Protection

IFAs, providers, consumer representatives and journalists are being invited to attend a critical illness forum next month to formulate an industry-wide response to the ABI's critical illness consultation.

Legal and General is sponsoring a nationwide initiative by the British Heart Foundation to improve the health of the UK's workforce as well as a firm's finances.

Friends Provident and sourcing system Trigold have launched an online service for mortgage intermediaries allowing them to link a mortgage application with suitable mortgage protection cover.

Reliance Mutual Insurance Society has launched a scheme aimed at intermediaries looking to ‘brand' their own protection products without having to carry out administrative back office functions.

The Exchange has announced the launch of a new Private Medical Insurance (PMI) comparative quotation service with a special introductory offer and six providers already signed to come on board.

The Financial Services Authority is considering adding "clear examples" of key Conduct of Business rules affecting smaller financial services firms, as one of its proposals to reform the COB sourcebook.

The Association of British Insurers has issued a consultation paper which it hopes could reduce client non-disclosure by redesigning the application form for protection products.

Consumers are being deterred from acquiring financial protection because the application process can at its worst be 31 pages long, according to research by one protection distributor.

Analysis of medical statistics suggests there could be a geographical pattern in the number of cases in the UK and Ireland related to smoking and drinking as well as socio-economic deprivation.

Standard Life has discovered over 70% of consumers underestimate their weight on protection new business applications in comparison to official medical results.