News

The Association of Independent Financial Advisers (AIFA) has hit out at "spiralling" fee rises from the Financial Services Authority (FSA), Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Cash plan provider Health Shield has announced a strong 2011 in its annual report, increasing gross annual premium income to over £25m.

LV= made a trading profit of £33.7m, a 20% increase on2010 (£28m)as its protection business saw a 2011 increase of 18%.

Nearly all employers believe the GP fit note is ineffective with workplace sickness policies the answer, according to the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP).

Adviser's use of company extranets for protection business may have peaked, research has found.

Dropping private healthcare for employees because of rising costs can do more harm than good to a company's finances, according to Gallagher Employee Benefits.

The main reason claims are denied is a simple failure to complete the paperwork, Universal Provident has said.

Confidence in the financial services industry has dramatically improved in the last quarter, with life insurers and investment managers "particularly bullish", a poll shows.

From 30 April people who are able to get back into the workplace will get contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA (C)) for a maximum of 12 months.

British Friendly registered more than 800 advisers, received 2,295 intermediary applications and wrote annual premiums in excess of £650,000 since launching BFS Protect in March 2011.