Hiis adding five new definitions and changing 24 as part of a series of updates across both its adult and children’s CI cover.
The changes, set to come into effect this month, also ensure policyholder’s partner’s children are included in children’s CI cover.
They also include 16 neutral wording changes and three clarifications to definitions aimed at increasing customer certainty about when they can claim.
New definitions and improvements
The new definitions on adult’s cover are lobectomy, necrotising fasciitis, and removal of urinary bladder. On children’s cover the new definitions are lobectomy and removal of urinary bladder.
But Guardian has also removed surgery cover as a separate partial pay out definition – which previously paid 25% of the cover amount when a policyholder was placed on the NHS waiting list – and has enhanced each of the individual definitions it applies to.
Guardian will now make a full 100% pay out on 12 definitions and a 50% pay out up to £50,000 on two definitions when a customer is placed on the NHS waiting list for surgery (or once they have undergone the surgery).
A further change has been made to the major organ transplant definition which now includes transplants of organs from animals or artificial devices, supporting Guardian’s commitment to make sure its definitions keep up-to-date with medical enhancements.
Existing customers to benefit
Existing customers also access the new and improved definitions due to its cover upgrade promise.
This promise means existing policyholders can claim on any of the definitions listed in their policy terms and conditions, as well as any improved definitions that Guardian has added since.
This applies to both full pay out and additional pay out definitions.
Hilary Banks, commercial director at Guardian, (pictured) said: “We’re thrilled to announce our biggest cover upgrade yet, which is going live soon.
“It will be the most far-reaching we’ve done – with five new definitions and 24 improvements – as well as an extended definition of the children covered under children’s cover to now include the policyholder’s partner’s children.
“A particular highlight is our improvement to definitions involving surgical procedures. Customers can now make a full claim if they’re put on the NHS waiting list for one of the listed surgeries, as opposed to a 25% partial payment.
“The very best bit is that – due to our cover upgrade promise – our existing customers will also benefit.
“This is something we’re immensely proud of as it means people who choose Guardian can always be confident that they’ll have access to the best definitions we have on offer.
“Our promise helps advisers too, supporting them to develop long-lasting client relationships based on trust.
“Plus, to make our cover even easier to understand, we’re introducing a cover upgrade promise checker tool for both customers and advisers, to help them clearly see the range of definitions they can claim under.”
Alan Lakey, director at CIExpert, said: “Guardian’s adult and children’s critical illness covers have always been known for quality and this upgrade enhances this reputation even further.
“Taking into account the five new definitions, 24 improvements, 16 wording changes and three clarifications, Guardian’s critical illness cover is consistently at or towards the top of the CIExpert quality tables.
“A real differentiator, when talking about quality, is Guardian’s cover upgrade promise.
“This promise makes all these improvements available for existing customers, not just new ones. For me, this promise is a perfect example of how our industry can challenge itself to provide better customer outcomes.”
Cover upgrade promise checker
And to enable customers to stay up-to-date with what they can claim for, Guardian is launching a cover upgrade promise checker tool.
The tool will allow customers to check the definition on their policy, as well as all the definition changes that have been made since they took it out.
A version of the tool will also be available for advisers on Guardian’s website to help them clearly explain the value of cover upgrade to their clients.
More clarifications
Touching on its cancer definition for both adult and children’s cover, Guardian has clarified that it will not pay out for pituitary neuroendocrine tumours as a full pay out condition.
It will still pay out as an additional pay out of 50% of the cover amount, up to £50,000.
Guardian said the update was made due to the change in classification of pituitary neuroendocrine tumours from benign to malignant by the World Health Organization.
Guardian pointed out that its cancer definition pays out on all malignant cancer, including all skin cancers.
