Company PMI is an allowable deduction against employers profits as are the costs incurred in administering schemes.

Employees who pay their subscriptions through voluntary schemes do not gain a tax benefit, but subscriptions are deducted from their pay before National Insurance is assessed, so some saving is gained.

Legal Considerations:

Most polices are covered by the laws of England and the powers of the English courts, so this needs to be taken into consideration when covering employees who are based overseas. A few insurers provide the add-on service of a free legal helpline through which subscribers can gain advice on a range of subjects, including welfare benefits and accident claims. Such insurers may even take action on behalf of individuals who have suffered injury through the negligence of others. All types of insurer helplines for employees are guaranteed to be strictly confidential, but the information given may contribute to analytical reports contracted by their employers. Even so, many people now view this method of seeking advice or counselling to be less risky than approaching their General Practitioners (GP's), as a GP's guarantee of confidentiality is limited.

Disputes:

If disputes arise between insurers and the insured, and mutually satisfactory agreements cannot be reached, individuals or their employers can appeal to the
Insurance Ombudsman Bureau at City Gate One, 135 Park Street, London, SE1 9EA; or the consumer information department of the Association of British Insurers, 51 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7HQ.

Claims Procedures:

Individuals and Employers should not commit themselves to any type of private treatment without observing a pre-authorisation procedure defined by the insurer. This enables insurers to guide subscribers according to their policies. They will also forward claims forms, with advice on who must sign the forms, how long members are given to submit all relevant invoices - including those for ancillary costs such as laboratory services - and how often applications need to be repeated for ongoing procedures.

Associated Services:

Most PMI organisations offer extra services to the mainstream cover; some inclusive of membership, others through an additional premium, or discounted to members. There are also a number of separate schemes relevant to employee health care.

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