For customers Friends Life Individual Protection Childcover benefit
Helping to protect the whole family Most parents don t want to think about what would happen if their child became critically ill. However, we believe it s something every parent should consider. How would you cope? Could you afford to take time off work? Could you afford to provide the right level of care your child would need? A child s illness can be difficult for parents. We understand the degree of worry and the financial hardship you could face if the unthinkable were to happen. So we re dedicated to helping make sure you re protected by providing comprehensive cover for your children. That s why our critical illness cover automatically includes childcover benefit. It includes cover for a wide range of conditions, including a number of child specific illnesses. A valuable benefit for anyone who already has children, or for those planning a family in the future. Our childcover benefit won t stop you from worrying about your child. But if something did happen, it can offer real financial support and more. Helping to ease the pressure when you need it most. 2
How does childcover work? If during the term of your policy your child is diagnosed with a critical illness, we would pay a lump sum childcover benefit to help your family during this difficult time. Childcover pays a maximum of 50% of the value of your own critical illness benefit, up to 25,000. This money could help by: Enabling you or your partner to take some unpaid time off to be with your child Paying for private medical care and specialist equipment Helping to fund a special treat like a family holiday. Claims made under our childcover benefit do not affect your own critical illness cover, and the cover has no cash in value at any time. Who does it cover? It covers your children until their 18th birthday, or until their 21st birthday if they are working less than 35 hours a week. Our cover therefore supports you if you are still financially responsible for your children, for example, if they are continuing their studies, or they don t have a full time job. 3
What conditions does it cover? We ve designed our childcover benefit to offer you valuable protection for your children, and to treat you and your children fairly. That s why our childcover benefit covers five child specific conditions - cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, hydrocephalus, muscular dystrophy and spina bifida. Cerebral palsy affects 1 in 400 children* Cystic fibrosis affects 1 in 2,500 newborns* Hydrocephalus affects up to 2 in every 1,000 babies** Muscular dystrophy most common type affects 1 in 3,500 boys* Spina bifida most common form affects 1 pregnancy in every 1,000* We will also pay the benefit if your child is diagnosed with any of the 50 other conditions we cover, even if the condition is of a congenital or familial nature. You can find a full list of all of the conditions we cover overleaf. What it also covers Intensive care benefit We will also pay the benefit if your child needs intensive care for seven consecutive days due to sickness or injury. Accelerated payment If your child needs an operation, we ll provide an accelerated payment benefit for specified surgical treatments so they won t have to wait. Child funeral benefit In case the very worst were to happen, our critical illness cover includes 5,000 child funeral benefit, which we would pay in addition to any childcover benefit that may have already been paid. *NHS choices 2014 **NINDS February 2014 4
Conditions covered Child specific conditions Cerebral palsy Cystic fibrosis Hydrocephalus Muscular dystrophy Spina bifida Other conditions Alzheimer s disease resulting in Aorta graft surgery Aplastic anaemia of specified severity Bacterial meningitis resulting in Benign brain tumour with permanent symptoms or undergoing defined treatments Benign spinal cord tumour resulting in Blindness permanent and irreversible Cancer excluding less advanced cancers but including advanced skin cancer Cardiac arrest with insertion of a defibrillator Cardiomyopathy of specified severity Chronic rheumatoid arthritis Coma with associated permanent symptoms Coronary artery by-pass grafts Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease resulting in Crohn s disease of specified severity Deafness permanent and irreversible Dementia resulting in permanent symptoms Heart attack of specified severity Heart valve replacement or repair HIV infection caught from a blood transfusion, a physical assault or at work in an eligible occupation Kidney failure requiring permanent dialysis Liver failure Loss of hands or feet permanent physical severance Loss of independence Loss of speech permanent and irreversible Major organ transplant from another donor Please see the membership handbook for the full definition of each condition covered. **Terminal illness is only covered for critical illness with life cover and not stand-alone critical illness cover. Motor neurone disease resulting in Multiple sclerosis of specified severity Open heart surgery Paralysis of limbs total and irreversible Parkinson s disease resulting in Progressive supra-nuclear palsy resulting in Respiratory failure severe lung disease of specified severity Stroke of specified severity Systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE) Terminal illness** Third degree burns covering 20 percent of the body s surface area or 20 percent loss of surface area of the face Traumatic brain injury resulting in Ulcerative colitis treated with a total colectomy Additional payment conditions Carcinoma in situ of the cervix uteri requiring hysterectomy Carcinoma in situ of the urinary bladder Cerebral aneurysm with surgical repair Cerebral arteriovenous malformation with surgical repair Coronary angioplasty Crohn s disease treated with surgical intestinal resection Ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast with specified treatment Low-grade prostate cancer Non-malignant pituitary adenoma with specified treatment Removal or one or more lobe(s) of the lungs for disease and trauma Significant visual loss 5
Access to two health related services from day one If your child were to fall ill, as well as financial support, our critical illness cover also provides you, your partner and your children with medical support. Best Doctors You and your immediate family have access to Best Doctors, an expert second medical opinion service. If your child is suffering from, or diagnosed with a serious illness, the Best Doctors service means you ll benefit from confirmation of diagnosis and receive information on the best possible treatment recommendations and prognosis for your child, all from a world leading medical expert. This service could prove invaluable, offering you peace of mind to help you make informed decisions about your child s health and care. Bupa HealthLine You also have 24/7 telephone access to Bupa HealthLine which puts you in contact with a Bupa nurse any time, day or night, every day of the year. Through the service Bupa nurses can offer you help and advice on a range of health queries, from something illness related through to a lifestyle query. All you have to do is call. Best Doctors and Bupa HealthLine are non-contractual benefits that may be withdrawn at any time. BEST DOCTORS and the star in cross logo is a registered trademark of Best Doctors, inc. Used with permission. Bupa HealthLine is provided by or through subsidiary companies of the Bupa Group. 6
Additional information In 2013 we paid out 1,471,901 in childcover benefit, and claims for children accounted for 5% of all critical illness claims received. For details on how to make a claim, terms and conditions and the full definitions of each of the conditions covered please see our membership handbook. For more information on our childcover benefit, simply speak to your adviser. 7
Friends Life and Pensions Limited An incorporated company limited by shares and registered in England and Wales, number 475201. Registered office: Pixham End, Dorking, Surrey RH4 1QA. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Telephone 0845 600 3122 calls may be recorded. www.friendslife.co.uk Friends Life is a registered trade mark of the Friends Life group. FLIP/3007/May14 87345 UNI