"This latest addition to our Essentials range allows us to offer great Guardian cover to clients whose priority is more affordable, high-quality protection."
- Hilary Banks - Guardian
Guardian has announced the launch of two new 'core' covers in its Essentials range: critical illness essentials and combined life and critical illness essentials.
The launch follows the introduction of Life Essentials in 2024, designed with the aim of supporting households that require more affordable cover and don’t need or can’t afford all the enhanced features within Guardian’s premier protection range, Life Protection.
Guardian says that it worked closely with adviser firms to develop critical illness essentials, responding to demand from advisers for a lower-cost alternative to Guardian’s more comprehensive critical illness protection.
Advisers can mix and match the new covers with others across Guardian’s Essentials and Life Protection ranges, including life cover and income protection.
The new covers will go live in the coming weeks.
Critical illness essentials covers 35 full payout conditions, including terminal illness, as well as 4 additional early-stage cancer payout conditions: carcinoma in situ of the breast, low-grade prostate cancer, low-grade testicular cancer and ovarian cancer of borderline malignancy. These conditions pay out 30% of the cover amount, or £30,000, whichever is less.
Policyholders will receive immediate cover of up to £300,000. This is temporary cover that starts as soon as Guardian receives a completed application form.
Key features of critical illness essentials also include a dual life approach rather than joint life, a premium waiver as standard that pays out after 26 weeks if the policyholder is unable to work due to illness or injury, and beneficiary nomination through payout planner for the life element of combined life and critical illness essentials.
Up to £25,000 of children’s critical illness cover is built in, with the option to add further children’s critical illness protection if needed.
Total permanent disability is also available as an optional extra, and the cover features a built-in lifestyle promise for smokers, meaning that Guardian may reduce a smoker’s premium if they stop smoking.
Policyholders will also receive free additional benefits through Guardian Anytime, which include access to a GP 24/7 and second medical opinions, as well as emotional wellbeing and aches and pains consultations.
The new covers will be available within Guardian’s protection menu, alongside existing life, critical illness, and income protection options.
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"We’re very excited to announce the imminent launch of our much-awaited critical illness essentials and combined life and critical illness essentials," Hilary Banks, chief commercial officer at Guardian, said.
"Guardian has, and will continue to, set the bar for quality cover and service in the protection market.
"This latest addition to our Essentials range allows us to offer great Guardian cover to clients whose priority is more affordable, high-quality protection. It also means we can now support clients at the more price-sensitive end of the market, while maintaining the quality and service that clients and advisers expect from us.
"Advisers have told us they want to recommend Guardian to more clients, but need a simpler, more affordable option for those on tighter budgets. By working closely with adviser firms, we’ve created exactly that.
"Our new Essentials covers give advisers greater choice and flexibility when supporting their clients."
