MetLife is expanding the protection market with the launch of its MultiProtect accident and hospital cover solution.
It is designed to help individuals and families to strengthen their financial safety nets and to complement more traditional protection products.
MetLife believes MultiProtect is particularly valuable for the 4.66 million self-employed workers in the UK who do not have access to employee benefits schemes, sick pay or paid holiday. It is specifically designed to ensure that cash keeps flowing, so MultiProtect does not have a deferred period and doesn’t require medical underwriting.
MultiProtect provides protection from £7 to £35 a month and has been launched following research in response to adviser and customer feedback to provide solutions to everyday issues.
Key benefits include cover for a range of accidental injuries such as broken bones and for UK hospital stays. Maximum payouts are up to £250 a day for UK hospital stays; £2,500 for broken bones and £250,000 for total permanent disability or accidental death.
It extends cover to provide protection for families, with additional protection for children available from £1 extra a month.
Claire Oldstein, chief customer officer at MetLife UK said: “Protection insurance should help with everyday life and MultiProtect has been launched to provide vital accident and hospital cover at a time when financial support will be a major boost.
“The financial impact of not being able to work after an accident or a sports injury can be devastating and the same applies when parents have to take time off work to help children when they are injured in accidents.
“Individual protection needs to be more flexible so customers can focus on their recovery without worrying about money which is why we have specifically designed MultiProtect so it is competitive and delivers a solution that works alongside other insurance products to plug the protection gaps that many UK households currently have.”
Pat McKenna, head of Openwork’s protection business Owl Financial, added: “We are seeing strong growth in the individual protection market and MultiProtect expands the options for advisers and their clients while offering important accident and hospital cover for families and individuals.”
MultiProtect provides insurance up to the age of 70 and monthly premiums stay the same not just as customers get older but also when they make a claim on their policy.
Cover starts from £7 a month and goes up to a maximum of £35 with optional child cover for children in full- time education up to the age of 23.