The wellness benefit that accompanies critical illness coverage is a great way to encourage employees to get the preventive screenings that are so valuable in early detection, Brown says. The $50 or $75 benefit received in return helps pay for a portion of the critical illness insurance itself. So it rewards policyholders for their proactive steps toward prevention and early detection.

Critical illness insurance can help fill gaps in medical coverage and help pay for expenses that may fall outside the scope of health coverage. Unum has paid nearly $50 million in benefits since 2002 for individuals ranging in age from newborn to 70 years. Those payments “ available in sums up to $50,000 “ helped thousands of workers and their families cover the costs associated with serious illness, anything from the costs of treatment to the expenses of travel or household bills.

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