To help businesses and workers deal with the crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, the two main Italian banks - Intesa and Unicredit - have launched two new initiatives. A similar communication also arrived from Leonardo shortly after. Here's what it is.
Intesa Sanpaolo announced that its insurance division will extend its customers' health care services and coverages free of charge to help them in the event they face unexpected care due to the outbreak. The health guarantees of the products to protect those who have taken out a loan are integrated (the products in question are Proteggi Mutuo, Proteggi Prestito, Business 5, Business Semper and Proteggi Con Me). Furthermore, policyholders who test positive for Covid19 will be able to resort to the hospitalization allowance not only in the event of a hospital stay, but also during the quarantine, without the application of deductibles and shortages. In the event of hospitalization in intensive care, an indemnity of 2.000 or 4.000 euros will apply depending on the product subscribed. Finally, self-employed workers in quarantine will receive the compensation provided for total temporary incapacity, i.e. the repayment of loan installments, mortgages and loans, falling due during the isolation period, without the application of deductibles and shortfalls.
Also Unicredit has expanded its emergency package. Companies that have signed a medium-long term loan with the institution will benefit from the suspension of the repayment of the principal portion of the installments for 3-6 months, with the possibility of extension up to a maximum of 12 months. In addition, the credit lines will be extended for up to 120 days and liquidity credit lines will be granted with a term of up to 6 months. Small and medium-sized enterprises will be granted additional loans, equal to at least 10% of those in place, through debt renegotiation and/or consolidation and with the guarantee of the Central Guarantee Fund. Finally, for private customers who have taken out a mortgage, the repayment of the principal portion of the installments will be suspended for up to 12 months. “We have always been strongly committed to local communities and we are there to help them even in these difficult times,” says Remo Taricani, co-CEO Commercial Banking Italy of Unicredit.
As for Leonardo, the defense group has activated extraordinary insurance coverage for the management of a possible Coronavirus infection for all its employees in Italy and in all the countries where the company is present. In detail, the company has taken out a supplementary policy capable of covering the costs associated with any hospitalization and the subsequent recovery phase.
The group led by Francesco Profumo also announced that on Monday 23 March alone, it registered on its sites in Italy more than 70% of the attendance of its employees, in line with the planned activities. "The production processes are taking place according to the shared safety and health needs of the workplace, despite the strike initiatives", explains a note. Instead, he continues the constant and constructive dialogue with the social partners with the aim of guaranteeing the effectiveness of the strategic sector of Aerospace and Defense.
