Aegon Scottish Equitable have launched a helpline that will provide free round-the-clock counselling support to individual protection customers.
In association with Care First, the service will provide support to customers and their families in all areas of physical and mental health . Aegon have stated that although the service will be available when a claim isnt being made, the main goal is to support families during a claim.
Rod McKie, head of marketing for individual protection at Aegon Scottish Equitable, said: "When someone is diagnosed with a critical illness or a family is coming to terms with the bereavement of a loved one, an insurance payout is rarely going to be the first thing on their mind."
He added that although the financial aspect of dealing with such situations was vitally important, the firm felt that providing trained counsellors would be of value to their customers and their families . Care First is trained to deal with a range of issues including bereavement and the diagnosis of a critical illness.




