GRID

Almost half (45%) of UK employers considered stress and mental illness a major cause of long-term employee absence; according to research.

The group risk industry has applauded the latest Swiss Re Group Watch 2014 report, which it said ‘demonstrates the market's continued efforts to promote and deliver these highly valued employer-sponsored protection benefits to a greater proportion of...

More than a third (34%) of firms have seen absence rates improve over the last 12 months, echoing recent ONS Labour Market statistics showing sick days down by 47 million since 1993.

Two-fifths of employees would be willing to give up a pay rise in order to receive employer sponsored protection insurances as part of their benefits package, latest research reveals.

A total of £1.2bn worth of group risk claims were paid out during 2012, helping over 23,000 UK families to avoid financial distress, research finds.

More than half(52%)of employers would be supportive of auto-enrolling employees into group risk protection products, latest research finds.

The CII has added a level-4 protection module to its Cert CII (Health and Protection) qualification.

Employers closing Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes should revisit their sickness provision to avoid a costly ‘protection gap', warns Group Risk Development (GRiD.)

Swiss Re has said the industry is "getting it right" following strong in-force group risk premium growth figures in its Group Watch 2013.

Nicola Culley asks if the introduction of auto-enrolment will deliver new business to the group life market or if employers burdened by the extra costs will cut back.