Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans.

Transcription

1 Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans. March 2012 Enhancements Guide. For Planner use only 1

2 We re committed to delivering you a superior insurance solution. Delivering an enhanced insurance offer Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans were created so you can provide quality financial protection to your customers. Over time, the shape of that protection often needs to be recalibrated. There are changes to the economy, to medical technology, to insurance and super regulations, to the nature and type of work your customers do. That s why we listen carefully to your feedback on how well Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans are meeting your needs and why we re introducing a series of major enhancements in March Your guide to an improved offer These enhancements include: Page 3: Introducing BT Protection Plans Reserve Page 4: More cover for more customers The icons below will help you identify which enhancements relate to the different types of cover. TL TLS Term Life Term Life as Superannuation Page 6: Income Protection for more customers Page 8: Other enhancements Page 11: Making insurance applications more flexible Page 13: Improved limits for medical assessments Page 13: Increased financial planning flexibility Page 14: Industry recognition Page 15: Our enhancement philosophy LI TPD IP IPP BOH NS CB Standalone Living Insurance Standalone Total and Permanent Disablement Income Protection Income Protection Plus Business Overheads Needlestick Benefit Children s Benefit 2

3 Introducing BT Protection Plans Reserve High net worth customers have high expectations and often the need for insurance cover above the levels that have been traditionally offered by insurers. BT Protection Plans Reserve (BT Reserve) gives you an enhanced ability to meet those higher insurance needs without compromising on the quality features that BT Protection Plans have to offer. Protection pitched higher BT Reserve features significantly higher benefit levels: Protection Type Death Benefit Maximum Cover Unlimited TPD Benefit $15,000,000 1 Living (Trauma) Benefit $10,000,000 2 Income Protection, Income Protection Plus $60,000 per month 3 Amendments to the terms and conditions apply to benefit amounts over those provided under BT Protection Plans. Not all policy options are available on BT Reserve Benefits. Best Structure We have integrated BT Reserve into our award winning BT Protection Plans product. Be confident that any amendments to the terms and conditions only apply to the BT Reserve component. BT Protection Plans cover will retain all of your favourite features and benefits. It also means you have access to all the flexibility in structure and remuneration we offer in BT Protection Plans. Platinum Service BT recognises your high net worth customers have specific needs. As such we will be treating all BT Reserve applications as a high priority by our underwriting and case management team, enabling the most comprehensive servicing and review of these applications. In addition, you will have access to our specialist financial underwriters to assist you through complex financial arrangements and help you to determine the appropriate amount of cover that your customer may need. 1. TPD Benefit amounts above $5 million are subject to additional terms and conditions outlined in BT Protection Plans Reserve Reference Document. 2. Living Benefit amounts above $2 million are subject to additional terms and conditions outlined in BT Protection Plans Reserve Reference Document. 3. Benefits above $30,000 per month are limited to a maximum 10 year benefit period. 3

4 More cover for more customers From March 2012, Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans will offer broader coverage for a range of different customer types. Professionals Package With Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans, you can meet the specific needs of customers in professions where earnings are expected to increase rapidly. Our new Professionals Package allows you to obtain insurance cover well above those traditionally available based on the historic and current earnings for these occupation types. You can offer this option on the Death Benefit, TPD Benefit, Living Benefit, and Income Protection policies. Professionals Package in action A medical registrar on a current salary of $60,000 per annum would usually be limited to an Income Protection monthly benefit of $3,750 even though their earnings are expected to grow rapidly. Under our new Professionals Package, they could apply for $10,000 per month Agreed Value and an additional $2,500 per month on an indemnity based Income Protection policy. White Collar Workers The benefit period options for Income Protection now extends to age 70 for white collar workers. The monthly benefit won t be automatically reduced on your customer s 65th birthday. Blue Collar Workers The Own Occupation TPD definition is now available to B rated blue collar workers. Business Overheads is now available for C rated blue collar workers. This is of particular benefit to the self-employed in blue collar occupations. Medical Professionals The maximum benefit under the Needlestick Benefit cover has now doubled to $1 million. Mining, Oil and Gas Workers Occupation listings in these occupations have been enhanced. We have made significant occupation upgrades for those working less than 40% of their time underground or offshore. 4

5 Mature customers The Living Benefit expiry date has been increased to the review date on or following your customer s 75th birthday. With our new general cover definition of Income Protection, those of your customers over 60 can continue to apply for Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans cover. 5

6 Income Protection for more customers Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans are introducing a new multi-definitional Income Protection offering. It allows you to serve the income protection needs of customers that previously may have been unable to obtain this type of cover. Home Duties Income Protection This is a new option providing monthly living expense insurance for your customers who are homemakers. The insurance provides protection if your customer is unable to perform normal household duties. It provides a maximum benefit of $5,000 per month with a maximum benefit period of 2 years. Protection type IP IPP Severe Disability Benefit pays a monthly benefit if your customer is severely disabled after the waiting period because of sickness or injury. This requires them to be unable to perform all normal household duties. Recurrent Disability Benefit allows the waiting period to be waived if your customer becomes disabled within a certain period of time due to the same sickness or injury. Death Benefit pays a benefit if your customer dies while they are entitled to monthly benefit payments. Extended Cover Benefit allows your customer to continue cover after the policy ends on a general cover IP definition to age 80. Crisis Benefit pays a monthly benefit for six months if your customer suffers a specified crisis event, whether or not they are able to perform normal household duties. 6

7 Own Occupation Income Protection This form of income protection is now available to most employed individuals. The insurance provides protection if your customer is unable to perform their Own occupation on a duties, time or earnings basis. It provides a maximum benefit period to age 70 for white collar professionals, with options to continue cover after the age of 70. General Cover Income Protection This new option provides monthly living expense insurance for all of your customers including those that are currently not working, or those in an occupation which would have previously prevented them from obtaining this type of cover. The insurance provides protection if your customer is unable to perform activities of daily living for a maximum benefit period to age 80. It also provides a maximum benefit of $5,000 per month for those who are not working or unable to access cover under an Own Occupation definition. 7

8 Other enhancements Additional enhancements will be introduced across the Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans range from 19 March Living Benefit definition improvements TL (with Living Benefit) LI Alzheimer s disease: The full benefit is now payable on diagnosis of Alzheimer s disease or dementia. Angioplasty Advancement Benefit: Benefit payable for Angioplasty single or double vessel increased to 25% (to a maximum of $50,000). Cancer: Addition of Gleason Score as an alternate diagnostic criterion for prostate cancer. Carcinoma in situ of female organs: Addition of carcinoma in situ of the corpus-uteri and carcinoma in situ of the ovary to sites covered under this definition. Heart attack: Alignment of the definition with universal diagnostic criteria. Living Advancement Benefit: Advanced benefit payable for carcinoma in situ of the perineum, penis, testicle and systemic lupus erythematosus with lupus nephritis increased to 25% (to a maximum of $100,000). Loss of hearing in one ear: A new advancement benefit condition paying 25% of the Living Benefit (to a maximum of $100,000). Loss of single limb: Full payment now payable for Loss of single limb under Living Benefit Plus. Multiple sclerosis: The full benefit is now payable on diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Parkinson s disease: The full benefit is now payable on diagnosis of Parkinson s disease New children s medical events TL (with Living Benefit) LI CB Severe burns and coma have been added to the list of children s medical events under both the optional Children s Benefit and the Child Support Benefit included in the Living Benefit. 8

9 Living Benefit waiting period TL (with Living Benefit) LI Some Specified Medical Events covered under the Living Benefit are subject to a waiting period for example Heart attack, Stroke and Cancer which excludes these events from being claimed within the first three months of the policy going into force. We have brought forward the start of this waiting period to the date we receive a fully completed application form and personal statement making sure your customers are covered right from the start. Future Insurability Benefit LI TPD This included benefit is now available on both Standalone Total and Permanent Disablement and Standalone Living Insurance policies. Business Cover Benefit TL TLS Customers will now be able to claim as a result of sickness or accident immediately following any increase under this benefit. Own/Any Occupation TPD definition TL (with TPD Benefit) TLS (with TPD Benefit) TPD This definition no longer converts to a General Cover TPD definition if your customer has permanently retired prior to an event causing disability. CPI increases IP IPP BOH From 1 October 2012 the minimum CPI increase will move to 3% for Income Protection (Own Occupation) and Business Overheads policies. New Endorsed Agreed Value option IP IPP An Endorsed Agreed Value option will be made available, where your customer will be required to provide full financial information at application (even if they are applying for benefits below the existing mandatory limits). The endorsement on the policy schedule removes the need for financial evidence at claim. 9

10 Waiting Period requirements eased IP IPP BOH For occupation categories AA, A, P, S, BB, B and C, there is no longer any requirement for your customer to be Totally Disabled during the waiting period in order to receive a Total Disability or Partial Disability Benefit. Business Overheads policy fee waived BOH Where the Business Overheads policy is purchased with Income Protection or Income Protection Plus, only one policy fee will be charged. Superannuation contribution option IP IPP An additional 5% of pre-disability monthly earnings may be covered if your customer contributes at least 5% of their earnings to superannuation. No Business Overhead offset BOH There is no longer a benefit offset for earnings paid to your customer in excess of their salary. A new return to work benefit IPP This new benefit is paid to customers who return to work following a period on claim who have also received the Rehabilitation Expense Benefit or the Rehabilitation Program Benefit. Staff discount for BT Protection Plans A 20% staff discount on BT Protection Plans can now be included in a quote for customers who are Westpac Group staff or their spouse. All you need to do is select the Staff discount tickbox for the policy group in your quote. 10

11 Making insurance applications more flexible We understand that planners engage their customers in different ways. As insurance providers, we need to be flexible in the way we enable applications to be submitted. Westpac Insurance continues to evolve and adapt our application option, offering more flexible processes to suit your needs. You can now apply for Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans for your customers in one of four ways: Electronic Using you can electronically submit a completed quote, application and personal statement online without a signature. Your customer s application is visible to you online via LifeCENTRAL immediately after submission. Because most of the information is gathered intuitively by built-in underwriting rules, more than 25% of cases are accepted on the spot! Quote Application Personal Statement Electronic application tele-interviewed personal statement In you can now select for your customer to be contacted by one of Westpac s experienced tele-interviewers for completion of your customer s medical information in the Personal Statement. Use to electronically submit a completed quote, application and non-medical components of the personal statement. Then select tele-interview for the medical components. Your customer s application will be visible on LifeCENTRAL straight away. Within 24 hours of selecting the tele-interview option, one of our tele-interviewers will call your customer to book an appropriate time to complete the medical information of the personal statement over the phone. The tele-interviewer can explain the questions and any complex medical terms, and capture relevant information quickly and efficiently. All personal information that is collected is treated sensitively and will be treated in the strictest of confidence. As the Tele-interview is undertaken, you will be kept informed on the progress via and via LifeCENTRAL. Quote Application Non-medical Personal Statement Tele-interview Medical Personal Statement 11

12 Electronic and Paper You can use to submit a completed quote and application and provide the paper personal statement separately. Your application will be processed immediately and will be visible via LifeCENTRAL straight away. Your customer, with your assistance, can fill in the personal statement separately and once completed, attach the scanned copy back into or send it to us for underwriting. Once received, our underwriting decisions or request for further requirements will be available on LifeCENTRAL. This approach works well if your customer doesn t have the required personal statement information on hand at the time of application. Quote Application Paper (Mail) Personal Statement Paper Simply use to complete a quote, and then complete both the application and personal statement on our paper forms. Once completed, send them to us for review and processing. Quote Paper (Mail) Application Paper (Mail) Personal Statement 12

13 Improved limits for medical assessments To ensure doing business with us is as seamless and easy as possible, we have streamlined and further simplified our mandatory medical requirements. Blood test requirements separated into components Previously, both an HIV and MBA20 were required as part of a Blood Test request. Now, for Death Benefit and TPD Benefit applications up to $5 million, only an MBA20 will be requested. Simplified ECG requests For Death Benefit and TPD Benefit applications above $5 million, now only an exercise ECG will be requested. Improved Income Protection limits No mandatory medicals will be required on Income Protection applications for sums insured up to $10,000 per month. On applications up to $20,000 per month, only MBA20 and QCHECK will be required. Increased income multiples We have increased the income multiples for lump sum policies, enabling more cover for your customers. Increased financial planning flexibility Flexible Linking Plus Insurance needs to fit into an overall financial planning strategy. The TPD Benefit available under Flexible Linking Plus now gives you the flexibility to structure a customer s entire TPD Benefit (not just the Own Occupation portion) outside superannuation. 13

14 Industry recognition We are extremely proud that Westpac Insurance has recently received a number of accolades, including: AFA/Plan for Life Risk Innovation Award 2011 Adviser Remuneration Investment Trends December 2011 Best New Functionality LifeCENTRAL AB&F Insurance Industry Awards 2011 Innovation of the Year Life Insurance Tele-claims service AB&F Insurance Industry Awards 2011 Call Centre of the Year Life Insurance Contact Centre WINNER Asset Innovation Awards 2011 Income Protection Category Income Protection Plus Money Management/Dexx&r Advisor Choice Risk Awards Risk Company of the Year 2011 Bronze Money Management/Dexx&r Advisor Choice Risk Awards Business Overhead Product 2011 Silver C-Map Mark of Excellence A+ Rating Claims Customer Experience ANZIIF Insurance Industry Awards 2011 Life Company of the Year Finalist AFA/Plan for Life Risk Innovation Awards 2010 Tele-claims service 14

15 Our enhancement philosophy The changes outlined in this enhancements guide are made in response to: Ongoing feedback from customers and planners Our competitive position in the market Our aim is to ensure that Westpac Insurance delivers highly rated products that offer Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans policy holders and planners confidence, security, flexible features, benefits and exceptional service. 15

16 For more information: Speak to your Business Development Manager Call , Monday to Friday 8.00am 6.30pm (Sydney time) Visit Lifecentral This information is current as at 19 March Awards and ratings are opinions only and not a recommendation to purchase the product. Awards and ratings are current at the time of publication but are subject to change. The Insurer of Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans is Westpac Life Insurance Services Limited ABN All Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans, except for Term Life as Superannuation and policies paid via SuperWrap, are issued by the Insurer. For Term Life as Superannuation, which is part of the Superannuation Division of Westpac MasterTrust ABN SFN SPIN WFS0112AU RSE R , the issuer and trustee is Westpac Securities Administration Limited (WSAL). For policies paid via SuperWrap, which is part of Retirement Wrap ABN RSE R , the issuer and Trustee is BT Funds Management Limited ABN , RSE L (BTFM). The administrator of all policies paid via SuperWrap and Wrap and the arranger of policies paid via Wrap is BT Portfolio Services Ltd ABN (BTPS). The Insurer, WSAL and BTPS are wholly owned subsidiaries of Westpac Banking Corporation ABN (the Bank). Neither Westpac Protection Plans nor BT Protection Plans, nor an investment in, or acquired using, SuperWrap or Wrap are an investment in, deposit with or other liability of the Bank. Neither the Bank nor any member of the Westpac Group (other than the Insurer and WSAL) guarantees the benefits payable in relation to Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans. Investments in, or acquired using, Wrap and SuperWrap are subject to investment risk, including possible delays in repayment of withdrawal proceeds and loss of income and principal invested. None of the Bank or any other company in the Westpac Group stands behind or otherwise guarantees the capital value or investment performance of any investments in, or acquired through Wrap or SuperWrap. This information has been prepared without taking into consideration any person s personal objectives, financial situation or needs (personal circumstances). Because of this, before acting on this information, any person receiving this information should consider its appropriateness, having regard to their personal circumstances. Conditions, limits and exclusions on cover apply and are explained in the Westpac Protection Plans Product Disclosure Statement and Policy Document, and the BT Protection Plans Product Disclosure Statement and Policy Document (PDS). Before making a decision in relation to Westpac Protection Plans and BT Protection Plans, your client should consider the relevant PDS. This communication may contain financial product advice and has been prepared for use by planners only. It must not be made available to any retail client and 16any information in it must not be communicated to any retail client or attributed to the Insurer, WSAL, the SuperWrap Trustee, BTPS, the Bank or any other member of the Westpac Group. This information has been prepared by the Insurer Westpac Banking Corporation ABN WFS2681 (03/12)