MetLife UK introduces ground-breaking product to support parents
August 31, 2023
MetLife UK today announces the launch of ChildShield – an industry-leading, first of its kind, standalone product that supports families should their child(ren) have an accident or become seriously ill.
ChildShield has been designed in consultation with financial advisers and customers to complement traditional protection products, enhancing family cover and helping to close the protection gap.
Because we never stop caring for our children, ChildShield covers all children in the family up to 23 years old – including stepchildren and children who no longer live within the same household. There’s no limit to the number of claims that can be made.
From just £6 per month, ChildShield provides financial protection should parents need it - such as having to take time off work to care for their child(ren). The policy covers a range of accidents and illnesses; from a 24 hour stay in hospital or a broken bone up to a cancer diagnosis or selected serious illnesses. There are two levels of cover that parents can choose: Standard or Plus. The coverage is the same, except ChildShield Plus pays double the benefit, at less than twice the cost. In addition to financial support, policyholders will also benefit from MetLife’s Virtual GP (GP24) offering and will also have full access to its Wellbeing Hub.
Dominic Grinstead, Managing Director at MetLife UK comments: “I am delighted to announce that we’re launching such a unique and innovative new product to the market. Our research shows there is a real gap in the market for ChildShield and at a time when many households are struggling financially, this provides highly affordable and valuable cover, which is very simple to take out.”
“No parent wants to think about our children having accidents or being ill, but the reality is that despite our best efforts, accidents do happen. And when children suffer something serious, we want parents to focus on being there in the moment your child needs you – not worrying about the financial impact. That’s why we have launched ChildShield. It offers flexible, affordable, peace of mind for modern family life.”
“At MetLife we pride ourselves on how quickly we pay out to customers. We typically pay 90% of claims within five working days1, which means our customers can focus on being there for their children during what is undoubtably already an unsettling and stressful time.”
The phased launch to the market will begin on the 31st August 2023, initially with a select group of ten distributors. The new product will then be widely available to the protection market by the end of the year.
Ahead of the innovative launch, Debbie Kennedy, CEO at LifeSearch, one of the launch distributors comments: “With ChildShield, MetLife has designed a product that truly meets the real need of families. They have recognised that being able to support your child either for sickness or accident is a moment that matters. What I love about ChildShield is that it goes beyond the aches and breaks that children will suffer and provides mental health and wellbeing support 24/7, all year round. It’s accessible and available in the moment; products like these will bring new customers to Protection”.