nib Offers Members COVID-19 Support Package

nib New Zealand (nib) today announced a member support package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

nib Chief Executive Officer, Rob Hennin, said the health insurer had an important and critical role to play in helping Kiwis through this challenging period.

“With our country in lockdown many of our members confront profound uncertainty and the threat or reality of unemployment particularly. We are doing as much as we can to help them maintain their cover and more broadly, stay safe and healthy,” Mr Hennin said.

nib’s support package includes:

· Ability for eligible existing members who are experiencing financial hardship to access special premium relief*.

· Ability for eligible existing members who are experiencing financial hardship to suspend* their health insurance policy and premium payment for up to six months.

· Automatic increase of pre-approval validity to six months meaning members do not need to reapply for pre-approval if they experience delays to hospital treatment.

· Ability for existing members to increase their excess (payable upon hospital admission) to the maximum allowable level under their policy without needing to be re-underwritten if they choose to reduce their excess as their financial situation improves**.

· Expanded coverage* for chest, lung, kidney and bladder or other treatment related to conditions caused by COVID-19 across all levels of hospital cover (including Basic Private Hospital Cover, Mid Private Hospital Cover and Mid Private Hospital Cover Plus where currently excluded) at no additional cost.

· Cover for GP or specialist consultations that need to be conducted via video or tele-consultation due to COVID-19*.

· Our specialist health management and emergency assistance team, nibAssist, will be available 24/7 for members who require immediate COVID-19 medical and non-medical health support.

· Help for members navigating COVID-19 by publishing across our various channels (including nib.co.nz) information on their cover, how to minimise infection risk and related matters.

· A $1 million donation from nib foundation and nib to support charitable initiatives assisting the community across New Zealand and Australia during the pandemic.

· Offering up to two weeks paid special discretionary leave for all nib Group employees (permanent, fixed-term or casual) who are impacted by COVID-19.

Members are encouraged to contact us to discuss available assistance.

*nib support package will be available for existing nib members (as at 31 March 2020) to access for initially a three month period, with this to be reviewed prior to 30 June 2020. Policy terms and conditions still apply. Members must have GP or specialist cover under their policy to apply for the relevant tele or video conference benefits.

**Members must apply for the excess reduction within six months of the end date of the Government mandated stay at home period.

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