Allianz plc (COVID-19 Updates)

Extending measures to help Allianz retail customers during COVID-19 restrictions

Dear Broker,

As level 5 restrictions remain in place throughout the country, we are also extending our COVID-19 flexibility measures. These were introduced at the beginning of the pandemic last year to help you and our mutual customers and we believe they’re as important now as they were then. That’s why, I am delighted to let you know we are extending the measures below until the 5 April when we will review further in light of any developments.

Measures to help our personal customers

1. For those customers who are vulnerable and / or in financial distress as a consequence of COVID-19, we will continue to do our best to support them fairly and flexibly.
2. Allianz customers can add temporary additional drivers for up to 60 days (previously 30) at no additional charge once we are notified before 05/04/2021. To avail of this cover for your customers, please email the following details to [email address removed here – please contact Hastings Insurance Brokers]:
   • Policy number in the subject line of the email along with wording ‘TAD 60 days’.
   • Full details of temporary driver (name, date of birth, licence type, occupation and confirmation that conviction, claim free in the past 5 years) .
   • Time and dates of cover from and to
   • Third Party Fire & Theft Cover Applies for drivers under 25 years.
   • Your email to us will be sufficient to record the change and cover will then apply for the times and dates noted. Please note that no paperwork will be issued by Allianz for this temporary cover.
3. Allianz customers can avail of a temporary vehicle substitution past the 30 day limit previously imposed, once we are notified before 05/04/2021.
4. The NCT and CVRT centres along with the National Driver Licence Services are experiencing delays. We understand customers may have to wait longer than usual for appointments. We would like to reassure our customers that cover will continue to be provided in the event they are not able to attain their licence or NCT during this time.
5. For our customers who have commenced working from home or remotely, enhanced and increased home office equipment cover is provided under all of our household policies.

Measures to help volunteers and essential workers including teachers and childcare professionals

1. Car insurance use is extended beyond normal personal use for our customers helping within their community for voluntary purposes; e.g. to transport medicines or groceries to those in need, or to take those that may be ill or vulnerable to hospital or testing facilities until 05/04/2021.
2. For essential workers breakdown assistance will automatically be included if they need it until 05/04/2021 even if they don’t already have this benefit included on their policy.
3. We will provide a free courtesy car for healthcare workers for as long as it takes to repair their car, if they’re involved in an accident up until 05/04/2021.

We hope these measures will help you and our mutual customers and we would like to reassure you that we are here if you need us. We would encourage you to contact members of our underwriting, customer or claims teams for any support you might need.

A reminder of the underwriting teams’ contact details are shown below:”

[contact details removed here – please contact Hastings Insurance Brokers]

(at 13/01/21)

Continuing measures to help our Enterprise customers during COVID-19 restrictions

With level 5 restrictions in place across the country we recognise that our mutual business customers may need our collective help at this time. As before, we have put measures in place to assist them through this challenging and difficult period:

1. Business Property Alternative Use Cover: We continue to support the repurposing of facilities, to enable their use for testing and caring for those in need of medical attention during COVID-19. If your Client has been approached to have all or part of their premises re-purposed for COVID-19 activities, please contact our underwriters who will review on a case by case basis. We do recommend that your client obtains appropriate legal and professional advice to ensure their interests are protected during the period of engagement.
2. Business Property Cover – closures: We will maintain existing cover on business premises throughout this enforced Level 5 closure period. Appropriate supervision and security of the property is required throughout – for further information please contact our Underwriting Team.
3. Commercial Vehicle and Taxi: Insurance use is extended whilst helping within the community for voluntary purposes e.g. to transport medicines or groceries to those that may be ill or vulnerable.
4. Cafés, Restaurants and Pubs: In response to the Government’s Level 5 announcement that all restaurants and cafes must close unless they can offer a takeaway option, we are extending our cover to allow this. For the duration of the Level 5 COVID-19 closure period all restaurant and café policies will now include cover for takeaway services at no additional cost. This cover is provided on the basis that all reasonable precautions are taken and that the HSE guidelines regarding COVID-19 are adhered to.
5. Retail (Essential and Non-Essential): We are extending cover to include delivery for the duration of the Level 5 COVID-19 closure period. This extended Liability cover is provided on the basis that all reasonable precautions are taken, that the HSE guidelines regarding COVID-19 are adhered to and the appropriate motor insurance cover is in place
6. Motor Fleet:
   (a) Laid up vehicles: Laid up cover is available on request subject to underwriters receiving a listing confirming which vehicles are not in use; a refund will be provided at the end of the insurance period.
   (b) CRVT: We understand that customers are experiencing delays in CRVT testing due to the Government restrictions at this time; we wish to reassure our customers that commercial insurance cover will continue to be provided and maintained during this time.
7. Customers in Financial Distress: For those customers on an Allianz instalment plan who find themselves in financial difficulty we would ask that they contact our Instalment Billing team on 01-6133909 and we will do our utmost to assist them. We are amending the wording of our default letters to reflect the current situation and encouraging customers to contact us.
8. Commercial Liability – consideration for adjustable policies: We will maintain a flexible approach given the reduced turnover & wage-roll activity experienced by customers arising from COVID-19 restrictions; for Liability policyholders including those incorporating a Liability section within a Commercial Package policy.
   (a) Adjustable policies due for renewal through the COVID-19 emergency period
   Projections provided should take account of the impact of the COVID-19 emergency period and a period of recovery thereafter. Allianz will indicate renewal terms on the projections provided in the normal manner with the usual deposit premium (100%). Given the uncertainty for business owners over the coming months, we will continue to apply minimum premiums of 85% of the deposit premium.

   (b) Adjustable policies currently in mid-term (i.e. have been renewed)
   These will be adjusted at the end of the current insurance period in the normal manner upon receipt of the declared level of activity. Should the prevailing policy minimum premium work to the disadvantage of the Insured, the minimum premium will be reduced proportionately by the period of the COVID-19 stoppage.

9. Social Liability – Suspension of cover –ensure customers are aware of any legal liabilities
   Allianz strongly advises all its clients to maintain their key legal liability insurance cover throughout the COVID-19 closure period. By doing this, they ensure any legal liability exposure which may arise, even when their enterprise is closed, is fully protected. Where a social client has been fully informed of the risk they are undertaking but despite this wishes to suspend the Liability element of their social policy, suspension will be available on request by providing our underwriters with your client’s instruction. Suspension will take effect from the date of the instruction and any suspension premium due will be processed at the end of the suspension period.
10. Cancellation – advise customers to consider alternative options but flexibility will be applied:
    Policy cancellation should be viewed as a last resort. When assisting a client through these challenging times, they may not be aware of all the risks they’re exposed to. For example, trespassers to their property, some employees may be working from home either by agreement or otherwise; presents either an EL or PL exposure, products supplied in the past have been or are now coming into use and occurrences of injury or damage post cancellation may not be indemnified etc.

    Our cancellation policy does not normally allow for rebates in respect of mid-term cancellation instructions. We will relax our approach to refunds on Liability policies or sections and offer a return premium subject to the remaining period of insurance & a minimum threshold. Cancellation refunds in respect of Property Policies or Property Sections of package policies will be on a pro-rata basis and in line with our current practice.

11. Statutory Engineering Inspections – cover remains in place: In order to support the efforts of our customers responding to COVID-19 we have prioritised the inspections for businesses who are deemed essential such as Healthcare, Medical and Food chain supply sectors. We wish to reassure Allianz customers that cover will remain in place even if the statutory inspections are not up to date in line with legal requirements. However, where defects in plant, equipment or machinery are known to the Insured that pose potential for injury or damage to third parties Allianz expects that such plant, equipment or machinery are taken out of use until such defects are adequately dealt with.

We hope that these measures can provide some assistance to you and our mutual customers during yet another challenging and difficult time. We would encourage you to contact members of our underwriting, customer or claims teams for any support you might need.

(at 08/01/21)

As before, we have put some measures in place to help our mutual customers as best we can during this difficult time.

Measures to help our personal customers

1. For those customers who are vulnerable and/ or in financial distress as a consequence of COVID-19, we will continue to do our best to support them fairly and flexibly.
2. Allianz customers can add temporary additional drivers for up to 60 days (previously 30) at no additional charge once we are notified before 19/03/2021. To avail of this cover for your customers, please email the following details (contact details withheld here – please contact your Hastings branch) :
   • Policy number in the subject line of the email along with wording ‘TAD 60 days’.
   • Full details of temporary driver (name, date of birth, licence type, occupation and confirmation that conviction, claim free in the past 5 years) .
   • Time and dates of cover from and to
   • Third Party Fire & Theft Cover Applies for drivers under 25 years.
   • Your email to us will be sufficient to record the change and cover will then apply for the times and dates noted. Please note that no paperwork will be issued by Allianz for this temporary cover.
3. Allianz customers can avail of a temporary vehicle substitution past the 30 day limit previously imposed, once we are notified before 19/03/2021.
4. The NCT and CVRT centres along with the National Driver Licence Services are experiencing large delays. We understand customers may have to wait longer than usual for appointments. We would like to reassure our customers that cover will continue to be provided in the event they are not able to attain their licence or NCT during this time.
5. For our customers who have commenced working from home or remotely, enhanced and increased home office equipment cover is provided under all of our household policies.

Measures to help volunteers and essential workers including teachers and childcare professionals

1. Car insurance use is extended beyond normal personal use for our customers helping within their community for voluntary purposes; e.g. to transport medicines or groceries to those in need, or to take those that may be ill or vulnerable to hospital or testing facilities until 19/03/2021.
2. For essential workers breakdown assistance will automatically be included if they need it until 19/03/2021 even if they don’t already have this benefit included on their policy.
3. We will provide a free courtesy car for healthcare workers for as long as it takes to repair their car, if they’re involved in an accident up until 19/03/2021.

We hope these measures will help you and our mutual customers and we would like to reassure you that we are here if you need us. We would encourage you to contact members of our underwriting, customer or claims teams for any support you might need.

At 23/04/20

“Allianz are offering flexibility for your SME Retail, Office & Property owners customers

We understand that this is a difficult trading time for many of our mutual retail customers. Due to the variance of approaches taken by businesses at this time, we are not introducing a single solution for customers. Please be assured that we will be flexible in our approach where requests are made to reflect the current situation. We would however stress the importance of the customers retaining cover unless the business has officially ceased trading.

Alternative options are as follows:

1. Suspension of liability cover can be facilitated where a business is fully closed. Due to the uncertainty of the closure period suspension rebates will be payable at the end of the suspension period. However, it is important that business owners understand the exposure they face in terms of public liability, even where the business may be closed and in the event of selecting the suspension option, that no cover will be operative for those sections for the duration of the suspension period.
2. Mid-term revised turnover projections, taking account of an interruption period (of 1–2 months depending on prevailing circumstances) due to closure, can be facilitated for clients who are less than 10 months into their current renewal period.
3. Clients with policies falling for renewal during April/May can allow for an interruption period (of 1–2 months depending on prevailing circumstances) in their projections for the forthcoming renewal period.

Please contact our Underwriters by email to decide what the most appropriate course of action to take may be.

To further assist,

• We have extended cover on all restaurant / cafe policies to include take away services for the duration of the Covid-19 closure period. Please note this cover is provided on the basis that all reasonable precautions are taken and the HSE Guidelines regarding Covid-19 are adhered to.
• We are also automatically extending cover on supermarkets and newsagents to include delivery for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis period. This is to facilitate the delivery of groceries etc. to customers who may not be able to make it to the store. Please note drivers must have their own insurance. Similar to restaurants / cafes this cover is provided on the basis that all reasonable precautions are taken and the HSE Guidelines regarding Covid-19 are adhered to.”

At 01/04/20:

“To support Business Customers:
We know that business customers are experiencing financial challenges. We will help these customers by:

1. Café and restaurants: In response to the Government’s announcement that all restaurants and cafes must close unless they can offer a takeaway option, we are extending our cover to allow this. For the duration of the COVID-19 closure period all restaurant and café policies will now include cover for takeaway services at no additional cost. This cover is provided under the basis that all reasonable precautions are taken and the HSE guidelines regarding COVID-19 are adhered to.
2. Supermarkets and Newsagents: we are extending cover on Supermarkets and Newsagents to include delivery for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis period. This is to facilitate the delivery of groceries or other necessary products to customers who may not be able to make it to the store. This cover is provided on the basis that all reasonable precautions are taken, employees have their own car insurance and that the HSE guidelines regarding COVID-19 are adhered to.
3. CRVT: We understand that customers are unable to undertake CRVT tests due to the Government restrictions at this time; and so we would like to reassure our customers that commercial insurance cover will continue to be provided and maintained during this time.
4. Customers in financial distress: For those customers on an Allianz instalment plan who find themselves in financial difficulty we would ask that they contact our Instalment Billing team on 01-6133909 and we will do our utmost to assist them. We are amending the wording of our default letters to reflect the current situation and encouraging customers to contact us.

For Individual Customers:
We are extending features of our car and home insurance products as follows:

• Owner Occupied Home / Family Homes: The period of time after which we may exclude certain covers of your home insurance due to the property being unoccupied has been extended from 35 days to 60 days. This means if you are unable to check on your home, full cover will apply for 60 days, at which point cover will be reduced as per the standard terms and conditions if the property remains unoccupied. This will take effect from 27th March onwards.
• Holiday Homes / Buy-to-Let: Similarly, if you have a Holiday Home the requirement for the property to be checked once every 30 days will be extended so that the property must be checked once every 60 days during this time. For a Buy-to-Let property that is unoccupied, the same extension from 35 days to 60 days applies.
• NCT tests: We understand that customers are unable to undertake NCT tests due to the Government restrictions at this time and so we would like to reassure our existing and new customers that car insurance cover will continue to be provided and maintained during this time.
• No cancellation fees: This will apply to any customer during the COVID-19 Government restrictions; where their circumstances require them to cancel their insurance policy. For our retail broker customers, we are working with our third party software providers to implement this measure also as soon as possible.

As well as this, we have been working hard to ensure that our customer service lines, customer claims lines, 24/7 emergency assistance, and claims payments can be managed safely by our dedicated team of over 600 people here in Ireland and in line with the cover provided in our policies. To help you get in touch with the right person, we have created the attached contact sheet providing you with direct access to our teams.

In relation to any business interruption claims resulting directly from the COVID-19 closure period, we will continue to assess each case in line with the terms, conditions and extensions of the Business Interruption Section and the policy. It is important to note that terms, conditions and extensions can differ across our products and claims will be assessed based on the contract applicable for a specific client.

I will be in touch soon with additional measures we will implement to help you and our customers through these uncertain times.”

At 03/04/20:

“In addition to the suite of measures we communicated to you earlier this week, below are some guidelines specifically relating to Motor Fleet, Commercial and Social Liability, suspension of cover and cancellation requests.

At Allianz we know there is no “one size fits all approach”, so we will consider each situation on a case by case basis to see how we can help. This situation continues to challenge us all and we remain open minded to discussing approaches to find the most suitable way forward for our customers by working together with you our broker partners.

Motor Fleet Flexibility – refunds for vehicles no longer in use

Allianz will adopt a flexible approach and allow refunds for fleet customers whose vehicles are no longer in use during the Covid-19 restrictions.

All you need to do is provide our underwriters with a full list of the vehicles, confirming which of the vehicles are currently not in use.

Commercial Liability – Further consideration for adjustable policies

We will be flexible taking into consideration the reduced turnover & wageroll activity experienced by customers arising from Covid-19 restrictions; for Liability policyholders including those incorporating a Liability section within a Commercial Package policy.

Adjustable policies due for renewal through the Covid-19 emergency period

• Projections provided should take account of the impact of the Covid-19 emergency period and a period of recovery thereafter.
• Allianz will indicate renewal terms on the projections provided in the normal manner with the usual Deposit Premium (100%). Given the uncertainty for business owners over the coming months, we will apply Minimum premiums of 85% of the Deposit premium.

Adjustable policies currently in mid-term ( i.e. have been renewed )

• These will be adjusted at end of current insurance period in the normal manner upon receipt of the declared level of activity.
• Should the prevailing policy minimum premium work to the disadvantage of the Insured, the minimum premium will be reduced proportionately by the period of the Covid-19 stoppage.

Social Liability – a credit for those who have temporarily closed their premises

For annual Social policies we will allow a credit for the Covid-19 period of inactivity in respect of the subsequent period of insurance where the policy is renewed. Otherwise existing policy terms and conditions apply.

Suspension of Cover – ensure customers are aware of any legal liabilities

Allianz strongly advises all its clients to maintain their key legal liability insurance cover through the period of the Covid-19 emergency. By doing this, they ensure any legal liability exposure which may arise, even when their business is closed, is fully protected.

Where a client has been fully informed of the risk they are undertaking but despite this wishes to suspend the Liability element of their policy then, please contact our underwriters.

Cancellation – advise customers to consider alternative options but flexibility will be applied

Policy cancellation should be viewed as a last resort. When assisting a client through these challenging times, they may not be aware of all the risks they’re exposed to. For example, trespassers to their property, some employees may be working from home either by agreement or otherwise presents either an EL or PL exposure, Products supplied in the past have been or are now coming into use and occurrences of injury or damage post cancellation may not be indemnified etc.

Our cancellation policy does not normally allow for rebates in respect of mid term cancellation instructions. We will relax our approach to refunds on Liability policies or sections and offer a return premium subject to the remaining period of insurance & a minimum threshold.

Cancellation refunds in respect of Property Policies or Property Sections of package policies will be on a pro-rata basis and in line with our current practice.

Note: As Employers Liability insurance is a compulsory class in Northern Ireland, care should be taken not to cancel such policies during the Covid-19 crisis period.

Repurposing premises for Covid-19 – we will try to support where possible

We have already supported the repurposing of numerous facilities to enable them to help during the Covid-19 crisis.

If your Client has been approached to have all or part of their premises re-purposed for Covid-19 activities, please contact our underwriters who will be happy to help and review on a case by case basis.

We do recommend your client obtains appropriate legal and professional advice to ensure their interests are protected during the period of engagement.

Statutory Engineering Inspections – don’t worry, cover remains in place

In order to support the efforts of responding to the Covid-19 emergency we have prioritised the inspections for businesses in the Healthcare, Medical and Food chain supply sectors.

We would like to reassure Allianz customers that cover will remain in place even if the statutory inspections are not up to date in line with legal requirements. However, where defects in plant, equipment or machinery are known to the Insured that pose potential for injury or damage to third parties Allianz expects that such plant, equipment or machinery are taken out of use until such defects are adequately dealt with.

We are absolutely committed to continuing to support our customers and our country through this current crisis. Our focus is to provide you with our continued service whether it is new business, renewal or claims related queries at this time.

We would encourage you to contact members of our underwriting, sales or claims team for any support you might need.”

At 24/03/20

“ALLIANZ IRELAND ANNOUNCES 14 SUPPORT MEASURES FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS

Dear Broker,

On behalf of Allianz I hope that you, your family and loved ones are keeping well during these unprecedented times.

We will be communicating the following messages to a wider audience throughout the day but we wanted to notify you firstly.

ALLIANZ IRELAND ANNOUNCES 14 SUPPORT MEASURES FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS

• Volunteers supporting the national emergency effort will receive extended vehicle cover automatically
• Cover enhanced under all home insurance policies to facilitate home working
• Automatic extension of ‘days grace’ at renewal to 28 days to allow more time for personal customers to be able to contact you
• Maintaining existing cover on premises during business closure – businesses are advised to contact their brokers for further information
• Taking action to ensure we support customers and brokers as widely, fairly and as speedily as possible across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Further updates in the coming days

At Allianz Ireland we recognise that these are uncertain times for people right across the Island of Ireland and further afield. Like many other businesses, we have been doing all that we can to support the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

Our focus has been to put in place equitable and actionable measures to support the wider economy. Over the past week we have taken actions to ensure that our customer service lines, customer claims lines, 24/7 emergency assistance, and claims payments can be managed safely by our dedicated team of over 600 people here in Ireland and in line with the cover provided in our policies.

We’ve been working hard to put in place additional actions to support all of our customers as fairly as we can during this time. We intend doing more in the coming days and will share these announcements via Broker Communications and Salesforce.com; and via our website allianzbroker.com.

Today, we want to share details of some of the immediate measures that Allianz Ireland has put in place for your customers so that we can play our part in helping throughout this national and international emergency.

For Retail Customers: We are extending features of our car and home insurance products as follows:

1. Allianz policy covers remain fully active throughout this crisis – except where customers request and we agree to a reduction or suspension of cover;
2. For those customers who are vulnerable and / or in financial distress, we will continue to do our best to support them fairly and flexibly;
3. We’ve increased the ‘days grace’ period for customers at renewal from 14 to 28 days to allow further time to contact their broker;
4. We have also increased ‘days grace’ period for Mid Term Adjustments from 5 to 28 days;
5. Allianz customers can add temporary additional drivers for up to 60 days (previously 30) for free;
6. Our Home emergency assistance and roadside assistance services continue to be available 24/7;
7. For our customers who have commenced working from home or remotely, enhanced and increased home office equipment cover is now provided under all of our household policies;

Extra support for the community and those on the frontline

In addition, we are also supporting those customers directly involved in fighting COVID-19. These extra measures include:

1. Car Cover for Volunteers: Car insurance use is extended beyond normal personal use for customers helping within their community for voluntary purposes; e.g. to transport medicines or groceries to those in need, or to take those that may be ill or vulnerable to hospital or testing facilities;
2. For frontline workers using their own car for work purposes, they’re also fully covered per their policy terms when borrowing another car in an emergency or to get to work and breakdown assistance will automatically be extended when they need it during the crisis;

Measures to support Business Customers:

We know that business customers are experiencing financial challenges and we will help your customers by:

1. Providing you with flexibility to help alleviate stress and worry;
2. Alternative Use Cover: We continue to support the repurposing of facilities, to enable their use for testing and caring for those in need of medical attention;
3. Business Property Cover – closures: We will maintain existing cover on business premises throughout this crisis closure period. Appropriate supervision and security of the property is required throughout with further guidance to follow;
4. Commercial vehicle and taxi insurance use is extended whilst helping within the community for voluntary purposes e.g. to transport medicines or groceries to those that may be ill or vulnerable;

We continue to evaluate additional supports for customers throughout this crisis period.

“We have supported our customers for over 100 years and through many crises,” said Sean McGrath, CEO of Allianz Ireland. “These measures are the first in a series from us and will show our commitment to helping our customers, whether they are personal or business and show our commitment to the Irish people in very uncertain times.”

Take care and thanks for your continuing support.”