Dubai, UAE, September 6, 2017:  Friends Provident International (FPI) has enhanced its International Protector Middle East plan by adding the Best Doctors® service as a free additional benefit for customers. With effect from 1 September 2017, all new International Protector plans will include this benefit. 

Founded in 1989 by Harvard Medical School professors, Best Doctors is a privately owned, global benefits provider that serves more than 40 million members in every major region of the world. The Best Doctors network includes over 50,000 of the world’s top medical experts. Each has been designated as among the best by other doctors through an exclusive, Gallup®-certified process.

The innovative services include access to an unrivalled network of physicians, who have been selected as the best in their field by other leading doctors. With every service offered, the goal remains the same: to help people in need get the right diagnosis and treatment, significantly improving health outcomes.

Marcus Gent, Managing Director, Middle East and Africa for FPI said:
“At FPI we care about our customers and we understand that, from time-to-time, they will have issues that impact their well being. Should a customer fall seriously ill, we want them to be confident they are getting the best advice from the best doctors in the world. We recognise the importance of this and we are pleased to include the world-class Best Doctors service, as a value added benefit of International Protector, at no additional cost to the customer.”

The FPI Best Doctors service is available to eligible policyholders if they are diagnosed with a major critical, degenerative or life threatening condition and has three aspects: 

InterConsultation^®
This service provides an expert second opinion on a condition based on an in-depth analysis of the medical case by a top specialist. It is a confidential service designed to complement the existing care being provided by the customer’s own doctor.

Asktheexpert^TM
This is a confidential call to Best Doctors, to ask questions about medical conditions and treatments. Questions will be answered by a specialist in the condition.

FindBestCare^®
Having provided a recommended course of action, Best Doctors can also search for the most appropriate care facility to provide treatment.

Philip Cernik, Chief Marketing Officer, Middle East and Africa at FPI said:
“We are always looking for new ways to add value for our customers and I am delighted that we have joined forces with Best Doctors to provide this excellent additional benefit, at no cost to the customer. FPI is the first UAE Insurance Authority licensed insurer to include Best Doctors as part of a protection proposition. This demonstrates our commitment to the local life insurance market and sets our award-winning protection proposition apart from the competition, in terms of delivering tangible customer benefits as well as real value for money. ”