Protection

Protection intermediaries do not think they should move to a trail commission model, despite calls to do so from several industry spokespeople.

Members of the Association of British Insurers have until December 2007 to adopt standard case studies into their private medical insurance leaflets.

Moving to a trail commission model sounds good in principle but making the transition from full upfront payments could be costly for protection intermediaries.

IFAs do not fully understand the implications of the imminent changes to critical illness (CI) cover definitions, according to Progress from Royal Liver.

Protection intermediaries should adopt a trail commission model to improve their businesses and give a better service to consumers, says Paul Bradshaw, chairman of Nucleus Group.

Prudential's life insurance and critical illness (CI) plan is available to selected IFAs from today, but some industry figures have raised concerns the product may be too complex.

Less than 40% of companies see employee health as a priority for human resources, despite figures suggesting absenteeism costs businesses £13bn a year.

Financial intermediaries are willing to recommend pension term assurance but are uncertain which regulatory regime they are advising under.

The FSA is looking at changing regulation of term assurance products so all protection advisers can sell policies which are still valid beyond the age of 70.

Nick Kirwan, protection market director at Scottish Widows, analyses the complexities of managing medical development and genetic testing in relation to the insurance industry.