LEARN ABOUT ZURICH LIFE INSURANCE AND THEIR BENEFITS

Zurich Life Insurance

What are the benefits of insuring with Zurich?

Learn about Zurich life insurance, one of the world’s leading insurers, protecting families in more than 210 countries and the benefits of insuring with Zurich.

Zurich is more than just the largest city in Switzerland – it is also one of the world’s largest insurers making an even larger impact on that very same world.

Zurich insurance exists because people do. People with lives and loved ones and the innate need to protect them. That is why Zurich has created an array of life insurance policies to do exactly that.

But actually, they do much more than that. Zurich policies and life plans come with a multitude of additional benefits, so that the lives they insure aren’t just protected in the event of death, but in the event of life, daily life, too.

Some of these value-added benefits include:

But before we take a closer look at what Zurich’s policy holders can gain from these advantageous extra benefits, let’s first pop back to their beginnings.

A brief introduction to Zurich Insurance

Zurich, the city, is renowned for being Switzerland’s epicentre of finance and banking, providing financial security throughout people’s lives. And Zurich the insurer is here to do just that, after their lives, too.

In 1872 Zurich insurance began. Starting first as a subsidiary of Schweiz Marine Insurance Company, and a few years later moving into accident insurance, Zurich is now one of the world’s leading insurers offering a range of products for individuals all the way through to multinational organisations. Its reach has been global from the outset.

From 1887 until 1893 Zurich provided accident insurance to Swiss soldiers during three-week annual training. In 1917 the First World War led to new products, accident insurance for soldiers not serving on the front line and insurance for accidents with mines and bombs. Zurich also created policies exclusive to women in 1935 and protected people in the face of natural catastrophes.

That’s right. Zurich has done a little of it all.

In 1955, Zurich officially changed its name to Zurich Insurance Company and today they have approximately 60,000 worldwide employees (over 5,000 working for the UK arm of the Zurich Insurance Group) protecting customers in more than 210 countries.

That’s 60,000 people who care about your life. Imagine the size of your thank you cards list!

What products do Zurich offer?

Zurich offers an array of life insurance products to suit a variety of needs, whether it’s a policy that can keep up with inflation, or that decreases as your repayment mortgage does:

Document IconLevel Term Insurance

Life insurance is the provision of protection. For a monthly fee, known as the monthly premium, paid over a specific duration of time, known as the term, your loved ones will be entitled to a cash lump-sum paid out to them, known as the cover amount or sum-assured, should you pass away during the term.

Level term life insurance simply means that both the monthly premiums and cover amount are fixed (they remain “level” throughout the entire “term”) and won’t change.

Document IconIncreasing Insurance

Increasing insurance – sometimes referred to as index-linked – is a life cover designed to tackle the effects of inflation.

Each year both the cover amount and your monthly premiums rise in-line with inflation, so that your loved ones are still financially secure, were they to make a claim on your policy, in whatever economic state the world might be in then.

Document IconDecreasing Insurance

Decreasing insurance, often called mortgage life insurance, is life cover created to work alongside your repayment mortgage. This means that, if you were to pass away during the term of your policy and with outstanding payments left on your mortgage, the sum-assured will cover whatever remains.

This plan works by decreasing the cover amount each month as your outstanding mortgage balance gets paid off each month, matching the total left. Your monthly premiums, however, remain fixed.

Document IconCritical Illness Insurance

Critical illness insurance covers you should you be diagnosed with a critical illness or become terminally ill, thus greatly impacting your daily life.

When making a claim on this policy, you will be paid out the cash-lump sum agreed, to be put to use however you wish. On medical bills, living expenses, even for ticking off adventures from your bucket list.

There are up to 40 conditions covered by your Zurich critical illness policy (which can be found within your policy terms documents. However, Protect Line has collated some of the main conditions classed as critical illness by the ABI).

But if you’re diagnosed with a less advanced cancer of either the breast or prostate, Zurich will pay out up to £25,000 to you (or 25% of your sum, whichever is lower), and your original critical illness policy will still be in tact, meaning you don’t need to reapply and should you become diagnosed with another of the 40 conditions, you’re still covered.

Here, Zurich offer critical illness with a life insurance policy, ensuring you’re covered should the worst happen – or some worse for wear moments before then.

Document IconVarious other products

As well as the different types of life insurance, Zurich also offer:

  • Income protection
  • Car insurance
  • Travel insurance
  • Home insurance
  • Boat insurance
  • Self-build insurance

Zurich protects more than just people – they protect what matters to those people, too.

*Note: Not all types of cover listed above are available through Protect Line. Our specialists will be able to give you the options available to you and compare these against the insurers on our panel.

For quotes on the various Zurich policies, fill out our online quote form and have a chat with our friendly and professional team to help you find what you’re looking for.

6 Benefits of insuring with Zurich

Zurich offers an array of life insurance products to suit a variety of needs, whether it’s a policy that can keep up with inflation, or cover that decreases as your repayment mortgage does:

1. Zurich pledges to plant one tree for every life policy

Since 2019, Zurich have planted over half a million trees. That’s one for every life protection policy purchased. They’re doing their part to protect the planet and plant a tree on your behalf when you take out a life insurance policy – all you have to do is follow the steps in an email and their tree planting partner does the rest. So not only have you protected your loved ones, but you’ve also protected the Earth.

Though this additional benefit might not appear to impact you directly, take a deep breath and think about why, actually, it does.

2. Access to Zurich Support Services for you and your family

“With Zurich Life insurance we don’t just protect your financial future, we also support you right now.” – Zurich Support Services.

Zurich Support Services is available with all their life, critical illness and income protection insurance policies. Provided by one of Zurich’s partners, Workplace Options (a provider of holistic wellbeing solutions), these services are accessible to those who are struggling in life, or in the workplace.

24 hours a day, 365 days a year and there from the moment your policy is taken out, Zurich Support Services offers you the option to talk to a professional about anything that’s occupying your mind. Daily anxieties or looming fears, with emotional and practical support provided by experts in their field, Zurich has got every aspect of existence covered.

Here are just some of the ways Zurich Support Services can grant you their service and support:

  • Career coaching (1 hour phone consultation with a qualified coach)
  • Family caring (support and resources on a wide range of issues)
  • Legal information (advice from trained specialists)
  • Short term counselling (up to 6 sessions with experienced counsellors)
  • Money and debt management (income and expenditure assessment, and debt action planning)
  • Mental health support (covering depression and anxiety, esteem and confidence, and bereavement support, etc)

Zurich has even created their own podcast series in which they discuss the multitude of ways their support services can – and have – benefited those in need. All at no additional cost.

3. Zurich’s multi-fracture cover add-on to life cover

Available on both a life cover and a life cover with a critical illness policy, Zurich’s multi-fracture cover is an optional extra intended to protect you further should you break a bone, dislocate a joint or rupture an Achilles tendon or tear a cruciate ligament. If this is the case, Zurich will pay out up to £6,000 as a cash lump-sum directly to you, depending on the injury.

Because Zurich’s got your back, in case you break it.

4. Additional cover for your children

This benefit is only available on a life cover and critical illness policy. If you add the children’s benefit to your Zurich policy, then your kids are covered should they become diagnosed with one of the 40 conditions classed as a critical illness. Up to £25,000, or 50% of your lump-sum (whichever is lower), will be paid out to you, to put towards your child.

Kids are the bravest and fiercest creatures on this planet – but they’ll always need their parents to protect them.

(For more information on critical illness cover for your child as well as various other child services, Protect Line has created this detailed article).

5. Changing your policy details at no extra cost

Life, like prices, inflates. It gets bigger. Your family increases, you have twins, and so your mortgage increases because you need a larger home with two extra bedrooms. That’s normal – that’s expected – and that’s why with every Zurich life insurance policy, included as standard comes the ability to change your policy details, at no extra cost. Which many of our other insurers also do.

You can increase the cover as the things you love in this life increase, and whilst your premiums will also increase, you won’t need to provide any additional or updated details about your health or medical status.

6. Zurich’s separation benefit for joint policies

Another standard of every Zurich life plan is the separation benefit, available to those who have a joint life policy, because Zurich knows that sometimes we grieve those we’ve loved, even if they’re still alive.

Separation and divorce are common, and the last thing you want to think about during the loss of a relationship is what happens now, should one of you lose your life, too. Which is why Zurich’s separation benefit enables you to cancel your joint policy and take out two separate, individual policies without having to provide more medical information regarding the underwriting health questions.

 

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Zurich customer stories and case studies**

Emily’s Story

Artist and cat-sitter, Emily Devine, was busy living her divine life in Maybole, Scotland, with her husband and two dog-shaped kids – until she found out she had thyroid cancer.

Just like that, her life changed. Having to undergo surgery and thus pause working for her two sources of income, money worries rapidly became an ever-increasing burden in an already troublesome time.

Until she made a claim on her critical illness cover with Zurich.

“The silver lining part of it was that we had critical illness insurance.” – Emily.

A quick and easy pay out meant that Emily was able to focus solely on healing herself, her mind now unbothered by relentless thoughts of unwanted expenses. Her cover freed her from any financial turmoil that might have only made her feel worse.

“When your physical self is so broken down, the mental part is linked to this, but it’s also thinking about all these other things, like money stuff. And so, to have that worry chopped off, so you can just focus on the [physical] part, and to have that financial cushion that suddenly just appears, thanks to Zurich, that’s priceless really.” – Emily.

Glenn’s Story

The same goes for Glenn, a baker born and bread (get it?). As a father of two and the co-owner of his bakery with his brother, he lives and breathes his family and his business.

Then, out of the blue, he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer.

“I eat, sleep, drink the bakery. But it was going to suffer from me not being there.” – Glenn.

Glenn immediately began to worry about the future, for himself and his bakery. Being self-employed meant that if he didn’t work, he didn’t get paid, and all else would crumble from there. There was a baker’s dozen worth of things causing him anxiety, and seemingly no way to avoid any of it.

Thankfully, Glenn had taken out critical illness cover with Zurich. After a quick phone call with Zurich’s lovely claims team, his cover was paid out directly to him fast and in full (despite what many people believe, critical illness cover is regularly paid out).

“I know when I needed them, Zurich was there for me. They made a very traumatic time for me, and for my family, simple.” – Glenn.

All Glenn was left to do then, was focus on getting better.

But Zurich isn’t just there to help only when a claim has been made.

Policy holders can, and often do, benefit from their support services, whether or not they’ve had to claim on their life insurance or critical illness cover. Take Julia, for example.

Julia’s Story

Her and her husband are full-time workers and thus were in desperate need of finding childcare for their 2-year-old daughter, Monday to Friday. On top of that, they were also in the process of moving house.

A healthy family with the funds available to support their child and new home – you wouldn’t think they’d necessarily need to utilise Zurich’s Support Service, right?

Until you remember, of course, that these services provide an array of different support systems, however unconventional the need might be.

Which is why Julia contacted Zurich’s support team, and within six hours, her Zurich consultant had located two suitable nurseries within her area, as well as working with a known estate agent to help them find three properties that would be perfect for Julia and her family.

Zurich had saved Julia time and granted her peace of mind, two of the most important factors in living a happy and healthy life.

There’s no support quite like it.

**Note: All views expressed in the case studies are opinions and not intended to be financial advice or recommendations from Protect Line

 

Is Zurich life insurance worth having?

As an impartial brokerage, Protect Line is proud to be a non-advisory business, especially since more and more people in the UK are choosing non-advisory services. We will never attempt to sway your decisions when purchasing the appropriate life insurance products for you. What we do instead is simply provide you with all the relevant facts about our insurers and their life cover policy types, so that you’re better able to make an informed choice when moving forward on your insurance journey.

With that in mind, here is some more information about Zurich that might be of interest to you:

  • Zurich life insurance has acquired a 5 star Defaqto rating, which is a trusted source of financial product reviewing. There might be upwards of a hundred billion stars in our galaxy, but 5 of the most important belong with Zurich
  • Zurich paid out 98% of all life insurance claims made in 2022
  • Zurich paid out 91% of all critical illness cover claims made in 2022
  • Zurich signed up to The Protection Distributors Group’ (PDG) Claim Charter, reinforcing dedication to delivering the highest standards throughout the claim experience

Zurich have won several awards, including:

  • Insurance Post British Insurance Awards 2022, 2023
  • General Insurer of the Year 2022, 2023
  • Customer Care Award 2023
  • Best Insurance Employer – (5* Employer, Large) 2022, 2023
  • Customer Experience Award 2022
  • Risk and Resilience Award 2022
  • GoCompare’s 2022 People’s Choice Insurance Awards recognising Outstanding UK insurance providers
  • …Not a bad trophy cabinet to have!

Zurich’s life insurance policies are equipped with benefits that not only insure their customers lives – but enhance them. You can’t escape death, but with a toolbox full of services that can help you better your day-to-day life, you can keep it at bay for as long as possible.

They provide protection riddled with benefits because Zurich’s intent is to protect you in ways you can benefit from. That’s really all there is to it.