At the end of last year, ICMIF member Simplyhealth, a leading UK health and dental plan provider, announced that a proportion of premium will be refunded to eligible cash plan customers in the first quarter of 2022.
The premium refund relates to the first UK COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown in late-March 2020, until mid-May 2020. Refunds will be completed by 31 March 2022 and will total approximately GBP 9m in value.
During this period customer claims for healthcare declined as health service providers were forced to close, except for emergency treatment. The Board of Simplyhealth has responded by announcing that a proportion of premiums paid will be refunded to paying customers who held a cash plan product at the start of the first national lockdown on the 23 March 2020.
The premium refund is the latest in a significant number of measures taken by Simplyhealth throughout the pandemic. This has included support for healthcare professionals such as PPE for dentists and wellbeing support for NHS staff. Simplyhealth also extended healthcare support for customers including a digital wellbeing service (SimplyMe), subsidised anti-body testing at home and benefits such as 24/7 video GP consultations. Additional support extended to payment holidays for vulnerable customers and holding premiums in 2020. Simplyhealth customers impacted by the national lockdown period of 2020 were also able to utilise their annual cash plan benefits across the remaining period of their plans.
Dr Sneh Khemka, Chief Executive Officer at Simplyhealth (pictured) commented “Simplyhealth will always strive to do the right thing for our customers, and we’ve gone even further by responding rapidly to changing health needs throughout the pandemic. The premium refund is the latest in a significant range of measures we have delivered – from access to healthcare with the launch of 24/7 video GPs to financial support for vulnerable customers through payment holidays. We’ll be in touch with our eligible customers early in the new year, and we’re mobilising the business to make this important refund”.
Since 1872, Simplyhealth has been helping people make the most of life through better everyday health. Its health plans make sure individuals, families and employees can easily access in-person and virtual wellbeing services and afford to stay healthy by claiming costs back on dental treatments, visits to the optician, complementary therapies and much more.
As the UK’s leading health solutions company, with almost 1,000 colleagues serving 2.3 million customers, Simplyhealth is led by its purpose of improving access to healthcare, for the many, for the long term. It is passionate about using its voice in public health affairs and partnering with charities to reduce health inequality – each year the company commits to giving 10% of pre-tax profits to a range of community causes. Simplyhealth also ensures its business takes care of the planet too, achieving Carbon Neutral + status in 2021.
