MetLife has agreed a strategic partnership with international funeral planning and concierge service firm Everest as it expands into the UK.
As part of an initial three-year exclusive arrangement, MetLife will offer funeral support services to more than 1.4 million UK employees through its group life insurance arrangements.
The partnership marks Everest’s entry into the UK market and is its first venture outside North America, where it has a customer base of more than 25 million and has operated since 2001.
Everest’s UK business will be led by chairman, Mark Wood, a former CEO of Axa UK, Prudential Europe, and JLT Employee Benefits.
He also founded pension buyout firm Paternoster and is currently chairman of Pensions Bee.
As part of the new arrangement, MetLife’s group life customers will be able to access end-of-life planning services and support to help their families in the event of their death.
They will also benefit from 24/7 adviser support and assistance, along with a suite of online planning tools and a digital vault to leave important documents accessible for those bereaved, as well as a free will writing service.
Mark Wood, chairman of Everest, said: “This is a unique offering providing families with significant additional support during an incredibly challenging time.
“Through our partnership with MetLife, we are here to help people organise their affairs and support bereaved next of kin through a period of grief. We want to give people time to grieve.”
Dominic Grinstead, managing director of MetLife UK, (pictured) added the announcement represented a key part of MetLife’s UK growth ambitions, as it continued developing its group life proposition.
“Against a challenging economic backdrop, there has never been a greater need for protection and valuable insurance and support for UK households,“ he said.
“All too often insurance focuses on the claim payment but, through our partnership with Everest, we are pleased to be able to offer all our group life customers access to a range of support services extending beyond that financial transaction.
“This support, we believe, will be especially valuable for families at times of bereavement and loss as they face difficult emotional decisions which can often be compounded by challenging financial circumstances.”
