"This means improved clarity for the product, simpler and faster conversations between advisers and customers, as well as a journey that doesn’t require lengthy questions during the application, or delays for underwriting assessments. "
- National Friendly
National Friendly offers an optional add-on for ‘hazardous pursuits’ to its Income Protection (IP) and Accident Only Income Protection (AOIP) products. This add-on is available to new and existing policyholders.
As of today, customers will benefit from improved underwriting for hazardous pursuits. National Friendly has reiterated that it covers amateur but not semi-professional and professionals and announced that questions around whether a national governing body (NGB) is involved have been dropped.
Speaking with Protection Reporter, National Friendly explained that the NGB wording was “intended to protect us in a similar way to not allowing cover for semi-professional and professionals, by making it clear major tournaments were not covered – in practice through, this added confusion.
“Some sports have no NGB, and with others (motorsports, football, rugby), every game is technically under the NGB. Removing this simplifies everything, excluding semi-professional and professionals gives us enough cover.”
Discussing hazardous pursuit-related claims, the friendly society revealed it has paid for various football injuries, including ligament damage, rib injuries from contact, and shoulder dislocations.
50% of sports-related claims paid in the last two years were for football injuries. Two-thirds of claims were from those aged 25-35 – the age of claimants ranged from 19-50 years old.
National Friendly’s updated hazardous pursuits underwriting means team-based ball sports, such as rugby, are now covered (including for fractures).
Meanwhile, martial arts/combat sports cover has been simplified to allow customers who are solely training to be covered under the standard policy - participation in organised bouts needs enhanced cover (amateur only).
“It should be a simple, ‘yes/yes with an extra payment/no cover available’ each time, and customers can still call us if there are more questions. We believe our hazardous pursuits approach is more streamlined than the rest of the market, in that we have a one-page document, and no further questions needed,” it said.
