From pet cover to soap storylines, Kevin Carr dissects the latest protection industry developments in his exclusive monthly blog.

Sharp rises in savings rates for 2009 were driven by lower tax payments, low mortgage interest payments and higher social security payments, not long-term increases in savings, PricewaterhoouseCooper (PwC) analysis suggests.

World stock markets rose after midday on better-than-expected US jobs data.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged to "stand helpfully by Greece's side" but her economy minister said Germany would not offer a cash bailout.

Seven people have been charged with conspiring to defraud investors through a series of alleged boiler room share scams.

FSA plans in the RDR to recognise trade bodies only if they meet a strict set of criteria will likely result in higher fees and lower membership, threesixty warns.

Last year LV= ran a nationwide competition inviting advisers to share their tips and ideas for illustrating to clients the potential importance of protection insurance. Here, we share the best of them. Today: PIGY.

Around 110,000 women could miss out on thousands of pounds in retirement because they were born just a day too early to benefit from pension rule changes, Liberal Democrat research suggests.

Aviva will expand its distribution channels through e-commerce in 2010, but has no plans to move deeper into the online direct-to-consumer space, says the head of the insurer's UK Life arm.

Aegon has launched a tele-claims service allowing customers to file all of their details with the insurer without filling in a single form, which it says could halve the time it takes to pay out on claims.