Southern Cross Health Society is offering premium payment holidays to help New Zealanders struggling financially in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a press release it says the options are designed to assist its members and businesses experiencing severe financial hardship due to COVID-19.
The not-for a-profit friendly society, which has 870,000 members, says members who have experienced a loss of income and are no longer in paid work can put their policies on hold for up to six months. Members experiencing financial hardship can put policies on hold for up to three months.
During this time members are not required to pay premiums and will retain their pre-existing cover – but are unable to make claims. There’s also an option to add an excess to their plan, remove add-on modules, or downgrade their plan to lower premiums.
The CEO of Southern Cross Health Society, Nick Astwick, says the financial support options are designed to assist those members most affected by the crisis.
“My message is very clear,” he says. “We are here with our members every step of the way. That means if you have lost your income and need to put your health insurance policy on hold, that’s something we can offer you.
“We are closely monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on our members and will be announcing further initiatives to support them shortly.”
Members can submit claims as usual online or via a mobile app, including the ability for eligible members to submit claims for virtual and phone consultations with GPs and specialists.
Elsewhere, health insurer Nib New Zealand has released details of its member support package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Its CEO Rob Hennin says the company has a critical role to play in helping New Zealanders through this challenging period.
Among a range of measures on offer to Nib members experiencing financial hardship include suspending their health insurance policy and premium payment for up to six months, and an automatic increase of any pre-approval validity to six months.
Full details are published on the firm’s website.