The Australian arm of global insurer, MetLife, has announced the launch of a new program designed to assist the rehabilitation of long-term policy claimants who suffer from both psychological and physical conditions.
Called the Reactivate Program, the insurer has joined forces with enRich Training & Development to deliver a purpose-designed program “… to help people on claim avoid long-term incapacity by giving them the confidence and skills necessary to regain control over their lives and return to fulfilling employment”.
In a release accompanying the announcement of the program, MetLife’s Chief Operating Officer, Luke Banfield, said the program marked an alternative approach to managing disability claims. Mr Banfield said he was confident the program will deliver both short and long-term benefits for claimants, such as:
- Improved motivation
- Life skills
- The confidence to return to employment
… we know that the ability to work plays a huge role in restoring the self-worth of people.
MetLife’s release also noted that, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than half of Australians not in the labour force in 2009 identified long-term illness or disability as the main reason for not wanting to, or being able to work.
Mr Banfield continued: “As a life insurer … we have learned what is effective and what isn’t, and we know that the ability to work plays a huge role in restoring the self-worth of people.
“There is potential for programs like this to change the way we approach long-term illness and disability. However, in addition to providing a new support program for long-term claimants it also supports early intervention strategies for both life insurers and their clients.”
This is indeed a commendable strategy and in keeping with current thinking across many medical and rehabilitation specialists in relation to the value of work for overall health.
To be fair to other insurers who have done much work in rehabilitation support of claimants, this isn’t a first. It is however following a welcome trend.
As an aside and ironically, there is some dialogue around these additional efforts leading to higher claims costs for as yet not-identifiably high and sustainable cost savings on long term claims. It would be interesting to hear some facts from an insurer which can show a bottom line positive result, in addition to the benefits for the claimants themselves.
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