Dates confirmed for unbiased protection training

Dates have been confirmed for the Protection Review and Personal Finance Society’s (PFS) independent protection training sessions.

The non-company specific training is aimed at improving knowledge and understanding of the protection industry at all levels and is open to anyone including advisers, distributors, para-planners and life office staff.

The first two sessions will take place on September 15 and October 13.

As previously reported by COVER, Swiss Re will host the events at its St Mary Axe building in London.

Training will cover all aspects of the market on an interactive basis including products, sales, underwriting, claims and technology as well as looking at the need for protection, how to introduce the subject into conversations and how to overcome objections.

The first sessions will be delivered by ex-adviser Kevin Carr (now CEO of the Protection Review), with support from protection experts including IFAs such as Peter Chadborn of Plan Money and Roy McLoughlin of Master Adviser and independent underwriting expert Jerry Brown.

The sessions are due to run from 10.00am to 3.00pm, including a break for lunch and are free for PFS members with a £50 charge for others.

Places are limited and availability is on a first come first served basis.

Anyone wishing to attend one of sessions should visit the Protection Review website.

Should both dates be fully subscribed future sessions will be added.

Peter Chadborn, director of Plan Money, said: "With the exception of some good provider seminars and marketing material there is precious little protection-focused training available in the industry.

"Individual provider seminars are very welcome although they tend, naturally, to promote the wares of the host. There is therefore a need for well-informed, broad-ranging independent protection training, hosted by an unbiased source."

Kevin Carr, CEO of the Protection Review, added: "The idea of unbiased protection training has been called for, and talked about, for as long as I can remember.

"One of our key aims is for this training to be delivered by independent experts, including intermediaries, with the core purpose of improving knowledge and understanding of the protection industry, without promoting any specific products."

The PFS and Swiss Re also gave the initiative their full backing noting the importance of improving professionalism within the industry and the potential impacts of the Retail Distribution Review.