WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Employee Benefits Group of Sun Life Financial today announced the addition of new value-added services to its Group Basic Life coverage. Customers can select one out of two available service packages: Emergency Travel Assistance and Identity Theft Protection; or Claimant Support Services and Will Preparation. This innovative approach enables employers to choose the services that matter most to their employees.

“This is life insurance that provides benefits for today, as well as life insurance protection for tomorrow,” said Michael Shunney, Senior Vice President and General Manager. “These right-now benefits give employees the help they need to face increasingly common situations, such as identity theft,” continued Shunney. “With experts at their side, employees can minimize the effect that a crisis has on their personal life and productivity at work.”

The first package – Emergency Travel Assistance and SecurAssist® Identity Protection – offers services provided by Assist America®, the nation’s largest provider of global emergency services through group benefits plans. Features of this package include:

    * Employees and their families who are traveling more than 100 miles from home and have a medical, dental, or personal emergency can call a 24/7 operations center to be connected to: English-speaking medical providers, emergency medical evacuation services, legal and translation services, lost prescription assistance, hospital admission guarantee, and more.
    * Identity theft is a serious crime, and victims must spend significant time and money to clear up their records, often during workday hours. Employees with SecurAssist Identity Protection can call a 24/7 support center for step-by-step guidance from experts who can help them restore their financial or medical identity. Employees also can register their credit cards for Internet monitoring. If their personal information has been compromised, employees will be notified, often well before a store or bank tells them.

The second package – Claimant Support Services and Online Will Preparation – offers services provided by ComPsych Corporation, the world’s largest provider of global employee assistance programs. Features of this package include:

    * Losing a loved one or becoming disabled can be overwhelming. If emotional, grief, legal, or financial counseling is needed, claimants and beneficiaries can talk to a professional who can help them deal with trauma or loss, inheritance taxes, loss of income, or financial planning. Services are provided by professional clinicians, attorneys, and CPAs/CFPs. If Group Disability is purchased in addition to Group Life, disability claimants can receive counseling, too.
    * A legally binding will is the cornerstone to any estate plan and a key to protecting your assets and loved ones. Yet, 57% of Americans don’t have a will.1 With this package, employees and their spouses can create a legally binding will in about twenty minutes, using a secure, password-protected website.

A choice of one of these service packages is now included in all new Group Basic Life policies issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada or Sun Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York. Customers must have 10 or more employees and have 100% employer-paid coverage. These services are not insurance products and some restrictions may apply.

All customers have access to Sun Life’s robust online services for employers and employees and are backed by Sun Life’s money-back service guarantees. For more on Sun Life’s employee benefits, visit www.sunlife.com/us.

About Assist America

Founded in 1990, Assist America, Inc. is the world’s largest provider of global emergency assistance in partnership with insurance benefit plans. Its worldwide network of professionals responds quickly to any eligible participant who becomes medically compromised while traveling more than 100 miles from home. From simple doctor referrals to complex intercontinental evacuations and more, Assist America saves lives every day. The company, headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, serves more than 27 million members and over 300,000 enterprises through benefit programs from the country’s most prominent insurance providers. More information about Assist America is available at www.assistamerica.com.

About ComPsych

ComPsych® Corporation is the world’s largest provider of employee assistance programs (EAPs) and is the leading provider of fully integrated EAP, behavioral health, wellness, work-life, crisis intervention services and HR and FMLA administration services under the GuidanceResources® brand. ComPsych provides services to more than 13,000 organizations covering 33 million individuals throughout the U.S. and more than 100 countries. By creating “Build-to-Suit” programs, ComPsych helps employers attract and retain employees, as well as improve employee productivity and performance.

About Sun Life Financial

Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of protection and wealth accumulation products and services to individuals and corporate customers. Chartered in 1865, Sun Life Financial and its partners today have operations in key markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2009, the Sun Life Financial group of companies had total assets under management of US$411 billion.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE), and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under ticker symbol SLF. Visit Sun Life Financial’s website at www.sunlife.com.

AssistAmerica® and SecurAssist® are registered servicemarks of Assist America, Inc.

ComPsych® and GuidanceResources® are registered trademarks of ComPsych Corporation.

Group insurance policies are underwritten by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, MA) in all states, except New York, under Policy Form Series 93P-LH and 98P-ADD. In New York, group insurance policies are underwritten by Sun Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York (New York, NY) under Policy Form Series 93P-LH-NY and 98P-ADD-NY. Product offerings may not be available in all states and may vary depending on state laws and regulations.

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