Aviva has launched a service to support income protection (IP) claimants who are suffering from long-term ill health as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The insurer has put in place a vocational case manager service to support customers who are dealing with the long-term effects following this condition, or if they are suffering physical or mental health conditions excacerbated by the lockdown.
An Aviva spokesman said its claims team is monitoring the ongoing and varied long-term effects of COVID-19 which include customers reporting a range of symptoms including long-term fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, and loss of taste or smell.
The spokesman said: “We are also working with customers who may have been impacted by the effects of the pandemic in different ways – such as cancer patients who could not undergo treatment when hospitals paused appointments to focus on treating COVID-19 patients, or individuals whose mental health has been adversely affected by the lockdown.
“This rehabilitation service will support customers with their recovery to enable them to return to work – however they may be working at this time – whether this is at home or if they are working part-time hours due to ongoing symptoms.”
The service is available to any Aviva customers who have been diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19 and who are experiencing the long-term effects of this condition, or as a result of the lockdown, either physically, mentally or both, and are covered under one of its full-term IP policies.
COVID-19 related claims will be managed either through Aviva’s in-house specialists or by using a rehabilitation provider.
Jacqueline Kerwood, Aviva’s claims philosophy manager, health and protection, said: “COVID-19 has affected people in many different ways and there is not a one-size-fits-all path to recovery. We are tailoring our approach to the individual needs of the customer– whether that is fatigue management, physiotherapy, CBT, or a combination of services.
“We are pleased that Aviva is providing a dedicated support service to help claimants get their lives back on track.”