"The grieving process is tough enough without the added stress of battling to get access to the critical financial information or not knowing about funeral planning."
- Charlotte O’Brien, Head of Employee Benefits at MetLife UK
Of those surveyed (2,003 UK consumers who’ve experienced a bereavement within the last two years), 28% said they struggled to access important online accounts after the passing of a loved one, while 29% didn’t know where important documents were stored.
Furthermore, 21% admitted they didn’t know what financial or insurance policies, bank accounts, or debts had been left by their loved ones. MetLife UK also found that people who’ve recently experienced a bereavement would like more help from employers to navigate such challenges.
15% said they’d have liked more help with tasks such as closing their loved one’s bank account and contacting accountants. Overall, 51% said they would now use a bereavement planning service if it meant it could help with writing their will or securely storing documents and passwords for loved ones to access after they had passed.
Charlotte O’Brien, Head of Employee Benefits at MetLife UK, said its research shows that employers have a “real opportunity to play a key part in supporting employees after a bereavement, providing free assistance for loved ones and ensuring their affairs are in place.
“In partnership with Everest, we want to revolutionise the Group Life market to be so much more than just a payment. We know that our unique funeral concierge service, which provides support for families left behind, is just as important to people.
“The grieving process is tough enough without the added stress of battling to get access to the critical financial information or not knowing about funeral planning or all the other legal elements involved in death,” she concluded.
