Industry must unite to deal with protection issues

The Seven Families campaign has been heralded as a success across all quarters.

Insurers must come together to capitalise on the success of the Seven Families campaign, First Complete has warned.

The network said that the only way the insurance industry can improve and grow the protection market is to unite and work as one.

Steve Berry, First Complete protection manager, said: “We are at risk of letting all the good work carried out by the Seven Families campaign go to waste.

“Whilst these improvements may require the insurance industry to change we must understand the benefit to the customer and broker of simple clear messages covering the importance of protection and the key benefits it provides.”

The Seven Families campaign has been heralded as a success across all quarters. But Berry wants the industry to do more.

Advisers, he says, need to communicate with clients regularly to ensure they understand polices and also their value to discourage cancelations and ensure clients understand the potential impact and risk of not having the cover or letting cover they have lapse.

Insurers can also play their part and help by writing terms and conditions in plain English and educating brokers on the product solutions available through fact sheets, advertising, webinars, and other tools.

Berry added: “We are at risk of letting all the good work carried out by the Seven Families campaign go to waste. Whilst these improvements may require the insurance industry to change, we must understand the benefit to the customer and broker of simple clear messages covering the importance of protection and the key benefits it provides.

“As an industry, we need to work together to improve and grow the protection market. We are currently living in uncertain times, and many customers would benefit from the certainty that protection products can provide.

“It would be great to see the big insurers taking out prime time advertising on TV to promote the importance of protection to consumers. At the same time, let’s work with advisers and go back to basics by truly educating them on the importance of protection.

“Above all else, let’s work as one rather than as individuals to finally give protection the attention it has needed for so long.”