Individual Protection

Smokers could 'radically' reduce the cost of combined life and critical illness (CI) cover if they kicked the habit, new research has found.

LV= has announced it is offering a 5% discount on premium rates for a number of its protection products.

Aviva has urged consumers to check their policies as over the past five years it has paid out over £2.2 million in critical illness payments to customers who didn't initially realise they could claim.

LV= is launching a ‘risk reality' tool for advisers to demonstrate the likelihood of clients suffering long-term sickness or dying prematurely, which can be used as part of the protection sales process.

Zurich has revealed it paid out 94% of income protection (IP) claims in the first half 0f 2013.

PruProtect has announced enhancements to its Relevant Life Cover policy including an increase in the maximum sum assured and index-linking policies to keep pace with inflation.

Direct Life has launched Quote+, which it has described as ‘the most significant advance' in pre-screening underwriting criteria, with the potential for a 10% increase in completed term insurance business for advisers.

To help raise awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Aegon has shared previously unpublished figures on breast cancer claims in 2012.

Although many households rely on women to keep them afloat, there is a tendency to underinsure. Mark Jones calls for more focus.

Survival estimates for those diagnosed with breast cancer have nearly doubled since 1971, with the majority of women diagnosed surviving for five years or more, research has found.