Equipsme was music to the ears of Ray Pagden, who set up Motus Music 4 years ago. The start-up provides music for advertising, TV and film, and includes Ray, one other permanent member of staff, and a whole host of freelance consultants.
“Thank you for setting up Equipsme!” says Ray. “As a small business owner I didn’t think private health insurance for me, my staff and family would be a possibility. I got totally lost when looking at other options, and this was simple and affordable.
“When you’re a really small company like us your staff aren’t just employees, they’re your friends,” Ray continues. “And looking after your friends is important. Not only that, but in a business this tiny when one of us goes down, it obviously has a huge impact.”
Ray had looked into personal health insurance before but started to research options again after a long wait for non-urgent NHS treatment, put off by coronavirus.
“I had a cyst,” says Ray. “I didn’t think it was serious, but no one would actually look at it in person or do anything about it. I ended up paying to go to a private skin clinic – and that got me thinking. The NHS is brilliant in a big health crisis, as they’ve proven over the last 18 months, but for less urgent stuff they’re really struggling. And being able to get help for everyday stuff IS important.
“A friend of mine works in insurance and suggested I take a proper look at corporate health policies. A lot of it was ridiculously complicated, and ridiculously expensive – or not available for a business of this size. And if you do fill in an online form you get harassed by a salesperson forever!
“Then he sent me details about Equipsme. One of my first questions was ‘why is it so cheap?’ But I took a look and realised that it was exactly what I’d been looking for.
Easy to work out the cost
“There were actually some similarities between what we do and what Equipsme do - like the very simple rate card. So, you can see it all out there, and know exactly what you get for your money - and what happens to the price if you choose to add or drop an option. That’s what I wanted to know.
“I hate with a passion going to a website and not being able to see a clear price. Because you know that means you probably can’t afford it or they just want to get your personal details so they can spam you! And spending time researching something that then isn’t going to be economically viable is very frustrating.
“For me, Equipsme is a back-up. So next time I can’t get into my GP, or I can’t get to a specialist fast enough, I’ve got Equipsme to turn to - and so has my other member of staff, and my partner.
“With Equipsme you’re way more in control of your own health. It’s peace of mind, and it takes away the worry and stress of not knowing what’s wrong or when it’s going to get seen to.
“I’d definitely recommend Equipsme to other small businesses. Of course, every penny you make is going into building your business – but that means investing in your staff because they’re vital to your success. Benefits like health insurance often mean more because they’re taxed less than the cash equivalent, plus it shows you care about your staff’s wellbeing.”
Motus Music
Motus Music create and supply music for TV, adverts, radio, promos, film and more. They are based in the UK where they represent 40+ MCPS production music labels alongside their own home-grown catalogue. Browse over 130,000 tracks at www.motusmusic.com