MONTREAL, Sept. 16, 2002 – Standard Life has added several enhancements to its Participant’s Life Insurance product in the Group Life and Health business line. Effective today, psychosocial intervention as well as financial and legal services will be available, free of charge, to all named beneficiaries for a period of 12 months following an employee’s death. These new services, offered through an employee assistance firm, are available via a toll-free telephone number, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, financial guidance services, for Life insurance amounts in excess of $50,000, are offered through Standard Life’s Financial Security Hotline.
“We are always looking for ways to add value to our products, to better suit our clients’ needs and to distinguish ourselves in the market. The idea behind these enhancements is to provide counselling and assistance to beneficiaries, if required, during a difficult and stressful period. These enhancements help to ensure that we meet our goal of continuously offering total solutions for customers,” said Joseph Iannicelli, Vice-President, Marketing, Group Life and Health.
“The extension of these benefits to beneficiaries seemed natural. During the difficult period following a death of an employee, a network of professionals across the country can provide beneficiaries with reliable, completely confidential, resources to meet a number of their needs,” added Mr. Iannicelli.
Standard Life’s Group Life and Health provides custom-fit, cost-effective group insurance plans that can combine a number of products with services to fit every employer’s need. These include Life Insurance, Accident Death and Dismemberment, Health Care, Dental Care, Disability as well as Employee Assistance Programs, Absenteeism Management, Customized Drug Plans, Travel Assistance and so much more, using easy administration tools, like secure Web sites and an Info-Line for members.
In Canada, Standard Life has over $28 billion in assets under management and offers a wide range of financial products and services to more than 1 million clients. Its 2,200 employees are committed to providing superior customer service from its headquarters in Montr�al, its six regional offices, as well as from its 20 sales offices across the country. Standard Life’s products and services include group savings and retirement, group life and health, individual life insurance, savings and retirement. Through affiliated companies, it also offers mutual funds and portfolio management services. Total premium income and deposits reached $3.7 billion in 2001. (www.standardlife.ca)
Standard Life Canada is part of the Standard Life Assurance Company founded in Edinburgh (Scotland) in 1825. The Company is the largest mutual insurance company in Europe with over 12,000 employees, more than $189 billion in assets under management and over 5 million customers in, among others, the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Spain, India and Hong Kong.
The Company has also established two representative offices in China. Total premium income reached close to $19 billion in 2001. It is one of only a few life assurance groups worldwide to have been awarded a ‘Triple A’ classification – the highest possible – by leading international ratings agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. (www.standardlife.com)
La Standard Life ajoute de nouvelles caract�ristiques � l’assurance vie du participant
MONTREAL, le 16 sept., 2002 – Le secteur des assurances collectives de la Standard Life a apport� plusieurs am�liorations � sa garantie d’assurance vie collective du participant. A compter d’aujourd’hui, des services d’intervention psychosociale ainsi que de consultation financi�re et juridique seront offerts tout � fait gratuitement aux b�n�ficiaires d�sign�s d’un salari� durant les 12 mois suivant le d�c�s de ce dernier. Ce programme d’assistance, dispens� par l’interm�diaire d’un cabinet de services d’aide aux employ�s, est accessible sans frais par t�l�phone 24 heures sur 24, sept jours sur 7. De plus, dans les cas o� la garantie-d�c�s est sup�rieure � 50 000 $, des services d’orientation financi�re seront offerts par le service de T�l�Consultation financi�re de la Standard Life.
“Nous sommes constamment � l’aff�t de fa�ons de rehausser la valeur de nos produits afin de mieux r�pondre aux besoins de nos clients et de nous distinguer dans notre sph�re d’activit�. Le but vis� par l’ajout des nouvelles caract�ristiques est de fournir conseils et assistance aux b�n�ficiaires qui en ressentent le besoin en p�riode de difficult�s et de stress. Ces nouveaux services illustrent comment nous tendons toujours vers notre objectif d’offrir � nos clients des solutions compl�tes”, d�clare M. Joseph Iannicelli, vice-pr�sident, marketing, assurances collectives.
“Il nous semble tout � fait naturel d’offrir ces services aux b�n�ficiaires � la suite du d�c�s d’un salari�. Un r�seau de professionnels � l’�chelle du pays est en mesure de fournir aux b�n�ficiaires, dans une confidentialit� absolue, le soutien de conseillers qui pourront r�pondre � plusieurs de leurs besoins”, ajoute M. Iannicelli.
Le secteur des assurances collectives de la Standard Life propose des r�gimes collectifs sur mesure et rentables qui allient de nombreux produits et services afin de r�pondre aux besoins de chaque employeur. Les garanties offertes comprennent entre autres des assurances vie, d�c�s et mutilation accidentels, soins oculaires, soins dentaires et invalidit�, ainsi que des programmes d’aide aux employ�s, des services de gestion de l’absent�isme, des r�gimes d’assurance m�dicaments et d’assistance voyage.
L’administration des r�gimes de la Standard Life est simplifi�e, gr�ce � des outils d’administration conviviaux tels que ses sites Web s�curis�s et sa Ligne-Info � l’intention des participants.
Au Canada, la Standard Life g�re un actif de plus de 28 milliards $ et offre une vaste gamme de produits et de services financiers � plus d’un million de clients. Ses 2 200 employ�s s’efforcent de fournir � la client�le un service de premier ordre, � partir du si�ge social de Montr�al, de ses six bureaux r�gionaux, ainsi que de ses 20 bureaux de vente � travers le pays. La gamme des produits et services de la Standard Life comprend les r�gimes d’�pargne, d’assurances et de retraite collectifs, l’assurance vie, l’�pargne et les rentes individuelles. De plus, elle offre, par l’interm�diaire de compagnies affili�es, des fonds communs de placement et des services de gestion de portefeuille. Le revenu-primes et les d�p�ts ont totalis� 3,7 milliards $ en 2001. (www.standardlife.ca)
Standard Life Canada fait partie de la Compagnie d’assurance Standard Life fond�e en 1825 � Edimbourg en Ecosse. La Compagnie compte plus de 12 000 employ�s. Elle g�re un actif de plus de 189 milliards $ et sert plus de 5 millions de clients recrut�s, entre autres, au Royaume-Uni, au Canada, en Irlande, en Allemagne, en Autriche, en Espagne, en Inde et � Hong Kong. La Compagnie a aussi �tabli deux bureaux de repr�sentation en Chine.
Elle est l’une des cing groupes d’assurance vie dans le monde auxquels Standard & Poor’s et Moody’s, les deux plus importantes agences d’�valuation du cr�dit au monde, attribuent la cote Triple A, la classement le plus �lev� possible. Le revenu-primes a totalis� pr�s de 19 milliards $ en 2001. (www.standardlife.com)
