Making a claim on your Global Income Protection insurance plan
If you need to make a claim on your Global Income Protection plan you will find our staff helpful, sympathetic and efficient. We are here to ensure that the business of replacing your income, is as simple and stress free as possible.
Use these frequently asked questions below to answer your queries, or contact us.
When does the Global Income Protection plan benefit become payable?
You can apply for Global Income Protection plan benefit if you suffer an illness or injury during your period of cover, which results in you becoming totally disabled from carrying out your own occupation for a period longer than your deferment period.
What is my deferment period?
The deferment period is either 3 months or 6 months as stated on your certificate of insurance. Benefit is paid when your deferment period ends. If, within a period equal to twice your deferment period, you suffer successive periods of absence from work as a direct cause of the same illness or injury, you can apply for your Global Income Protection benefit to start once the total amount of time you have been unable to work due to that illness or injury, equals your deferment period.
What happens if I suffer a relapse after I return to work?
If, following a period of absence from work during which we have paid you benefit you return to work, and within twenty-six weeks of your return you suffer a relapse due to the same cause, we will re-start your benefit from the date on which you are unable to return to work. If you suffer a relapse after twenty-six weeks of being able to return to work your deferment period will be applied again.
How do I make a claim on my Global Income Protection plan?You must advise us about your disability as soon as possible by calling +44 (0)1276 486455 (during UK office hours) or email
claims@william-russell.com.
In order for us to consider your claim for benefit we will require the following:
– A fully completed Global Income Plan Disability Claim form
including a full declaration of any other income you are entitled to receive from the state, another insurance company, a pension fund, your employer or business.
– A detailed medical report from your treating physician with a diagnosis and full information about the onset, cause and prognosis of your illness or injury together with the degree of your disability and its probable duration.
– An official document proving your date of birth.
– Proof of your gross annual salary on the day before you were first absent from work, or, if you are self-employed, proof of your gross annual salary from your accountant.
If you are employed, we will require a letter from your employer confirming your gross annual salary at the time you become disabled. Proof of your gross annual salary must be an original letter on your employer’s headed paper, and signed by an official of the company. We cannot accept faxes or photocopies.
If you are self-employed, your accountant must provide us with proof of your gross annual salary in respect of the 12 month period leading up to the date on which you become disabled. If your salary fluctuates, we will take into account your average gross annual salary during the three year period leading up to the date on which you became disabled.
If you wish us to take into account your previous three years earnings, your accountant must provide us with proof of your gross annual salary in each 12 month period leading up to the date on which you become disabled, and we will take your average salary over this period when assessing your gross annual salary. Proof of your gross annual salary must be on your accountant’s headed paper, and must be signed by the accountant. We cannot accept faxes or photocopies. All proof of earnings must be provided at your own expense.
We reserve the right to request as much medical and financial information as we may reasonably require to enable us to make a decision about your claim.
All documentation submitted in support of your claim must be the original. We cannot accept faxes or photocopies.
All documentation and medical reports submitted in connection with a claim must be furnished at your own expense.
What is the deadline for claiming?
You must advise us of your absence from work no later than 30 days prior to the end of your deferment period. The deadline for claiming for your Global Income Protection benefit is one year after you become totally disabled from working. No benefit will be paid at all in respect of any claim you notify to us more than ONE YEAR after you become totally disabled from working.
What benefit will I be entitled to receive?
Once we have accepted your claim, we will pay your benefit monthly in arrears from the end of your deferment period.
The benefit we pay you will be equal to either:
• the benefit amount stated on your certificate of insurance, or
• 5% of the gross annual salary being paid to you at the time of your illness or accident, LESS the sum of any other income being paid to you whilst you are disabled, whichever is the LOWER amount.
During your period of disability you must continue to provide us with up-dated medical reports from your attending physician as often as we may reasonably require.
We reserve the right to appoint an independent medical examiner to examine you if we deem it necessary.
How long will I continue to receive benefit?
Once we have accepted your claim, we will continue to pay you benefit for a period of up to 24 months whilst you remain totally unable to perform the duties of your own
occupation you declared to us on your application form, (or subsequently), provided you are not following any other occupation.
After we have paid you benefit for 24 months, we will only continue to pay you benefit if you are then medically certified as being totally unable to perform the duties of any
occupation.
Can I claim for the Rehabilitation benefit?
If during the first 24 months of receiving total benefit you resume your own occupation but your disability restricts the scope of your duties and as a result there is a reduction in your gross annual earnings, you may be eligible to claim a rehabilitation benefit.
In calculating your rehabilitation benefit we will reduce the Global Income plan benefit we have been paying you by the amount of the payment you receive for your part-time work. NB: We will not take account of any reduction in your gross annual earnings unless it is directly due to your disability.
When does the entitlement to Rehabilitation benefit cease?
Your entitlement to rehabilitation benefit will automatically cease upon the first of the following events:-
– After we have paid you rehabilitation benefit for a period of six months.
– When the remuneration you receive from part-time work and any other income you are entitled to receive exceeds
75% of your pre-disability gross annual earnings.
– When you are medically certified as being fit enough to return to your own occupation on a full-time basis.
– When we have paid you benefit for a period of 24 months.
– Upon your death.
– Upon attainment of your 65th birthday.
What does ‘totally disabled from carrying out any occupation’ mean?
Any occupation includes your own occupation or a different occupation for which you are reasonably fitted by training, education or experience. When we have paid you benefit for a period of 24 months we will require that you have a medical examination to assess your capability to return to your own or a different occupation.
If the medical examiner considers that you are medically fit enough to return to any occupation, even if it is a less well paid occupation, your benefit will cease. If, however, the medical examiner considers that you are NOT medically fit enough to return to any occupation, we will continue to pay you benefit
When will my entitlement to Global Income Protection benefit cease?
Your entitlement to receive benefit will automatically cease:
– When a doctor certifies that you are fit enough to return to your own occupation (during the first 24 months of receiving benefit),
– When a doctor certifies that you are fit enough to return to any occupation (after we have paid you benefit for a period equal to 24 months),
– Upon your death,
– Upon attainment of your 65th birthday,
Whichever event occurs first.
Will benefit payments increase with inflation?
Once we start paying you benefit, we will increase the benefit we pay you by 2% compound after twelve months and on each anniversary date thereafter.
What happens to my cover if I become unemployed?
The Global Income Protection plan only provides cover whilst you are in employment and have a salary to insure. You must inform us immediately if you become unemployed.
The Global Income Protection plan does allow for temporary periods of unemployment of up to FOUR consecutive months. If you remain unemployed for longer than four months, your cover will automatically cease, even if your premiums have been paid. Premiums paid in respect of the period after the expiry of four months, will be reimbursed.
If you should find new employment after your cover has ceased you can re-apply for the plan by completing a new application form and we reserve the right to request further medical evidence and impose special terms on your new application.
How do I cancel my plan?
You may cancel your plan after it has been in force for a full six month period. After that, upon receipt of your written instruction that you wish to cancel your plan a pro-rata refund of your premium will be refunded to you, less any bank charges we incur in making the premium refund to your account. If you decide to cancel your plan within the first 12 months, (or within 12 months of an increase in benefit), we will deduct the amount of any medical fees reimbursement we have made to you from your premium refund.
I can’t find the answer to my question, who should I contact?
If you have any further questions then please do not hesitate to contact our claims team by using the details below:
During UK working hours
Tel: + 44 1276 486455
Fax: + 44 1276 486466
customer.service@william-russell.com