will, in time, be encouraged to reintegrate into the workplace. Benefits are often limited to motivate employees to return to work when able to do so, and employers are encouraged to support employees in getting back to work.

Our Group Income Protection policy offers the levels of benefit and type of early intervention services that can help support employees to return to work. By acting promptly, and drawing on our clinical expertise, we could help your clients' employees get back to work faster.

We can help your clients to support their insured employees with the Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace smartphone app, provided by Square Health. It gives them the guidance they need to help detect, manage and prevent physical and mental health problems. Terms apply.

• A yearly Health Check
• Digital GP
• Second Medical Opinion
• Mental Health Consultation
• Nutritional Consultation

Designed to help your clients' employees to stay happy and healthy, the Employee Assistance Programme can offer valuable support in all areas of their lives, such as coping with pressures at work, relationship breakdowns, or money worries. Provided by Care first, the service is open to all employees, even if they are not covered by your clients' Group Income Protection policy.

Read more about the EAP service in the EAP brochure.

Help your clients' employees look after their wellbeing with Thrive: Mental Wellbeing, a confidential, NHS-approved app that gives them simple, effective evidence-based tools to help improve mental health and build everyday resilience. It uses clinically effective techniques and cognitive behavioural therapy methods to screen for and help individuals manage specific stress triggers, retrain unhelpful thoughts and learn helpful relaxation techniques. Available to your clients' insured and uninsured employees. Terms apply. 

Developed by mental health professionals, the Aviva Line Manager Toolkit: Mental Health offers video modules and downloadable materials aimed at helping line managers spot the warning signs of poor mental health. It also helps them identify reasonable adjustments and manage professional boundaries.

The toolkit gives your clients' managers more confidence to have supportive conversations with team members, so they can address issues before they become more serious. The Aviva Line Manager Toolkit: Mental Health is available to your client's insured and uninsured line managers as part of an eligible scheme. Terms apply.

The benefits of a healthy workforce can be far reaching. A well-implemented workplace wellbeing programme has the potential to make a real difference to your clients business. It can offer education, awareness and understanding of a number of issues, all helping to improve everyday life in the workplace.

Looking after the wellbeing of employees can help them cope better with what life throws at them, whether that’s illness, stress, physical issues or other difficulties. Knowing they're cared about can also lead employees to become more engaged with their business. For your clients it can help create a culture of openness, and a healthier, happier workforce. Available to your clients' insured and uninsured employees. 

Read more in our Workplace Wellbeing solutions brochure. 

With Get Active, your clients' insured employees can get discounts at over 3,000 health and fitness clubs, plus great at-home fitness offers and a range of savings on other products and services. It's all designed to help keep them and their families active, healthy and happy. Terms apply. 

Stress and worry can take a toll on wellbeing, wherever it comes from. The Wellbeing Library is an on-line library of useful content, hints and tips - including guides and tools. In the Wellbeing Library, your clients' employees will find sections offering helpful support on all kinds of situations, from family and relationships, money or work, mental or physical health conditions. Whatever's on their mind, they can find information to help them deal with it. Available to your clients' insured and uninsured employees. 

Our Employer brochure highlights our expertise at helping employees get back to work as quickly as possible. We use clinical evidence based processes, and our claims team is trained to flag opportunities for early intervention where our rehabilitation experience could make a difference.

Proactive solutions and prevention

Tools and services to help employees detect, manage, and prevent physical and mental health issues.

In-work support

Employee health can start to deteriorate before absence begins. Provided we are notified early, we can draw on a team of clinical experts to support employees while they are in work and help them stay in work.

Dedicated case managers

A dedicated case manager will manage all aspects of the claim, including early intervention and rehabilitation. Our case managers are trained in areas such as mental health First Aid, Counselling, Certified Disability Management and Certified Institute of Insurance.

Simple claims process

We’ll make it quick and easy for employees when we assess claims, taking information by phone and using signatures to gather consent, meaning there are no forms to complete.

Timely payment

We aim to confirm benefit before the end of the deferred period.

Support for your client and their team

Our support can extend to the employer, line manager, HR, or Occupational health representative.

Initial needs assessment

The case manager will build a picture of the absence and determine the next steps by gathering information to help understand the employee’s symptoms, situation, treatment pathways and any obstacles to work. Support is tailored to the individual needs of the employee.

Clinical expertise

Our case managers are supported by a large team of clinical professionals, including psychologists, counsellors, psychiatric nurses and many more.

Rehabilitation support

We offer a range of services designed to get the right support for your clients and their employees. We will consider rehabilitation on every case, this may include signposting, guidance, or treatment. This support could be internal or external, and consideration will be given to rehabilitative funding.

Condition specific support

For the following conditions, we can provide extra support:

-          Mental health conditions

-          Cancer

-          Covid-19

-          Musculoskeletal issues

Return to work planning

Our case managers are trained to offer support and advise to employees as part of their return to work planning. We’ll engage with employers and medical professionals where appropriate with the implementation of any plans. 

The following services may be provided at no extra cost:

Cancer Work Support Service

Specialist counselling, physical rehabilitation, and return to work support for employees living and working with cancer.

Psychological Therapy services

A stepped approach to supporting employees experiencing life-pressures and mental health problems.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) Solutions

Workplace ergonomic assessments, physiotherapy, and functional restoration programmes are some of the options that may be available to help and support employees trying to return to work following musculoskeletal pain and injury.

Covid-19 Work Support Service

Support for employees experiencing Covid-19 symptoms, whether mild or severe. Including those suffering from Long-Covid and employees affected physically or psychologically because of the pandemic.

Complex Case Review

If an employee has been absent from work for three months or more but is struggling to access co-ordinated clinical and vocational support, we can help by providing face-to-face assessment and return-to-work case management.

1. Tell us about an employee's absence

Your client needs to let us know if an employee is off sick for four weeks or more. We'll then assign a case manager to their claim.

2. A case manager will work with them

The case manager will speak to your client's employee about their absence. Depending on the reason, they'll arrange a meeting with our clinicians. They may recommend workplace changes or treatments such as physiotherapy to help them return to work.

3. We'll assess your client's claim

The case manager will carry out a financial and medical assessment of the employee. They'll then make a decision about the claim and share it with your client.

You can email us at groupipclaims@aviva.com with any queries, or call us on 0800 142 2377.

Lines are open 9.00am – 5.00pm, Monday – Friday. 

For our joint protection, telephone calls may be recorded and monitored and will be saved for a minimum of five years. Calls to 0800 numbers from UK landlines and mobiles are free.