Guardian Expands Critical Illness Coverage

August 21, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, provider of employee benefits for small to mid-size companies, announced the launch of critical illness coverage which helps individuals cope with a wider range of illnesses, not just the most common ailments.

The benefit includes a hospital admission rider that provides a per-diem lump-sum cash benefit for hospital stays for conditions not covered under the company’s base critical illness insurance plan, according to the announcement. The hospital rider supplements Guardian’s base coverage for six serious illnesses and health events: cancer, heart attack, stroke, major organ transplant, end stage renal failure (kidney failure), and coronary artery bypass graft. 

Guardian enables employers to provide employees with a benefit ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 upon the first-ever diagnosis of the six covered ailments, and a recurrence feature provides further protection should a person experience a second serious illness.  If an employer selects the hospital admission rider with its critical illness policy, a per-diem amount (customizable up to $500) is provided for hospital stays for illnesses and injuries other than the covered critical illnesses. 

Members are able to use the critical illness or hospital admission benefit payments any way they choose, the announcement said.

In addition, employers have the choice of establishing an optional wellness benefit – customizable from $25 to $100 – which can be used for a variety of routine screenings and procedures designed to promote health and detect critical illnesses in the early stages.

More information is at www.guardianlife.com and www.guardianbenefits.com .

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