Zurich’s announcement that it’s getting rid of the Covid-19 declaration requirement for life insurance products means that it will be easier for consumers to get cover.
Zurich, one of Ireland’s leading life insurance providers, announced last week that it was removing the requirement to provide a Covid declaration when applying for any of its risk products.
Here we look at what exactly that means and how it impacts consumers.
What is a Covid declaration?
Previously, Zurich had a requirement in place to ask all applicants for life insurance, mortgage protection, and serious illness cover about Covid. The set of questions asked was known as a Covid declaration.
The insurer would ask about:
- Whether or not the applicant tested positive for the Covid-19 virus in the previous three months.
- The date of the diagnosis.
- The symptoms experienced.
- Whether the applicant has since made a full recovery and returned to work.
What has changed?
Zurich will still ask applicants about Covid, however, it will be in a much more subtle way. They have amended their questions to only ask about a diagnosis of long covid or about any hospitalisation arising from a bout of Covid.
The insurer stated that the reason for the change was due to the decreased risk presented by the virus because of the high uptake of vaccinations and the reduction in severe cases.
What does this mean for consumers?
Essentially, this change means that those who are now applying for life cover through Zurich will experience shorter waiting times to hear back about the outcome of their application.
It also means that the application process will be easier and more straightforward.
How Covid-19 has impacted life insurance
The Covid-19 pandemic has left no industry unscathed, and the insurance sector is no exception. While the virus is not as serious as it once was, cases are still rife and new variants are inevitable.
Understandably, the pandemic stirred up concern among consumers regarding their life insurance cover.
Thankfully, the impact on the life insurance sector wasn’t too significant, and now with the situation being more under control, it’s likely other insurers will follow in Zurich’s footsteps by omitting Covid-related questions from the application process.
You can learn all about how Covid-19 has impacted life insurance in this article.
Find the best insurance for your needs
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Wrap your head around insurance
We know that taking out an insurance policy can not only be confusing but also a little bit daunting.
That’s why we’ve tried to make the process as simple as possible by creating a range of helpful articles:
- Unsure of the differences between life insurance products? Take a look at our explainer guides for life insurance, serious illness cover, and mortgage protection.
- Check out our Quickstart Guide on life insurance to discover how you can get affordable cover.
- Get to grips with the common life insurance terminology and jargon you’ll likely stumble upon when reviewing policies.
You can stay up to date on all the latest insurance news and saving tips with our blogs and guides.
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