Protection

Last month we held our 4th annual awards bash, which as always means an informal gathering of many of the great and the good from the protection industry for most of the day - and most of the night too for some!

The Financial Services Authority has launched a £2m advertising campaign which aims to raise awareness of its 'insurance made clear' website and help consumers ask the right questions when buying protection.

To mark the start of obesity awareness week, Norwich Union has released figures which reveal clinically obese people face paying nearly twice as much for their life cover as people of 'normal' weight.

Pru Health has been rated as the insurer most willing to get involved in building up intermediaries' businesses in a survey by the Association of Medical Insurance Intermediaries.

The Association of British Insurers is setting up a new claims committee which aims to tackle the problem of declined claims in the protection industry and boost consumer confidence.

Zurich has produced an underwriting guide for intermediaries with tips on how to complete the application process and information on medical definitions, exclusions and risk assessment.

Paymentshield's plans to launch mortgage payment protection insurance which incorporates the benefits of income protection has raised hopes a 'hybrid' product may solve some of the problems inherent in the industry.

UnumProvident is urging IFAs to raise awareness of mental ill-health among their clients, following research which reveals over 10 million working days were lost as a result of stress, depression and anxiety in 2005/06.

Well, I don't know about you but I was utterly shocked to read that you, as advisers, don't add anything to a protection sale. No, you didn't misread that, according to recently published research from the Pru, buying protection through an adviser doesn't...

The frightening news suggesting more than 1.7 million people in the UK will have dementia by 2051 indicates advisers should be doing more to encourage their clients to take out long-term care insurance.