We've listened and responded - Long Term Absentee disclosure in group life

In November 2013 we took the decision to change our Long Term Absentee disclosure requirements.  It’s clear from your feedback that we got it wrong.  

In response to your criticism – what we called this in less politically correct times - we have now reverted back to requirements that only ask for information about current long term absentees.

Effective 6 March 2014, we will no longer ask for information about long term absentees who have returned to work but had periods of absence in the previous twelve months. This met with lots of resistance from your clients.   

We were determined to stop using ‘actively at work’ clauses on new or switching small schemes. That was well received and many of you agree that an approach that can transfer the risk even temporarily to the small corporate and their employee should be consigned to the past.

These are our new requirements for both new business and at rate review.

We will need to know about members who are currently absent through illness or accident if this has been:

·         for one week or longer in schemes with up to 50 members

·         for four weeks or longer in schemes with 51 to 500 members

·         for twelve weeks or longer in schemes with more than 500 members

Further information is available here.