Sun Life partners with Wellthy to provide life insurance members with concierge care for end-of-life planning, loss and grief

Rhea-AI Summary

Sun Life (SLF) has partnered with Wellthy to enhance its life insurance offering by providing members with comprehensive end-of-life planning and bereavement support services. Starting January 1, 2026, Sun Life's basic and voluntary group life insurance members will have access to Wellthy's personalized care concierge platform, which includes dedicated care coordinators and a digital portal. The service offers support across four key areas: future planning (will preparation, legal resources), care navigation (hospice, medical appointments), loss management (funeral planning, insurance claims), and grief support (bereavement resources, meal coordination). According to a Wellthy user survey, 30% of users reported that the support prevented them from taking leave or leaving their job, highlighting the service's potential impact on employee retention and productivity.

Positive

• Partnership enhances Sun Life's life insurance offering with comprehensive end-of-life planning services
• Service helps reduce employee turnover and improve productivity, with 30% of users avoiding leave or job departure
• Includes access to dedicated care coordinators with expertise in various healthcare and support fields
• Digital portal provides centralized care-planning resources and family coordination tools

Negative

• Service will not be available until January 1, 2026
• Not available in all U.S. states

Insights

Insurance Industry Analyst

Sun Life's partnership with Wellthy adds valuable end-of-life services to their insurance products, potentially enhancing competitive positioning.

Sun Life's strategic partnership with Wellthy represents a notable evolution in the life insurance space. By integrating Wellthy's concierge care platform into their life insurance offerings, Sun Life is expanding beyond traditional death benefits to address the complex emotional and logistical challenges families face during end-of-life situations.

The partnership delivers four key service categories: planning for the future, navigating care, managing a loss, and supporting grief. This comprehensive approach positions Sun Life's products as more than financial protection — they become holistic family support systems. From a business perspective, this enhancement creates meaningful differentiation in a commoditized insurance market where products often compete primarily on price.

For employers offering Sun Life insurance, this partnership potentially addresses significant workplace concerns. The cited statistic that 30% of Wellthy users avoided taking leave or quitting their jobs due to the support received highlights the potential ROI for employers, as grief-related productivity losses, errors, and turnover represent substantial hidden costs.

The implementation timeline (January 2026) gives Sun Life ample runway for integration and training. Including the service as part of both basic and voluntary life insurance packages suggests Sun Life views this enhancement as a core value proposition rather than an upsell opportunity. This reflects industry trends toward more holistic benefit solutions addressing broader life challenges, not just financial risks.

WELLESLEY, Mass. and NEW YORK, June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life U.S., a top ten group benefits provider, and Wellthy, a personalized care concierge platform, have partnered to make it easier for life insurance members and their families to navigate the complex challenges associated with bereavement and end-of-life care. The enhancement builds on Sun Life's ongoing commitment to deliver solutions that help improve access to care and make health and benefits easier.

Wellthy supports a broad range of care needs with personalized guidance, advocacy and resources for families. Sun Life members and their loved ones will have access to Wellthy's support for navigating care, planning ahead, and coping with grief and loss.

"Life insurance is more than just a death benefit – we are supporting people from the moment they start planning for their family's future, through the many emotional and logistical challenges associated with losing a loved one," said Sheila Sokolski, vice president of product strategy and portfolio development, Group Benefits, Sun Life U.S. "By including Wellthy's services in our life insurance offering, we are helping our members and their families – regardless of which person carries the policy – through some of life's hardest experiences."

Unsupported grief can adversely impact employee health and become costly to employers, due to factors such as lost productivity, on-the-job errors, and employee turnover. In a survey of Wellthy users, 30% indicated that the support they received prevented them from taking leave or leaving their job.

"The end-of-life process can be overwhelming—not just for families, but for the individual themselves," said Lindsay Jurist-Rosner, co-founder and CEO of Wellthy. "People want to ensure their loved ones are cared for, while also navigating a maze of legal, financial, and emotional challenges. We're honored to bring compassionate, expert support to Sun Life's members during one of life's most difficult moments."

Wellthy's care team includes care coordinators, advisors, managers and directors, all of whom have extensive experience in social work, medicine, nursing, behavioral health, aging, childcare and patient advocacy. Each family is matched with a dedicated coordinator who works alongside this multidisciplinary team to develop personalized plans that support families through every stage of the end-of-life journey:

Planning for the future •         Resources for will preparation, power-of-attorney, documentation of end-of-life wishes •         Referrals to estate attorneys and other legal resources •         Guidance on having difficult conversations with loved ones	Navigating care •         Care services such as hospice and palliative care •         Scheduling and tracking of medical appointments •         Arrangement of respite care for caregivers (such as childcare while caregiver is tending to their loved one) •         Advocating with insurance providers to verify coverage for care needs
Managing a loss •         Research and recommendations for funeral and burial options •         Support for resolving outstanding bills or insurance claims •         Resources for closing financial and other private accounts, and digital assets •         Navigation of survivor benefits, including social security, VA, or employer unions	Supporting grief •         Connections with bereavement support •         Resources to help with coping, self-care and emotional wellbeing •         Coordination of meal and grocery deliveries for grieving families

Wellthy provides an easy-to-access digital portal, offering centralized care-planning resources and tools to help users organize care plans, connect with peer support groups and message directly with their care team. The portal also offers a care circle, which keeps family members connected and allows them to view medical appointments and other relevant information as they support their loved one.

Sun Life clients will have access to Wellthy as of January 1, 2026, as part of their basic or voluntary group life insurance. Wellthy is available in most U.S. states.

About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2025, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.55 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping approximately 50 million Americans access the care and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs more than 8,300 people in the U.S., including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information visit our website and newsroom.

About Wellthy
Wellthy is the leading care concierge platform helping families navigate the demands of caregiving while staying present and productive in their daily lives. Combining expert human support with smart technology, Wellthy delivers personalized help for care across the lifespan, from complex health conditions to eldercare, childcare, and end-of-life planning. Millions of people have access to Wellthy through top employers and health plans, including Best Buy, Cisco, Hearst, Hilton, and Merck. Follow Wellthy on LinkedIn here.

Media contacts

Devon Fernald
Sun Life U.S.
Devon.Portney.Fernald@sunlife.com
781-800-3609

Michael Jones
Wellthy
Mike.Jones@wellthy.com
617-595-7868

Connect with Sun Life U.S.
https://www.facebook.com/SLFUnitedStates/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sun-life-financial/ 

Connect with Wellthy
https://www.facebook.com/WeAreWellthy/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellthy 

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SOURCE Sun Life U.S.

FAQ

What services will Sun Life (SLF) offer through its partnership with Wellthy?

Sun Life will offer comprehensive end-of-life planning, care navigation, loss management, and grief support services through Wellthy, including dedicated care coordinators, legal resources, hospice care coordination, and bereavement support.

When will Sun Life's Wellthy services become available to members?

The Wellthy services will become available to Sun Life clients on January 1, 2026, as part of their basic or voluntary group life insurance.

How does the Wellthy partnership benefit Sun Life (SLF) employers?

The partnership helps reduce employee turnover and improve productivity, with 30% of Wellthy users reporting that the support prevented them from taking leave or leaving their job.

What features are included in Wellthy's digital portal for Sun Life members?

The digital portal includes centralized care-planning resources, tools for organizing care plans, connection to peer support groups, direct messaging with care teams, and a care circle feature for family coordination.

Who provides the care coordination services in the Sun Life-Wellthy partnership?

Care is provided by Wellthy's team of care coordinators, advisors, managers, and directors with expertise in social work, medicine, nursing, behavioral health, aging, childcare, and patient advocacy.