WINTER 2021 NEWSLETTER

Welcome to the Winter 2021 Issue of Excellect People

Our quarterly newsletter is a way of keeping in touch with our working partners (or potential partners!) We hope that you enjoy reading it, and if there’s anything you would like us to feature in the next edition, please do get in touch.

We are always of course delighted to receive your feedback. And, if at any time you prefer not to receive the newsletter, please just let us know.

As The Apprentice returns for another season meet our two

Excellect Apprentices and hear about what it is like to work at Excellect......

Honey: I started my Business Admin Apprenticeship with Excellect two years ago, straight from school at age 16. I was quite nervous as I’d no experience of working in an office before, but the team made me feel very welcome right from the start. I started with administration work, but then moved on to working with some of our larger clients who have Flexible Benefits platforms. Then I started to work on protection-based benefits, which I really enjoy. I love a challenge and every single day is different. My favourite part of working at Excellect is how close we all are as a team. It feels like a second family!!

Verity: I joined Excellect at the same time as Honey, after completing A Levels in Sixth Form. The apprenticeship work has helped me develop skills I can use in my everyday work in my admin role. I organise quote requests for employee benefits, make membership changes, prepare invoices, and many more aspects supporting our renewals team. The role is interesting, and no two days are the same. The whole team is friendly, and I love our “Sports and Social” activities (the picture of Honey and I is taken at one of them). We have a committee to plan events including those to support our chosen charity – St. Peters Hospice. In 2022 there will be so many opportunities to raise money for them including a sponsored abseil; midnight walk; and bike ride. Plus, we can volunteer in lots of different ways too. I’m looking forward to getting involved.

The Benefits of Dental Cover

No one can honestly say they enjoy going to the dentist, can they? But regular check-ups are important and it’s something employers can encourage employees to do by offering a Health Cash Plan or Corporate Dental Plan helping to cover the cost.

Annual check-ups can help to identify early warning signs of serious medical conditions which can lead to longer term employee absence. For example, all routine check-ups include screening for oral cancer — which is easily treated if caught early. However, through the pandemic onward referrals by dentists have fallen by 65%.

At the same time, lifestyle changes such as increased alcohol consumption and snacking, have increased the risk of gum disease. One large international study estimated that up to 45% of adults were snacking more and as many as 51% were drinking more. Research by the Oral Health Foundation found that 38% of UK adults were eating more between-meal treats.

Poor oral health also increases the risk of dying from cancer or cardiovascular disease, and tooth loss is associated with an increased risk of dementia. Last year researchers discovered the bacteria which cause gum disease may also be implicated in Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr Neil Sikka, chief dental officer for Bupa UK Insurance explains “Your mouth is a gateway to your overall health, so keeping your mouth healthy and making sure you have regular check-ups is really important to support your overall health and wellbeing”

**Information source – Health and Protection article by BUPA 3 November 2021

Six Reasons Why Death in Service is a Great Benefit for SME clients

• It provides a tax-free cash lump sum to the nominated beneficiaries of a deceased employee. It can help to ease the financial pressures they may face, and offers the employee peace of mind their beneficiaries would be looked after if they died

• It can help to attract the best talent from larger companies where most job candidates will be used to having this benefit. It allows an SME to compete

• It’s affordable and it’s available for as few as 3 employees upwards

• There is no P11d Benefit in Kind tax for the employee

• It helps to show the employer as caring, paternal and benevolent

• Any employer who has suffered the death of an employee, and who had this benefit in place will tell you it’s the best benefit they ever took out. Imagine facing a bereaved family and telling them there is no provision – it’s a very difficult conversation.

Excellect in Action – Saving a client £44,000 on their Private Medical Insurance premium

At Excellect we always love helping clients, but occasionally we have a success story which shows how much difference our work can make. Recently, we had such a story and are pleased to share it.

“A client with 15 employees on a company Private Medical Insurance (PMI) Scheme was introduced by one of our HR Partners. The client was in a state of shock after receiving their PMI renewal invitation. The existing broker was recommending renewal with a premium increase in excess of 100%, and the only suggested option to reduce the premium, increasing the policy excess.

Performing initial market research, we uncovered an option with a potential 45% saving on the renewal premium. We don’t actively look to switch clients from provider to provider, and so we could negotiate the best possible terms with the current one, we were appointed as brokers to the scheme by the client. This allowed us to do a detailed review of the scheme, where we discovered several necessary membership adjustments. Following that, a deep investigation into the reasons behind the increase identified it was due to 2 members who had been claiming. One aged 80 had been left on the scheme as a gesture of goodwill by the business, and the other was the spouse of an employee. Drilling down further it was discovered that one of the claimants had been advised their treatment was not available on the NHS, when in fact it was.

The outcome was an agreement that both members could be removed from the scheme. We then completed a second market review and were able to recommend an alternative provider saving the client 57% on their renewal premium. This saving equated to a staggering £44,000! “

A real success story for all concerned and we had a very happy client!!! #Everyonebenefits

ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW

From First Point Logistics Ltd

“Can’t fault Ryan and the team at Excellect as they have always over exceeded our expectations and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend them”

THE EXCELLECT BENEFITS WHEEL

“Everyone Benefits – through personality, professionalism and passion. Employees are at the heart of every successful business

– you are at the heart of ours.”