Voya Financial announces new collaboration with Empathy to offer on-demand Bereavement Support in the workplace

WINDSOR, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), announced today a new collaboration with Empathy, a comprehensive, on-demand concierge support system that offers bereaved families guidance and support for many of the administrative, emotional, legal and financial challenges faced after the loss of a loved one. Empathy’s services are now available to employees enrolled in group term life insurance offered by Voya through their employer.

“Through our work with employers for their benefits offerings, our focus is on helping employees and their families with the many financial and emotional challenges that they face,” said Maleiha Russell, VP, Life, Absence & Disability Product at Voya Financial. “By extending the resources available to our customers through our new collaboration with Empathy, we are able to further support today’s workforce by providing full-circle care to navigate the emotional and practical challenges associated with loss. This new collaboration enables us to further demonstrate Voya’s core values and our focus on the holistic needs of our customers and their families.”

Through Empathy, employees will now have access to its Funeral Planning resources and Will Planning services. In addition, employees and beneficiaries can access Empathy’s comprehensive Bereavement Support that includes:

• Bereavement Concierge: A Custom Care Plan, guidance from a dedicated Care Manager, and on-demand access to the Care Team.
• Curated bereavement tools: Help with closing accounts and creating an obituary, probate and estate administration guidance, grief resources and more.

“At our core, Empathy is committed to changing the way that the world deals with grief and loss. As a part of that mission, we want to help alleviate the burden that comes with losing a loved one — giving families the resources and support that they need to navigate their next steps,” said Ron Gura, co-founder and CEO of Empathy. “Voya’s extensive coverage offering is a testament to our progress in fulfilling this mission and changing the way that people are supported in the workplace during their most trying times.”

Through Voya, access to Empathy’s Bereavement Support also extends to employees’ loved ones and beneficiaries who have chosen or are eligible to receive services. To learn more about Voya’s new collaboration with Empathy, contact a Voya sales representative.

As an industry leader focused on the delivery of workplace benefits, savings and investment solutions, Voya is committed to delivering on its mission to make a secure financial future possible for all — one person, one family, one institution at a time.

About Voya Financial^®

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), is a leading health, wealth and investment company with approximately 9,000 employees who are focused on achieving Voya’s aspirational vision: Clearing your path to financial confidence and a more fulfilling life. Through products, solutions and technologies, Voya helps its 15.2 million individual, workplace and institutional clients become well planned, well invested and well protected. Benefitfocus, a Voya company and a leading benefits administration provider, extends the reach of Voya’s workplace benefits and savings offerings by engaging directly with over 12 million employees in the U.S. Certified as a “Great Place to Work” by the Great Place to Work® Institute, Voya is purpose-driven and committed to conducting business in a way that is economically, ethically, socially and environmentally responsible. Voya has earned recognition as: one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere; a member of the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index; and a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” on the Disability Equality Index. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Bereavement Support, including Funeral Planning & Will Preparation services are provided by The Empathy Project, Inc., New York, NY. Provisions and availability of each service may vary by state.

Group Term Life Insurance is issued by ReliaStar Life Insurance Company (Minneapolis, MN) and ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York (Woodbury, NY). Within the State of New York, only ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York is admitted, and its products issued. Both are members of the Voya® family of companies. Voya Employee Benefits is a division of both companies. Product availability and specific provisions may vary by state.

About Empathy

Empathy is an innovative technology company transforming the way the world deals with grief and the loss of a loved one. Backed by leading tech investors and the largest global insurance carriers, Empathy is at the forefront of the emerging compassionate economy, setting the new standard in family care and modern employment benefits.

Founded in 2020 by Ron Gura and Yonatan Bergman, Empathy offers a full range of assistance to those facing grief, estate settlement, probate and more through life insurance benefits or via bereavement leave through an employer. By partnering with Fortune 500 companies and leading insurance carriers, Empathy currently offers services to 5 million employees and 35 million policyholders across the U.S. at no cost to families.

Empathy uses its award-winning app and Care Team to carefully assess needs and next steps and complements experiences through time-saving and tech-enabled tools to effectively provide personalized plans, automated workflows, and care resources, including an extensive library of articles, guides, and meditation tools, to support them through their grieving process. With accolades from Apple, Google Play, CB Insights, and Fast Company, and $90 million in total funding, Empathy is the fastest-growing benefit for insurance carriers and employers alike. To learn more, visit Empathy.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

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