With another lockdown in place for the near future and vaccines gaining momentum, we thought it was time to share our answers to some of the questions we're getting from customers about Life Insurance, Covid-19 and vaccines. And to reassure you that locked down or not, vaccinated or not, we’re here to support you and take care of your life insurance.
There is a lot of misinformation floating around. At Pinnacle Life, we like to keep things as easy and transparent as possible. Suppose you're wondering about anything or feeling uncertain. We recommend checking with us, sticking to reputable websites and double-checking your sources. If you don't understand something, ask 😊.
Am I still covered if I get the vaccine?
Yes definitely. There has been a lot of misinformation circulating about vaccines and health and life insurance; our position, however, is clear. Your policy will still cover you whether you're vaccinated or not. The vaccine is approved by Medsafe and therefore has no impact on existing policies or new applications.
If I die after having the vaccine, am I covered? ✅
Absolutely yes. Because the vaccine has been approvedby Medsafe, you're covered by your Pinnacle Life policy. Your policy document sets out exactly what you're covered for and what's excluded. Anything that's excluded is based on the answers you gave when you first took out your policy (including anything from the follow-up call we provide straight after you’ve purchased). It doesn't change because of covid-19, vaccines, or anything else.
Am I covered for Covid-19? ✅
Covid-19 doesn't change anything on your policy. We ask all our questions upfront (both during the application and in a follow-up call), so once you take out life insurance, you're covered. Our policies have no specific exclusions for a pandemic, including COVID-19, so once you have cover, if you get Covid-19 and the worst happens, you'll be covered.
I don't have cover yet; if I take out a policy now, will it cover me for Covid-19? ✅
Yes, it will. If you don't have cover with us already, you just need to make sure you answer all the application questions truthfully, just like any other time. There are some specific circumstances when we may not cover you for Covid-19, such as if you have intended travel plans.
Intended travel doesn't mean you think you'd like to travel at some point in the future. (I think we all hope for that!) It means if you have specific travel plans, such as for work or a wedding or any other reason, we want to know about it. You’ll probably still be able to get cover, but there may be an exclusion for pandemics on your policy. Or, in some cases, we may wait until you have come home before we can consider offering you cover. Each circumstance is considered on an individual basis by our underwriters. The best thing to do if you’re not sure is to have a chat with us.
I want to apply for cover, but I've just had a covid test; what should I do? ✅
You can either wait to get your results or apply and make sure you let us know that you're waiting on test results. In the application, we ask you some questions that help us understand your situation. That's where you can tell us about any symptoms you have or that you're waiting for results
We answer more questions on our website - COVID-19FAQ's. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, give us a call or flick us an email at ask@pinnaclelife.co.nz.
In the meantime, feel reassured that your policy will continue in the usual way. It's not affected by the Covid-19 vaccine or by Covid-19 or any other potential pandemic. Look after yourself and your loved ones. Wash your hands, wear a mask and scan -in.
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