We have been considering the increasing concern surrounding coronavirus COVID-19, and we want to assure you that Forces Mutual is committed to maintaining our high service standards for you, through all our teams around the country.
We are naturally doing everything we can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and, at the same time, focusing on maintaining the service we provide to you, our Members and customers.
The situation is changing daily, so we continue to monitor, and be guided by, the advice from the World Health Organisation, the Government and Public Health bodies. In order to make sure our operational teams can continue to support you and, at the same time, stay safe, we have progressed several internal contingencies in case of more widespread isolation measures. These contingencies will help us to ensure that we remain open for business as the situation evolves.
How we will be supporting you directly
More of our colleagues are now working remotely so our usual telephone and postal service levels may be impacted to some degree. We will minimise this impact wherever possible, but please bear with us if we are slower than normal to answer your phone call or letter.
Working from home is less straightforward than from the office, so there could be some background noise on occasions, but our priority is to answer as many calls as possible and we are ensuring that the security and privacy of your calls, and data, is always maintained.
Our face-to-face teams who support you around the country are also affected by the current advice from HM Government and the WHO. We will therefore not be conducting all of our planned face-to-face events. This impacts our regular events in Military establishments in connection with financial wellbeing & education, independent advice, and mortgage advice.
Some practical updates
You can help us manage the impact of these changes in the following ways:
- Remember, you can access our website where you can view our product range, get a quote and choose to buy your cover for many products. The site is fully optimised for use on mobile devices.
- We know that many of you will be working long hours and/or shifts but calling us at less busy periods of the day, i.e. not at 9.00am, just before 5.00pm and avoiding lunchtimes wherever possible, will really help us answer your call more quickly.
- We are prioritising claims in conjunction with our insurance partners. If this applies, we will be in touch with you as soon as possible and keep you regularly informed, there is no need to chase for updates. If you need to register a new claim, please contact us.
- In line with guidance from the MoD and/or local command we have closed some Forces Mutual branches. Find out which branches have been affected - Please check our website for product information or call us on 0151 363 5290.
- Reluctantly we have taken a decision to withdraw our Hercules Barista service for the time being. We hope you will understand that Lucas, our barista, meets many of you every day and, we wish to keep you safe as well as Lucas in line with the guidance on social distancing. We hope you understand this temporary change.
- Our mortgage advice appointments service is very popular and whilst we have taken the decision not to hold face-to-face clinics for the time being, we already offer this great service by phone so you can still access our expert team in that way.
- We have started exploring how we can use webinars and Facebook Live to help us maintain our dialogue with you, across a wide variety of interactions, not just mortgage clinics.
- Click here for the latest information regarding Travel Insurance provided by Ageas.
Further information will be posted in our News section as the situation evolves.
Helpful guides
Forces Mutual are here to help, we will get through this together. The following guides will help you to navigate these uncertain times: