Mark Jones, head of protection at Friends Provident, has added his name to a small list of influential industry experts hinting consumers were better off during the reign of the direct sales force.
Jones says the demise of direct sales - prevalent in the 1980s and early 90s - "disenfranchised" the UK population and says advisers have been unable to find a way to cater for those consumers who do not visit an IFA. His comments echo similar sentiments given in recent weeks by leading protection specialists Peter Le Beau, co-chair of the Income Protection Task Force (IPTF), and financial adviser Roy McLoughlin. They also follow Friends Provident's link-up with Tesco, which will see the supermarket giant distribute Friends' protection products direct to the consumer (D2C). "The demis...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
Signup and gain exclusive members-only insights
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes
