Emerald Life

The UK’s first dedicated insurance provider for the LGBT community, Emerald Life, visits Brighton to talk about trust in insurance companies and the financial hopes and fears of LGBT people

Brighton’s LGBT community is officially the most suspicious in the UK towards insurance, according to Emerald Life – the UK’s first full-service insurance provider for the LGBT community. A YouGov survey, commissioned by the specialist insurance provider found that over a quarter (29%) of LGBT people in Brighton and Hove do not trust insurance companies, more than twice that of other major cities that are home to a significant LGBT population, such as London or Manchester. Emerald’s co-founders announced the findings whilst visiting the city to launch their exciting new travel insurance.

Our insurance is designed to give you peace of mind at a fraction of the cost of something that could go wrong

Available now, Emerald’s travel insurance boasts ground-breaking features including Consular Assist – a helpline should travellers face difficulties whilst abroad – which can include in-country support. This is the first time that such a feature has been available in the UK, and is being launched by Emerald specifically in light of some of the extra help LGBT travellers may need. The policy also offers family cover that includes foster, surrogate and adopted children. Crucially, Emerald’s premiums do not automatically increase for those who are HIV+, something many insurers across the industry still unfairly do.

The introduction of this new product comes as the same Emerald YouGov survey revealed LGBT people are driving a national boom in overseas travel this summer, yet only a third has any travel insurance, leaving many worryingly exposed to large costs should something go wrong whilst on holiday.

Heidi McCormack, CEO of Emerald Life described how quickly the cost of something going wrong on an overseas trip can escalate, “Our insurance is designed to give you peace of mind at a fraction of the cost of something that could go wrong”.

During the visit to Brighton, Heidi McCormack and her business partner, Steve Wardlaw, met with Brighton LGBT residents, members of the press, and the former Minister and MP for Hove Ivor Caplin. The firm also announced plans to visit five further cities around the UK to meet with community members to try to understand better why insurance companies are met with so much suspicion by gay people.

“For a long time, the LGBT community has felt that the insurance sector does not treat LGBT customers fairly, or has not considered the particulars of our life enough to offer proper cover for LGBT customers. Brighton leads the country in the percentage of LGBT residents who distrust insurance companies, and so we have come to talk to them first and find out why that is.” said Steve Wardlaw, chairman, Emerald life.

The Emerald team will next visit Manchester during its Pride week, where they have an audience with Cllr Carl Austin-Behan – the UK’s first openly gay mayor – before heading on to Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast. Both McCormack and Wardlaw hope to continue the positive engagement they’ve so far had with LGBT community members, the basis of which informs the business decisions at the firm’s London HQ.

Emerald Life provides Home & Contents, Life, Pet, Wedding and Travel Insurance. Visit www.emeraldlife.co.uk for your FREE quote.