Vocational Rehabilitation and Income Protection (IP) insurance

This recording of our March 2022 webinar will be relevant to Vocational Rehabilitation practitioners looking to expand their services to the IP sector. It provided an up-to-date overview of best practice for VR members already supporting IP claimants back to health and work.

The content will also be of interest to occupational health professionals, with relevant information about the vocational rehabilitation support available for employees with Group Income Protection cover, in particular.

As a background, the Chartered Institute of Insurers, published a guide on Income Protection in 2021, with contributions from expert market figures, to help raise awareness of the role IP plays in society, by protecting the financial resilience of the working population. The role of rehabilitation and vocational rehabilitation is highlighted in the guide as a key feature of the additional benefit that IP insurance can provide, with the webinar covering the main points of the guide.

What is Income Protection and the difference between individual and group cover.

• IP and State Benefits
• What is the usual IP definition of incapacity for work?
• The claim journey through case studies
• The role of rehabilitation and vocational rehabilitation
• Achieving the best health and return-to-work outcomes

We also had a number of questions we didn’t have time to answer during the session, our speakers answered them after the session and the responses are below.

Does an insurer or employer have any rights in encouraging an employee signed off to engage in VR?

A: I think the key to engagement is to work collaboratively with the employee to see the benefits of engaging in VR support. I cannot answer on behalf of insurers or employers, but I think in general, I see that the offer of VR is welcomed.

Do you often work with specialist occupational therapists in vocational rehabilitation?

A: Yes, very much so. OT’s skills are very relevant in many IP cases, such as neurological and pain-related conditions.

Do you have any information on Cancer Support Rehab specialists in Ireland

A: I don’t, but I can point you out to Working to Wellbeing a VRA provider member who provide Cancer-specific rehabilitation and return to work support in the UK. They might have further information for you in Ireland.

Is the industry seeing an influx of claims due to the pandemic e.g. long covid sufferers, mental health issues and are there new challenges for VR?

A: Recently an insurer reported a high number of Long Covid related IP claims in 2021. I don’t think we have overall industry figures at this point for 2021. Mental health claims were very common even before the Pandemic. Regarding challenges, I think VR practitioners are very aware about the NHS pressures in regards to community treatment support, which can have an impact on treatment outcomes. Thus impacting the individual’s ability to engage in VR support.

How can VRA practitioners get more involved in helping income protection providers manage their claim? How can we better work together to help clients?

Some insurers employ in-house clinicians and advertise VR roles in the VRA website. There are also third-party rehabilitation providers who work directly with insurers supporting IP members, if you wanted to do some work in this area. In terms of how we can achieve better collaboration, I think as mentioned, communication is the key, to ensure all stakeholders are informed and in agreement with the VR programme aims.

Your speakers: Monica Garcia, Johnny Timpson and Ron Wheatcroft

Monica Garcia is a Disability Insurance and Workplace Wellbeing Consultant, bringing a combination of clinical, vocational, research, and insurance experience, to promote and champion best practice in the UK’s Income Protection (IP) market. Through her work with insurers, employers, and third-party providers, Monica leads the development of evidence-based health initiatives to improve customers’ wellness and work outcomes.

Monica also has an active role in industry initiatives, speaking at conferences, panel debates, and with publications, addressing the non-technical aspects of disability insurance risk management, improving access to insurance, and promoting the benefits of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). In her latest publication, she co-authored the Access to Insurance education guide on Income Protection, published by the Chartered Institute of Insurers (CII), which highlights the role the VRA plays in raising professional standards in the provision of VR, within IP.

Johnny Timpson OBE is the Principal of Johnny Timpson Consulting and has worked in the insurance industry for over 40 years in various distribution, marketing, technical, corporate affairs, and leadership roles. The former and inaugural Cabinet Office Disability and Access Ambassador for the Insurance Industry and Banking sector, and founder of the Access to Insurance Working Group, he is currently a Financial Inclusion Commissioner, member of the Financial Services Consumer Panel and Prime Ministers Champion Group for Dementia Communities.

In addition, Johnny is Non-Exec Chairman designate of specialist broker Absolute Military, an Ambassador for Grief Chat bereavement counselling, plus holds University of Edinburgh Business School, Vocational Rehabilitation UK, International Longevity Centre, Fintech and Invictus Games 2027 Scotland Bid advisory roles.

Johnny is also a founding member of GAIN (the Group for Autism, Insurance, Investment and Neurodiversity), the Building Resilient Households Group and Taskforce plus sits on the Insurance Institute of London Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Mental Health Working Group and British Insurance Brokers Association Access To Insurance Committee.

Ron Wheatcroft is Technical Manager for Swiss Re’s UK Life and Health Business. He works with life and health insurers, looking at market trends and the likely impact of legislation and regulation on firms, advisers and customers.

He is the principal author of Swiss Re’s annual market reports covering both personal and commercial long-term insurance, including disability products, and a regular commentator in the media.

He is a member of the Steering Group of the Access to Insurance Working Party.

He is also a member of the Steering Groups of GRiD and the Building Resilient Households Group. He was a Board member of the Investment and Life Assurance Group until stepping down in 2019 and chaired the Group for two years.