Friendly Shield

Unique new protection for you – simple, affordable and quick

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What is Friendly Shield?

What would you do if you broke your arm and were unable to work for 2 months?  Your employer may not cover your sick pay for that long or, if you’re self-employed, you wouldn’t receive any pay at all.

Now, let us introduce Friendly Shield!

Friendly Shield is a short term, accident protection policy designed to cover you and your family against the consequences of everyday accidents. 

It provides several valuable benefits including:

  • It’s simple – apply in minutes with no medical questions to answer
  • It’s affordable – 3 cover levels to choose from, starting from just 33p per day
  • Optional sickness cover for income benefit and overnight hospital stays
  • It’s quick – income benefit payable 14 days after an accident or sickness
  • Optional cover for your spouse and children
  • Immediate access to Friendly GP+ 24/7 for you and your family
Get a quote

Award Winning Cover!

Friendly Shield won Highly Commended in the Best New Product/Enhancement category at the Protection Review Awards 2024!
This award celebrates our commitment to innovation and enhancing protection cover for our members.

Protection Review Awards 2024:

Best New Product / Enhancement (Highly Commended)

Now with Sickness Cover!

You can now add sickness cover to your policy for additional cover beyond accidents.

This includes an income benefit should you fall ill and be unable to work, and a hospital cash benefit should you be admitted to hospital due to sickness and you need to stay overnight.

The table below outlines the sickness benefit payouts applicable for each of the 3 Friendly Shield levels.

Bronze Silver Gold

Income benefit
- for up to 3 months

£750
per month

£1,500
per month

£2,250
per month

Hospital cash (£50 per night)
- maximum overnight stays in any policy year

£3,000
60 nights

£9,000
180 nights

£18,000
360 nights

Any conditions you have been treated for in the past 18 months won’t be covered in the income benefit. The hospital benefit starts after holding the policy for 9 months.  
 
If you choose to add sickness cover, any spouse or child on your policy will be able to claim the hospital benefit for sickness, after holding the policy for 9 months, as well as accidental injury. 

Let's set the scene: How Friendly Shield works

  • Simon has a Gold Friendly Shield policy. He is a self-employed painter and decorator.
  • He is in a car crash and spends 3 weeks in hospital.
    Friendly Shield pays £1,050 in hospital benefit.
  • He has broken 3 ribs, his arm and knee.
    Friendly Shield pays £3,000 in fracture cover.
  • He is unable to work for 2 months due to his injuries.
    Friendly Shield pays £4,500 in income benefit.
  • He needs to see a GP as his pain medication gives him heartburn.
    Friendly Shield provides 24/7 access to a GP.
  • He needs physiotherapy to help his knee recover.
    Friendly Shield pays £1,000 in rehabilitation benefit.
  • Friendly Shield pays Simon £9,550 during his two months of recovery and provides GP access.

*This example is based on a Friendly Shield Gold example that has been in place for 15 days

Key features of Friendly Shield

  • Our Friendly Shield plan: available for UK residents aged 18 – 60. You can choose from 3 levels of cover from just 33p a day!

  • Hospital cash: a cash payout of £50 per night for any injuries caused by an accident (and sickness if selected) covered by the policy for up to 360 days

  • Fracture cover: a lump sum benefit for fractures of bones up to £3,000

  • Income benefit: short term accident only income protection up to £2,250 per month for up to 3 months (and sickness if selected).

  • Accidental death benefit: a cash lump sum payable of up to £85,000 on accidental death

  • Natural death benefit: a cash lump sum payable on death of £2,500 after your policy has been in place for 2 years

  • Friendly GP+: 24/7 access to a virtual GP for the whole family as standard and a wellbeing hub which includes confidential support for personal and work issues.

  • Rehabilitation benefit: a payment of up to £1,000 providing access to private facilities covering physical therapies i.e. acupuncture, physiotherapy, osteopathy and chiropractic treatment, follow-up scans and tests and consultations.

  • Optional cover for spouse and children.

Policy Summary
Policy Conditions

Choose your level

Bronze Silver Gold

Payment

 £10 £17 £24

Income benefit - for up to 3 months

 £750 £1,500 £2,250
Fracture cover £1,000 £2,000 £3,000
Hospital cash (£50 per night) - maximum overnight stays in any policy year)

£3,000
60 nights

£9,000
180 nights

£18,000
360 nights
Accidental death £45,000 £85,000 £85,000
Natural death £2,500

Additional sickness benefit

Adds income benefit and hospital cash cover for sickness
Rehabilitation benefit Up to £1,000 in any policy year for all levels
Friendly GP for the whole family Included as part of core cover from policy opening
Access to a Private GP any time day or night
Get a quote

Your questions answered

To apply for a policy, you must be:

  • Aged between 18 and 60 when the policy starts
  • Working and living in the UK (this doesn’t include the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man)
  • Working at least 16 hours a week
  • Able to pay for the policy from a UK bank account
  • Registered with a UK doctor with access to at least the last 2 years of their medical records

No, we won’t ask any medical or health related questions, which makes your application quick and simple, and acceptance is guaranteed regardless of your medical history.

If you choose to add sickness cover to your policy, you won’t be able to claim income benefit for any conditions you have been treated for in the past 18 months. The cash payment for hospital stays due to sickness will be available once your policy has been open for 9 months.

The different types of benefit have different waiting periods. Please see the Policy Conditions or Policy Summary for more details.

We cover a wide list of occupations however unfortunately there are some we aren’t able to cover for.

To find out if we’ll be above to provide cover, please use our online quote tool or call our UK Friendly Customer Service team on 0333 014 6244 or request a call back.

You, and your family, have free access to our virtual GP service. It’s called Friendly GP+ and it can be accessed over the phone or online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We’ll give the full details on how they can access it when they take out a policy or you can go to our Existing Members page to find out more.

Free access to Friendly GP and Friendly GP+

Our virtual GP service, Friendly GP+, is a free added benefit to your Friendly Shield policy. It can be accessed over the phone or online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This means you always have easy access to a doctor when you need their help.

Find out more about Friendly GP and Friendly GP+.

Friendly GP

Friendly GP access is included immediately for members and their families (living at the same address) with the following policies:

If the GP decides your condition requires further investigation or treatment, they can issue an open private referral letter to enable you to access the health care you need.

You can conveniently book an appointment with a practising GP at a day and time that suits you. You can book digitally via The Friendly GP web app, or via the 24/7 telephone help

Appointments are available 24/7. You can book either a telephone or video consultation and choose whether to speak with a male or female doctor.

Should the GP feel you would benefit from prescription medication, the medication can be delivered to you at any UK address or to a nominated pharmacy of your choice. You will need to cover the costs of prescriptions.

The GP can also issue fit notes if necessary.  You will need to cover the costs of the medication and delivery fees.

Aches and Pains helpline. Physiotherapists help restore movement and function in patients that have been affected by injury, illness or disability. They will do this by delivering personalised exercise plans and supporting you to be able to safely and independently complete a home exercise programme with verbal prompts and guidance.

Available from 8am – 8pm Monday Friday (excluding bank holidays)

Friendly GP+ (policies opened after 22 October 2024)

Free Friendly GP+ access is included for members and their families (living at the same address) immediately with the following policies:

Aches and Pains helpline. Physiotherapists help restore movement and function in patients that have been affected by injury, illness or disability. They will do this by delivering personalised exercise plans and supporting you to be able to safely and independently complete a home exercise programme with verbal prompts and guidance.

Available from 8am – 8pm Monday Friday (excluding bank holidays)

Provides information and guidance on legal matters such as consumer rights, property, landlord/tenant, family and motoring law.

Support with advice for managers who are assisting their teams through any difficulties.

Guidance with money matters, including managing creditors, budgeting and debt management plans.

Provides information on a wide range of mental health and wellbeing related topics such as sleep, diet or exercise so you can start to improve your day to day life.

The Wellbeing Hub is a confidential and secure online resource available 24 hours a day to help you look after your mental health.  With access to monthly newsletters, insightful articles and short videos, there are lots of ideas on ways to improve your day to day wellbeing.

How our members rate Friendly GP+

Our Friendly GP+ service provides you with peace of mind that you can access a GP for you and your family at any time, day or night.

Our members have rated the service:

Overall satisfaction

100%

for the overall experience you received as excellent, very good or good.

Recommended

100%

agreed you would recommend Friendly GP+ to a friend or colleague.

GP helpline star rating

100%

rated the helpline as 5 stars or 4 stars.

Data taken from reviews between January and May 2024.

Any other questions?

Don’t delay – find out how Friendly Shield can protect you and your family today!

If you need help or have any questions, please contact our friendly UK based team today on 0333 014 6244 or request a call back 

Calls are recorded for training and quality purposes.
Calls from UK landlines and mobiles cost no more than a call to a 01 or 02 number and will count towards any inclusive minutes.

Request a callback

How to apply

Apply online today

Applying is quick and easy. 

Get a quote

Request a call back

Our friendly team can talk you through your options to help you to decide what level of cover is best for you.

Request a callback

0333 014 6244

Monday to Friday / 8am - 6pm

Important Information

  • You won’t be covered for unemployment.
  • To be covered, accidents have to result in an impact injury.
  • Every 5 years we will review your payment and may change the cost of your cover.
Get a quote
Existing Members
Claims
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