Protection News Weekly Roundup: Top Stories You Might Have Missed – 13-01-2025
Last week was a big one for significant job moves in the industry. First, we were able to welcome our latest Protection Guru Jason Coleman, writing this copy just four days after he has started. It’s brilliant to have Jason on the team and you can look forward to loads more great analysis of protection products and specialist protection training coming from him soon.
Jason’s arrival was covered extensively in the trade media, if you’d like to read all the coverage there are links at the end of this piece. I’d like to give a big shout out to our wonderful PR team at Lansons who support us so well.
Also, big news last week from a long-standing friend of Protection Guru and FTRC, with Setul Mehta announcing the launch of SM Media to help advisers who would like to take advantage of social media but don’t have the time, resources or experience to do so.
We will be telling you much more about Setul’s new venture soon, but in the meantime, here are links to the key media coverage:
https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/news/setul-mehta-launches-social-media-company-for-advisers/
https://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/news/setul-mehta-launches-social-media-company-for-advisers/
Jo Legg formally of this parish, is now installed as a national account manager at Royal London . We continue to wish Jo all the best in her future.
Turning to our usual output on Monday we produced a detailed analysis of What mental health support do protection providers offer, click this link to understand why Legal & General, Royal London and Scottish Widows are the insurers that really stand out in this piece, but also why Cirencester Friendly, Guardian, HSBC, The Exeter and Zurich all get creditable mentions.
On Tuesday we turned our attention to How leading protection providers are helping clients live healthier lives? As you may expect Vitality collected a lot of plaudits here, as did The Exeter and a number of insurers working with Red Arc.
Staying with Vitality on Wednesday we looked at their analysis of how healthy lifestyles extend longevity. Also on Wednesday we highlighted the benefits of Met Life’s Everyday Protect, Child Shield and Mortgage Safe services.
Thursday saw us turn our attention to how insurers keep advisers and clients up to date during income protection claims processing, and we particularly looked at how Protection Guru Pro can help advisers highlight those insurers with really good claims processes. That day we also looked at some of the key strengths of Royal London, how they can help advisers and their clients getting into what makes the stand out from the rest of the market.
Ending the week we explored the challenge of balancing work and caring for a seriously ill child and Amanda Newman Smith asked is Family Income Benefit destined to remain a hidden gem in the protection world.
A couple of other news stories that caught my attention were Momodou Musa Touray’s piece in Money Marketing about Heather Sawyer’s dying wish to have her terminal illness claim paid before she died does not make an easy read. Tragically the (unnamed) insurer let her down.
Momodou highlights exactly the sort of issues Consumer Duty should have addressed. I hope the FCA step in and investigate. They published guidance on Terminal Illness, clearly some insurers are not listening.
I must pay tribute to Emma Astley’s tireless efforts to help people struggling with claims, but we need to recognise that too many insurers are letting the industry down when it comes to delivering on what insurance is all about.
Also, I was also encouraged by this research from The Exeter about adviser confidence in the income protection market.
FT Adviser- Half of protection advisers predict rise in demand
Here are all the articles about Jason Coleman joining us and if you are not already connected to Jason via LinkedIn please click here to reach his profile.
FT Adviser, Protection Guru looks to boost adviser technical training
Health & Protection, Protection Guru hires ex-Guardian L&D leader Coleman to expand adviser training
IFA Magazine, Industry stalwart joins Protection Guru to increase adviser technical training and support
Money Marketing, Protection Guru hires Coleman to lead adviser training programme
Mortgage Strategy, Protection Guru appoints Coleman to training role
Professional Adviser, People Moves: Protection Guru hires adviser training and research manager
Protection Reporter, Jason Coleman joins Protection Guru as Training & Research Manager
The Intermediary, Protection Guru appoints Jason Coleman as training and research manager
