The Principal Financial Group Helps Employees Return To Work
Sept. 19, 2006 (Des Moines, Iowa) — The Principal Financial Group®, the nation's premier provider of employee benefits, announces a new online Return To Work toolkit for those on disability leave. Employees experiencing an illness or disability or those planning to be off work in the future, now have 24/7 access to tools and resources designed to help them back to work.
"Returning to work after a disability can be challenging, which is why we wanted to find a way to make it easier for employees," said Cindy Ford, claims director for the Principal Financial Group. "Information in the toolkit allows participants to explore many options and empowers them with information and resources at a time when they often feel as if they don't have control of their future."
Access to the Return to Work self-help tool is available to anyone who wants more information on getting back to work after a disability. The site includes an overview of rehabilitation, Social Security services and detailed information about searching for a new job. Information will be updated regularly as additional resources are added.
"Through the online toolkit, employees can work independently to find all of the information they need or they can work with our own in-house rehabilitation consultants," noted Ford. "The toolkit is just one of the many ways we are simplifying our claims process for employers and their employees."
At the same time, The Principal® is making administration easier for employers by offering an online life insurance claim form, providing an easier way to submit claim information. Once the form is complete, employers submit the information directly over a secure, confidential Web site, expediting the claim review process. The employer can choose to use the online form or a printable version that can be faxed or mailed. Along with the online claim form, The Principal also provides Express Claim Processing of claims under $40,000, where claims meeting a certain criteria are referred directly to an express claim examiner. Through this process, decisions are reached within five working days without the employer or beneficiary submitting additional paperwork.
In addition to an online disability claim form added last year, the Return to Work toolkit and life insurance claim form are available at www.principal.com.
About the Principal Financial Group
The Principal Financial Group® (The Principal®)1 is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance and banking through its diverse family of financial services companies and national network of financial professionals. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $206 billion in assets under management2 and serves some 16.3 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.
Insurance products and services issued by Principal Life Insurance Company
1) "The Principal Financial Group" and "The Principal" are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.
2) As of June 30, 2006.
