Bluezone which has specialised in life cover for people with type 2 diabetes, is expanding to other conditions while it rebrands to a new name.
The insurer is rebranding to Blueberry Life and will also be offering life insurance to people with type 1 diabetes, pre-diabetes, high body mass index (BMI), high cholesterol and high blood pressure, underwritten by Shepherds Friendly.
Under the Blueberry Life brand, the company will introduce a personalised underwriting and pricing model which it said will provide a “fairer and more precise pricing that reflects the individual’s true health”.
Beyond cover, it is introducing an insurance lifestyle app offering information, tools and resources to help individuals understand, track and manage their health.
A new website will also be launched.
For existing customers, current policy documents remain valid, but over the next few weeks the company will issue new documents replacing the current set.
Policy details, including monthly premiums, cover amounts and term and payment dates will stay the same, as will the claims process and contact details.
Half of Brits have chronic condition
Bluezone launched in June last year. Customers with type 2 diabetes were the first of a portfolio of policies aimed at helping people with chronic health conditions in the UK and overseas.
The firm told Health & Protection that with the support of Shepherds Friendly it will introduce expanded offerings tailored to individuals with a wide range of chronic health conditions.
It said this move recognised the reality that one in two people in the UK currently live with a chronic condition that may affect their ability to secure life insurance.
It added: “Seeing all the positive feedback from customers shows that we’re on the right track.
“To continue expanding access to specialist life insurance, we’ve decided to do a major rebrand. In the coming weeks, we’re changing our name from Bluezone to Blueberry Life.”
It noted the name was chosen as blueberries are linked to improving health concerns such as blood pressure, blood sugar and gastrointestinal issues.
In an interview with Health & Protection earlier this year, founder Dr Karan Mehta (pictured) highlighted that “the prevalence of chronic conditions is skyrocketing.”
In that interview, Mehta said: “The product vision for Bluezone is how do we increase the access to insurance for people with not just diabetes but all chronic conditions.
“The idea is that people with chronic lifestyle conditions are able to do something about it by adopting certain behaviours.
“Customers will be rewarded not just in terms of vouchers or discounts, but also in the price that they pay.“
Protect many more conditions
Announcing the overhaul, Blueberry Life CEO Dr Karan Mehta said the firm was excited to launch this specialist product to protect many more conditions and lives.
“The new brand speaks to our mission of improving healthspan by delivering precision healthcare through insurance,” he said.
Daniel Simpson, chief innovation officer at Shepherds Friendly, said the insurer was pleased to be working with the team and support the launch of its expanded life insurance product.
“The new solution will benefit so many individuals in the UK who struggle to gain cover due to chronic health issues allowing them to gain a sense of financial security for themselves and their families,” he said.