Individual Protection

It's a pleasant change to think positively about the direction of the protection market and to identify a significant opportunity for advisers.

IFAs still own the largest portion of the protection market despite its long-term sales slump, according to the FSA.

Sickness and disability benefit claims problems are seeing a huge surge in volumes, according to the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).

The protection market has started to recover over the last year, but it is being propped up by resurging critical illness sales, according to FSA figures.

Royal London has described the protection market as "very challenging" after announcing a one-fifth fall in sales over the first half of the year.

Progress has revealed it paid 89.5% of critical illness (CI) claims in the first seven months of the year.

A Third of new mortgage debt has no associated life cover a report by independent financial research company Defaqto has found.

Fortis' protection business has continued its "good progress" in the first half of the year having completed its whole of market roll out.

The ABI is highlighting the need for clients to fully disclose their medical history when taking out protection and health insurance.

COVER readers overwhelmingly believe the current shrinkage in protection market provider numbers is a detriment to the sector.