Page 18 - Insight Issue 3 _ 2018

Merseyside Group Insurance Scheme

What is Group Insurance?

Group Insurance is comprehensive package of insurance designed How are rates/benefits set?
specifically for those working in the Police Service. It provides a
broad range of cover for police officers who subscribe to the The Trustees of the scheme meet with representatives for Philip
scheme including: Williams Insurance Management Company on an annual basis
and agree prices and levels of cover. The price is set based on the
• Life insurance claims history of a particular scheme so that premiums cover the
• Critical illness benefits cost of claims.
• Accident benefits When setting benefit levels and costs the Trustees try to balance
• Red Arc nurse advice and support the requirements of members with overall affordability of the
• Family travel policy scheme.
• Legal expenses policy A small additional trust contribution is included to pay for the
• Home emergency assistance administration of the scheme and to provide additional ad hoc
• Dental injury and emergency treatment benefits as determined and decided by the Trustees.
• UK motor breakdown policy

What are the benefits of arranging cover on this basis?
What about my Partner The obvious benefit is cost saving, and the scheme is significantly
cheaper than if it was arranged on an individual basis.
Many of the above elements, such as Legal Expenses, Motor
Breakdown, Red Arc and Travel Insurance also provide cover your We are also able to include benefits which the Trustees think are
co-habiting partner. If you require life and critical illness cover relevant which would not be available to individuals.
for your partner then there is an option to pay an additional
subscription for this. The payment is made directly from payroll or pension and Philip
Williams Insurance Management pay the various insurers on our
behalf.
What if I want more life insurance?
The level of life insurance cover you require depends on your
personal circumstances, for example the size of your mortgage, Do I have to subscribe to the Police Federation to join the
other debts, family commitments etc. The scheme has £100,000 scheme?
cover as a basic option, but there is the availability to top up this The scheme was introduced to the service via the Police
amount for an additional subscription. Federation, and although it is a stand alone Trust it is still partly
administered by Police Federation Staff.

Who arranges the scheme? For this reason the Trustees have decided that it is a requirement
The scheme is arranged Philip Williams Insurance Management to subscribe to the Police Federation to join the Group Insurance
Company who operates schemes for over 34 Police Federations scheme.
across the UK. They are a privately owned company who
specialise in the police market. They have operated in the Group The exception to the above is those who are unable to join the
Insurance market since 1984 and have been largely responsible Police Federation, and the Trustees have opened the scheme to
for the introduction of many of the benefits seen in the current include non federated ranks, retired officers and Police Staff.
schemes.

How can you join?
How is the scheme arranged? If you wish to join the scheme, take out partner cover,
The scheme is written and held in Trust and is owned by the or top up your life insurance cover, please contact the
Trustees. They meet with the scheme managers from Philip
Williams on a regular basis to examine the claims history and Federation office, or visit the Federation website at
ensure that the scheme continues to meet the needs of members. www.merpolfed.org.uk
The Trustees perform their role on an unpaid basis on behalf of
members.

18 Insight Magazine of Merseyside Police Federation - Issue 3 of 2018 • www.merpolfed.org.uk