Reducing Pressure on our NHS

Free Health Services with Life Insurance, Income Protection & Private Medical Insurance Policies.

We are all far too aware that our great institution of the NHS is working hard to combat the Coronavirus and we felt it would be prudent to remind our clients of the additional benefits some protection policies offer.

We do so in the hope you are reminded of these additional benefits and utilise them where possible to help avoid any additional pressure on the NHS where appropriate.

We are conscious there are many other policies out there that are not our clients, so I share the following list we have compiled for your benefit also.

Please feel free to share this guide so that anyone with a policy with any of these insurers are aware of the free health benefits they have access too, which they may have forgotten. Benefits such as 24/7 remote GP access.

Some of these benefits might be extremely useful for those in self-isolation who need medical help or advice.

Please be aware

At the time of writing the information included was accurate to the best of our knowledge. There may be some historic policies which DO NOT include these additional services so please check with the providers on the contact details provided.

The online GP services are great for managing everyday health concerns. However, they are NOT designed to cover medical emergencies, situations including, but not limited to: chest pain, severe bleeding, severe difficulty in breathing, moderate to severe burns, convulsions / seizures, head / spinal injuries, serious limb impairment or broken bones. For such emergencies, your first port of call should be your local Accident and Emergency Department or to dial 999

There may be other providers that we have not included that may also offer some additional benefits. Please check directly with your provider. This is not an exhaustive list but a tool in which we hope may assist both you and the NHS at this time of need.

Aviva

For existing Aviva policyholders who set-up their policy after November 2016 you will have access to their Support Plus program which includes:

Bupa Anytime Healthline Providing support and medical advice from a helpline staffed by Bupa nurses, which might be particularly useful for those in self-isolation who need medical advice. To access the Healthline, just dial 0345 030 8071.

Short Term Counselling Providing help for you and your family with mental wellness issues such as bereavement, work-related stress and relationship breakdown.

British Friendly

For existing policyholders with British Friendly, you get a suite of benefits under its Mutual Benefits programme, which includes access to:

Virtual GP Services Speak to a GP over the phone or on a video call via an app without having to leave your home. This could be particularly useful for those in self-isolation who still require medical advice.
Counselling If you’re struggling with your mental health during this trying period, you can get access to telephone counselling services through British Friendly, with experts on hand to help with a variety of mental health concerns.
Physiotherapy Consultations with an expert physiotherapist from the comfort of your own home to help manage any aches and pains.

How do I access Mutual Benefits? You can sign up for Mutual Benefits on the British Friendly website in the members section. You will need your email address, date of birth and policy number.

Legal and General

For existing individual critical illness policyholders (since 26/11/17) and individual Life, Relevant Life or Income Protection policyholders (since May 2019) with Legal & General, these benefits include:

RedArc Nurse Support Service Provides help and guidance on long-term physical conditions, serious illness, trauma, disability, bereavement or mental health conditions from a registered nurse, which could be useful to those with a long-term condition who are unable to get the advice and guidance from the NHS. Access the service by calling 01244 623033 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm or by emailing legalandgeneralnurses@redarc.co.uk.

📥 RedArc Nurse Guide

About the RedArc Service The RedArc service provides long-term, non-emergency support and therefore enquiries relating purely to COVID-19 should be directed to government and NHS guidance. The current restrictions mean RedArc is unable to offer any face to face services such as such as counselling, therapies, domestic help in the home etc. but is providing remote versions whenever possible.

Liverpool Victoria

For existing policyholders with Liverpool Victoria, these benefits include:

Virtual GP service Offering up to five video / telephone consultations per year with a GP via the app or by calling, with appointments available Monday to Saturday.
Remote psychological services Up to five consultations per year via the LV Doctors Services app with a qualified therapist trained to offer counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as well as other mental health treatments.
Remote physiotherapy services Up to five remote physiotherapy consultations per year with a physiotherapist without the need for GP referral. This includes diagnosing, treating and rehabilitating any musculoskeletal pain or injuries such as back pain, sports injuries or sprains via the LV Doctors Services smartphone app.

📥 Virtual GP Guide

How do I access LV’s Doctor Services? Simply download the LV Doctor Services app to your smartphone or call 0333 577 7105 to get convenient access to a leading network of UK doctors and specialists.

Royal London

For existing policyholders with Royal London, these benefits include:

RedArc Helping Hand Nurse support for customers with long-term physical or mental illness or those dealing with bereavement providing advice and support on physical and mental health issues, which could be useful to those with long-term condition who are unable to get the advice and guidance from the NHS. To access this service, just call 0345 6094 500.

About the RedArc Service

The RedArc service provides long-term, non-emergency support and therefore enquiries relating purely to COVID-19 should be directed to government and NHS guidance. The current restrictions mean RedArc is unable to offer any face to face services such as such as counselling, therapies, domestic help in the home etc. but is providing remote versions whenever possible.

The Exeter

For existing policyholder with The Exeter, you get a suite of benefits under its HealthWise programme, which includes:

Virtual GP Services Get up to four video or telephone appointments with a GP per year from the comfort of your own home. This might be particularly useful if you’re in self-isolation but still need medical advice.
Mental Health Support Receive up to six video consultations per year with a qualified counsellor to help with any mental health concerns you may have during this worrying period.
Physiotherapy Up to six video-based physiotherapy sessions with a qualified physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor to help manage aches and pains.

📥 HealthWise Guide

How Do I Use HealthWise? You access HealthWise via the app, which is available on iOS and Android mobile devices. You’ll need your policy details, including your policy number, to use the service. This can be found on your policy documents.

Vitality

In light of the coronavirus outbreak, Vitality has extended its telephone GP support line to all clients.

GP Support Line Previously only available on its Health Insurance policies, this 24 / 7 helpline staffed by GPs is now available to all Vitality policyholders and can be used for any medical queries or concerns, which could be particularly useful given most of us are now in self-isolation and may not be able to visit our own GP.

To use this service, simply dial 0345 279 8856 and have your membership number ready when you call.

Zurich

For existing policyholder with Zurich, you get benefits under the Zurich Support Services programme, which offers:

Telephone counselling and other support services Zurich Support Services can help in a range of situations in your daily life, from searching for childcare to moving home. Also available is a telephone counselling session service, offering up to six sessions with a qualified counsellor.

📥 Support Services Guide

How Do I Use Zurich Support Services? There are three ways to access this service: