L&G eyes direct protection business as market 'evolves'

Legal & General will look to increase its direct protection business to meet the challenges presented by the post-RDR distribution landscape.

The insurer says direct business grew 47% last year and now represents 6% of total individual protection volumes.

It says regulatory and legislative change is creating opportunities in the housing and protection market with the potential for shifts in distribution and competition.

In particular, it highlights the ECJ ruling with respect to gender discrimination, which will affect underwriting and pricing in individual protection.

"We are responding through maintaining a tight control on costs, focusing on customer retention, and developing a sales and marketing strategy designed to meet the post RDR distribution landscape," it says.

"This includes increasing our direct business and seeking new distribution partnerships with banks and direct affinity partners."

In individual protection, gross premiums grew 9% to £890m in 2010 as a result of new business sales of £118m and the completion of the transfer of the Nationwide Life back book.

The insurer wrote more than 16% of the individual protection market last year, thanks in part to its move into more specialised areas of the market.

There was a 30% growth in business protection and a 9% growth in high net worth protection.

Elsewhere, L&G says, for the first year ever, it wrote in excess of £1bn of individual annuity business.

Sales were boosted by its distribution partnerships with Zurich and SAGA, strong growth in the direct market and the one-off impact of the increase in minimum retirement age from 50 to 55.

Meanwhile, Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) posted record profits on an IFRS basis of £206m (2009: £172m), thanks to a 12% jump in funds under management, which hit £354bn in 2010.