Articles by Owain Thomas
Brits still prefer pets to loved ones
Brits would rather insure pets than themselves or their families, a survey has found.
Zurich pays 92% of CI claims
Zurich has revealed it paid 92% of critical illness (CI) claims last year.
Defaqto introduces PMI ratings
Defaqto has released its Star Ratings for private medical insurance (PMI) for the first time.
Govt targets cancer patients for ESA means-testing
Government ministers will aim to overturn the exclusion of means-testing of cancer patients receiving Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) as the coalition's government's Welfare Reform Bill moves back to the House of Commons.
Absence management processes failing businesses
Absence management procedures have not kept pace with technology and the way Britain works, resulting in serious welfare, management and productivity issues, a new report has said.
Ellipse launches GIP offering
Ellipse has entered the group income protection (GIP) market with the launch of its InteractPlus product which includes an integrated absence management system.
Interview - L&G's Russ Whitworth
One of the most controversial developments in the protection industry over recent months has been the use of Subject Access Requests (SARs). Russ Whitworth told Owain Thomas a war with doctors may not actually be on the cards
L&G defends use of SARs for medical evidence
L&G has given the use of Subject Access Requests (SARs) a ringing endorsement and said they produce much better results than other methods of obtaining medical information.
Online business set to grow - Canada Life
Canada Life has revealed that almost half of its small scheme new business is being done online.
Friends Life poaches Ageas' head of sales
Friends Life has made two senior protection appointments including poaching Ageas' head of sales.
Lifesearch sees protection growth
Lifesearch has bucked the trend of declining protection sales with a significant growth in business last year.
Protection products most complex - ABI
Critical illness (CI) and mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) are among the most complicated financial products for consumers to understand, the ABI has found.
Bright Grey ups CI claims paid
Bright Grey paid out 91% of critical illness (CI) claims in the last six months of 2011.
Mental health GIP claims see six year rise
Mental health claims are growing and now make up a third of all those received on group income protection (GIP) policies, according to Legal & General.
Brits most stressed workers in world
Workplace stress has reached a four-year high with British workers being the most stressed compared to colleagues in some of the world's biggest economies, a new report has found.
Private hospitals face tough year as PMI income falls
The coming year promises to be a tough one for the private healthcare sector, according to a new report from analyst Laing and Buisson.
Healix backs PMI open referrals
Healix has voiced support for the use of open referrals within the private medical insurance (PMI) market but warned that insurers need to be more transparent about the process.
Simple products given cautious welcome
Advisers have given the Treasury's simple products initiative a tentative thumbs up while recognising that the financial services industry is overly complicated.
Universal Provident unveils budget hybrid product
Universal Provident has launched a new combined protection and health insurance product aimed at customers forced to reduce their cover limits.
PMI exam passes landmark
The Association of Medical Insurance Intermediaries (Amii) has announced 500 people have now passed the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)/AMII IF7 private medical insurance (PMI) exam.
WPA adds moratorium underwriting
WPA has introduced moratorium underwriting on its individual private medical insurance (PMI) plans for clients who fit certain criteria.
PPI redress soars to new high
Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) redress totals have reached a new peak after payments rocketed by more than £100m in just one month.
Brits twice as risky with health than wealth
Britons are twice as likely to gamble with their health as with their money or career, new research has found.
Brits losing sleep over future health worries
Britons are losing sleep over their future health but many have not prioritised protecting themselves against the financial effects of illness, new research has found.
Benefit claim 'collusion' hides positives of work
Businesses and government need to issue a "clear and consistent message from the top that work is good for you", the co-author of the Sickness Absence Review has said.
'Awkward' conversations stop Brits talking about finances
Sex is the only subject more taboo than finances for UK families as many find the conversations too awkward and uncomfortable, a new report has revealed.
SARs challenge doctors to improve service - Pacific Life Re
Pacific Life Re has applauded insurers for tackling the growing problem of long delayed GP reports (GPRs) by using data protection legislation to request medical information.
Cosmetic surgery insurance scheme on the cards
The PIP breast implant furore could prompt the creation of an insurance scheme for cosmetic surgery patients to prevent similar remedial problems in the future.
Term assurance - In terminal decline?
Want an example of how not to do things? Owain Thomas finds the UK term assurance market's approach is being avoided worldwide.
Openwork unveils protection app
Openwork has produced a protection quote application for Apple mobile devices.
Bupa launches free IPMI app
Bupa has launched a free iPhone and Android app to enable its international private medical insurance (IPMI) customers to access their policy information from anywhere in the world.
Apathetic protection industry needs 'kick up the bum'
The protection industry needs a "kick up the bum" and a "spark of passion" injected into it if it is to address the needs of modern consumers, the Protection Review has said.
Benefit shortfalls key for consumers - Syndicate
Consumers increasingly appreciate the need for protection insurance when they are told about the limitations of state benefits, new research has found.
Bupa and BMI end hospital contract battle
Bupa has reached an agreement with BMI Healthcare to re-introduce patient treatment at all but three of the hospital network's facilities.
Protection complaints exceed 2011 levels
Protection complaints continued to rise during the year and have already breached last year's totals in some product areas.
Govt targets 500,000 fewer disability claims
The government is seeking to cut half a million people from the disability benefits list when the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is introduced.
Freedom Healthnet widens age limit
Freedom Healthnet has upped the age limit for clients wishing to purchase its private medical insurance (PMI) plan.
Third of Britons have nothing left from monthly pay
Bright Grey has urged Britons to cut back on spending to help stabilise their finances and provide enough to secure a safety net for emergencies.
LTC fees cap to almost double - report
The government is expected to recommend a cap on long-term care (LTC) fees of between £50,000 and £60,000, according to a report.
LV= improves underwriting flexibility
LV= has changed its underwriting rules to allow more applications to receive an immediate online decision.
Majority of ESA medical reports 'seriously inaccurate'
Medical evidence used to decide claimants' eligibility for state benefits is frequently ‘seriously inaccurate', the Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) has revealed.
Lords defeat Govt welfare reforms that 'rob the poor'
The government has suffered a significant setback in its welfare reform agenda after the House of Lords defeated three of the coalition's main proposals.
Bupa defends open referrals after doctors' criticism
Bupa has hit back at claims by doctors that its open referrals process is ‘flawed on several levels' and limits patient choice.
'Bleak' 2011 puts healthcare sector on knife edge
Deloitte has warned that 2012 will be another tough year for the healthcare sector after the number of businesses going into administration grew sharply last year.
Brokers approve cancer cover moves
Medical insurance brokers have applauded moves by private medical insurance (PMI) providers to remove the limits on cancer coverage for many standard polices.
Medical regulators buy themselves PMI
The doctors' regulator spends more than a quarter of a million pounds a year on private medical insurance (PMI), it has been revealed.
Staff disaffected by poor absence management
Businesses risk alienating their staff by not offering a compassionate approach to absence management, new research has found.
Axa PPP removes cancer cover limits
Axa PPP has removed all cost and time limits for licensed cancer drug treatment for patients on its standard individual and SME plans.