Portal expansion set to offer accident, sickness and Portal expansion set to offer accident, sickness and unemployment cover
Mediquote, the Sirius-owned healthcare portal, is expanding to include products such as accident, sickness and unemployment, and critical illness cover. It is expected to provide them before the end of the year.
Business development director Mark Kimberling said a leading protection provider had already expressed interest in the site and he was currently securing the deal. "We have meetings with two other providers next month," he said.
"We've looked at product specifics and are planning to make it a total healthcare portal," said Kimberling. There are currently six insurers that offer quotes for guaranteed rates on the site, among them Standard Life Healthcare and Norwich Union.
A selection of insurers also provides unguaranteed rates.
MediQuote allows intermediaries to compare private medical insurance (PMI) and cash plan products from a panel of insurers. Kimberling was appointed last month to oversee the site's expansion.
Kimberling said 1,500 intermediaries used the site. "We've got to quadruple that," he said. Kimberling has addressed the issue of regulation in his business plan and said the site would be "compliant for compliance".
This means Mediquote would help users adhere to FSA regulation guidelines.
Standard Life Healthcare intermediary sales manager Claire Ginnelly said she "fully supported" the site.
"It is particularly good for independent financial advisers and general insurance brokers who don't necessarily specialise in medical insurance," she said.
"The more products and providers added the better."
