Reminder: Bereavement support available to beneficiaries of life claims
We want to remind you about complimentary bereavement support available to eligible* Sun Life beneficiaries, through Empathy. We’ve heard from some of you and from beneficiaries and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
Users of the service have shared that Empathy’s dedicated Care Managers and personalized Care Plans have been instrumental in guiding them through the challenging times following a loss. We’ve heard from Clients that it’s helped ease the burden on HR teams when dealing with bereavement claims.
* Eligible beneficiaries and their family members, aged 18+ years, must reside in Canada. Should an employee pass away without having a named beneficiary, we’ll provide the executor or estate representative with information about Empathy.
Supporting beneficiaries
Beneficiaries gain the most benefit when they access Empathy early following a loss. The days and weeks following a loss are often the most overwhelming, with grief layered on top of urgent practical responsibilities. By engaging early, Empathy can step in to support time-sensitive needs such as funeral planning, estate administration, and identity protection, while also providing emotional guidance at a time when it’s needed most.
To facilitate this, we’ve prepared a variety of awareness and registration materials for your HR team to incorporate into your claim process:
- A comprehensive flyer detailing Empathy’s service
- An email template for reaching out to beneficiaries
- Talking points for HR staff when discussing the service
You can download them here.
These tools are designed to equip your HR team with resources to ease a difficult situation for both themselves and the beneficiaries. By integrating Empathy into your bereavement support process, you’re providing invaluable assistance during a challenging time.
For sponsors using a Third-Party Administrator (TPA), we recommend requesting that your TPA add Empathy communication to the claim process. This ensures that beneficiaries are made aware of this valuable service at the earliest opportunity. You can share the communication materials listed above with your TPA.
Remember, you also have materials for your employees available to you, so share within your organization.
Express claims process
Last year we launched our express claims process. This streamlined process allows beneficiaries to receive their claim payout in half the time, further reducing stress during an already difficult period.
Thank you for your continued partnership in providing compassionate care to those navigating loss.
Questions? We’re here to help.
Please contact your Sun Life Group Benefits representative if you have any questions or need assistance in integrating Empathy into your bereavement support process.