However, unless companies themselves offer financial support to staff (and it is worth advisers checking the details of a company's benefits package), the costs of fertility treatment to UK clients will, largely, be on the client themselves to cover.
Gentry adds: "While it is great companies are now willingly providing these services, something insurance companies must follow, the offering needs to be more comprehensive than a mere financial reimbursement policy. A complete benefit solution needs to be in place so that employees and customers feel supported."
That said, there are some areas where existing protection policies might pay for treatment for related issues. For example, Zurich stated that its critical illness cover does cover:
- £5,000 children’s death benefit (from 24th week of pregnancy to 22nd birthday).
- Five complications of pregnancy conditions that pay £5,000 on diagnosis under age 45.
- Some of the causes of infertility, for example cancer and subsequent radiation treatments or diabetes.
A spokesman for Zurich said: "Through our products, policyholders can also access free counselling and round-the-clock lifestyle advice on a whole range of issues or signposting to external organisations."
Therefore, it is worth advisers exploring all these options for prospective clients.
It might also be helpful for industry professionals to encourage insurers to broaden their conditions covered in the light of medical evidence supporting a diagnosis of infertility, if at least for corporate PMI.
The value of support services
Another thing advisers can do to help promote and support couples going through fertility treatment is to "shout about value-added services as much as possible", says Kathryn Knowles, co-founder of Cura Financial Services.
"These are support services that can really help people to find out tried and tested routes to get help. Get people to check their employee benefits, existing policies, their partner’s insurances, to see what they have access to.
"They might not need to buy anything new to be able to access a whole new range of medical professionals."
Her comments are backed up by Francesca Steyn, director of fertility services for Peppy Health, which offers direct access to expert fertility support for employees within the workplace.
Steyn says: "There is a growing awareness among employers about the need to offer specialist fertility support in the workplace.
"It’s important that this support incorporates areas such as one-to-one access to experienced fertility practitioners, access to trusted information, consultations with specialists, a community and safe place to talk through concerns, and that the support is easy to access for all."
According to Steyn, the result is that employees receive the practical and emotional support they need alongside IVF treatment.
Counselling for IVF and fertility treatment is provided by the fertility clinics; it is a regulatory requirement that clinics offer counselling with a specialist fertility counsellor accredited by the British Infertility Counselling Association, particularly when donor eggs or sperm are being used as part of the treatment.
