Protection

There is a £32bn shortfall in UK life cover among first time buyers according to new research

A total of £14bn a year is being offered to 1.7m elderly and disabled people in the form of individual budgets to purchase care services, under proposals to reform social care in England.

The government has agreed to extend the current moratorium on the use of genetic testing by insurers to 2011.

Progress from Royal Liver is considering developing online applications and underwriting which could be intuitively tailored to match the age, sex and medical conditions of the person applying for the protection product.

Waiting for GP reports to be returned to underwriters is apparently the most annoying aspect of writing and advising on protection products, according to IFAs attending recent Progress from Royal Liver roadshows.

Hitachi, Asia's third largest company, is moving further into the UK protection market with a new ASU offering through Webline, the quotes portal has confirmed.

Introduction of new long leaseholder property rights have been unveiled today which allows leaseholders of houses to choose their own buildings insurance rather than use the policy nominated by their landlord.

Professionals, office workers and those in managerial roles are more likely to claim on their income protection cover because of a need for long-term support with psychiatric help, suggests data presented by Norwich Union Healthcare.

The Liberal Democrats have launched a ten-point action plan to tackle household and consumer debt which, among other ideas, calls on the FSA to investigate mortgage payment protection insurance.

Technology-based intermediaries offering life insurance suggest the Asian tsunami disaster on Boxing Day may have prompted fresh interest in protection cover from UK consumers.