"In today’s uncertain economic climate, people need affordable, simple, and comprehensive protection."
- Graham Singleton, CEO of National Friendly
Last year, National Friendly launched Friendly Shield, which was designed to provide various benefits to support individuals before and after an unexpected accident. This policy also allows for multiple simultaneous claims should policyholders need to claim more than one benefit as a result of their injury.
Friendly Shield has a three-tier structure that doesn’t require medical or financial underwriting, allowing for standard pricing for those aged 18-50 across all accepted occupations. Furthermore, it also provides cover for the whole family, offering policyholders the chance to add a spouse and children at a small additional cost – there’s flexibility to be added as a rider to existing policies or be sold standalone, making it a welcome addition to advisers’ toolkits.
READ MORE: National Friendly launch new three-tier non-underwritten protection product
Today, National Friendly has announced the addition of optional sickness cover to Friendly Shield. This add-on includes both an income and hospital benefit, for new sickness claims at the same benefit levels as paid for accidental injuries. Customers aren’t required to answer medical questions, only ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to whether sickness cover is desired.
National Friendly’s optional sickness cover can be added to all levels of Friendly Shield. Notably, the hospital cash benefit for sickness has a nine-month qualifying period at the start of the policy as opposed to accident-only which is available immediately – this extends to any spouse, partner, or child(ren) on a policy.
The amount of cover received will depend on which tier is selected: Bronze, Silver, or Gold. To ensure affordable pricing, any conditions a policyholder has been treated for in the past 18 months won’t be covered under the sickness income benefit.
Sickness Benefit payouts for policyholders:
| Bronze | Silver | Gold | |
| Income benefit – for up to 3 months |
£750 per month |
£1.5k per month |
£2.25k per month |
|
Hospital cash (£50 per night) – maximum overnight stays in any policy year |
£3k 60 nights |
£9k 180 nights |
£18k 360 nights |
Main Benefit prices:
| Bronze | Silver | Gold | |
| Accident only | £10 | £17 | £24 |
| Accident & Sickness | £20 | £30 | £40 |
“Enhancing Friendly Shield with the option of sickness cover provides even more flexibility and value to our members. This addition reflects our commitment to listening to advisers and adapting our products to meet the changing needs of customers,” explained Graham Singleton, CEO of National Friendly.
He said: “By offering this optional benefit with no medical questions or disclosures required, we aim to make vital financial protection accessible to the widest possible audience – particularly those who may not have access to traditional IP solutions.
“In today’s uncertain economic climate, people need affordable, simple, and comprehensive protection. Friendly Shield’s new features are designed to provide the peace of mind that comes from knowing unexpected challenges – whether due to accident or sickness – won’t derail their financial stability. It’s another step in our mission to ensure that more individuals and families can safeguard their futures without unnecessary barriers,” Graham concluded.
