Partners Life relaxes some Covid rules

Naomi Ballantyne, Partners Life

The insurer announced before New Zealand went into level four lockdown that it was applying temporary restrictions to disability products.

Disability benefits of any kind would have a mental health exclusion applied through an offer of terms. No new agreed value benefits based on income would be issued, including income covers, mortgage repayment and household expenses benefits. Indemnity loss of earnings income cover would be offered as an alternative.

But in an update, Partners Life said the time had come to consider changing that.

“Many of the restrictions around lifestyle and employment have been alleviated or removed, and the financial and emotional impacts on people’s wellbeing and employment can start to be assessed on an individual basis.