Securian Financial Boosts Claims Experience Through Partnership With Empathy

Securian Financial is enhancing its group life insurance with Empathy’s bereavement care and is the first carrier to offer Empathy’s anticipatory loss service with its group supplemental health insurance

Securian Financial and Empathy are joining forces to give Securian Financial’s more than 11 million employee benefits customers access to comprehensive support to navigate the logistical and emotional complexities that come with loss.

Through a strategic partnership, Empathy’s bereavement care is now available to beneficiaries of Securian Financial’s group life insurance. In addition, Empathy’s anticipatory loss support is now offered as part of Securian Financial’s group accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance products. Securian Financial is the first carrier to offer Empathy’s anticipatory loss service with its group supplemental health insurance.

Both Empathy offerings are provided by Securian Financial at no cost to its employee customers. Securian Financial’s employer customers also have the option to further expand Empathy’s service for their employees across all instances of loss, including to extended family who may not be included in a life insurance policy.

“We know that loss is inevitable, but when it happens, many of us are unprepared for the emotional and practical challenges it may bring,” said Lydia Jilek, Securian Financial 2^nd vice president and life & voluntary benefits practice leader for Employee Benefits Solutions. “Our partnership with Empathy helps us enhance our claims service for people dealing with some of the toughest times they’ll ever experience.”

Empathy provides on-demand tools and human support when preparing for or after experiencing loss. This additional layer of care ensures that people navigating loss can focus on the things that matter most. Empathy includes:

• Dedicated care manager at the ready: Live support available for expert guidance on all aspects of loss.
• Personalized care plan: A step-by-step roadmap tailored to the family’s needs, helping them understand what to do next.
• Probate and estate settlement guidance: Assistance navigating the legal process of probate and settling their loved one’s estate, and a tool for documenting last wishes for insureds facing life-threatening conditions.
• Time-saving tools: Assistance to help simplify complicated tasks such as closing accounts, funeral planning and more.
• Emotional and grief resources: A wide collection of meditations, tools and resources available to help process grief and bring about healing.

“This partnership with Securian Financial underscores our commitment to creating the best possible bereavement care experience for individuals—from the claims process to emotional support,” said Ron Gura, Empathy co-founder and CEO. “Our shared values around caring for others, integrity and customer-centricity have made this collaboration organic and seamless. Together, we’re not only delivering unparalleled loss support to individuals and their families, but also building a new standard of care in the life insurance industry.”

Investing in the Claims Experience

Securian Financial recognizes the nuanced emotional and financial complexities that come with loss and the holistic support people experiencing it need. Over the past year, the company has made investments to enhance its supplemental health claims experience—including medical claims integration capabilities, an easier submission process and faster payments.

Securian Financial has also advanced its suite of support and claims-paying abilities for life insurance beneficiaries—including concierge services, cash-advance solutions and the Legacy Account™ program, which provide access to insurance benefits in an interest-bearing account, giving beneficiaries time to decide how to use their life insurance proceeds.

“We believe in caring for individuals in moments that matter through innovative solutions,” said Eli Vogen, Securian Financial 2^nd vice president and customer experience leader for Employee Benefits Solutions. “We are dedicated to continuously improving the touchpoints where customers interact with us to make emotionally charged experiences as easy as possible.”

A Group Insurance Leader

Securian Financial, the third-largest direct writer of group life insurance in the U.S.¹, offers life and supplemental health insurance benefits to employers and their employees nationwide. The company is the top provider of group life insurance to state governments—15—and has an extensive list of Fortune 500 employer clients, including 22 of the Fortune 100.²

Benefits brokers and employers interested in learning more can find a Securian Financial group insurance sales professional to talk to in their region at www.securian.com/contact-us/group-sales.html.

ABOUT SECURIAN FINANCIAL

To be confident in your financial future, you need to trust the strength and commitment of the companies you choose to work with. For more than 140 years, the Securian Financial family of companies has been developing innovative insurance and retirement solutions to meet the evolving needs of individuals, families and businesses. Offered through partnerships with employers, financial professionals and affinity groups, our products help bring peace of mind to more than 23 million customers throughout the United States and Canada. We are trusted by our partners and customers to fulfill our purpose of helping to build secure tomorrows. For more information about Securian Financial, visit securian.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

ABOUT EMPATHY

Founded in 2020 by Ron Gura and Yonatan Bergman, Empathy is an innovative technology company transforming the way the world deals with grief and the loss of a loved one. With backing from prominent investors and insurers, like Securian Financial, Empathy is at the forefront of the emerging compassionate economy, setting the new standard in family care and modern employment benefits. Empathy partners with Fortune 500 companies and leading insurance carriers to offer holistic support to those facing grief, including personalized care plans, access to articles, guides and meditation tools, resources to navigate estate settlement and probate, and more. Today Empathy’s services are available to 5 million employees and 35 million policyholders across the US at no cost to families. To date the company has raised $90 million in total funding. To learn more visit: www.empathy.com

1. As of December 31, 2023, based on direct group life insurance in force on a consolidated basis. Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence. This statistic reflects the insurance subsidiaries of Securian Financial Group, Inc., Minnesota Life Insurance Company and Securian Life Insurance Company.

2. As of December 31, 2023.

Insurance products are underwritten by Minnesota Life Insurance Company or Securian Life Insurance Company, a New York authorized insurer. Minnesota Life is not a New York authorized insurer and does not do insurance business in New York. Both companies are headquartered in Saint Paul, MN. Product availability and features may vary by state. Each insurer is solely responsible for the financial obligations under the policies or contracts it issues.

Value-added services availability and features may vary by state. The relationship between The Empathy Project Inc. and Securian Financial Group, Inc., is that of independent contractor. These services are not affiliated with Securian Financial Group, Inc. or its group contracts and may be discontinued at any time. Certain terms, conditions, and restrictions may apply when utilizing the services. The Empathy Project Inc. is responsible for the services it provides and does not have the power or authority to obligate or bind Securian Financial Group, Inc., in any manner beyond that which is contractually agreed to by the parties.

Securian Financial is the marketing name for Securian Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries. Minnesota Life Insurance Company and Securian Life Insurance Company are subsidiaries of Securian Financial Group, Inc.

DOFU 4-2024

3518070

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240424908727/en/