Opinion

Following the implementation of the new critical illness (CI) definitions in April, the IFA market has called for positive retrospective CI changes to be made to existing policies. What do you think about such an idea? What are the pros and cons?

What role does commission have to play in the provision of pure protection advice, and could the market ever move towards a purely fee-based proposition?

In February, Prudential published the results of a survey that suggested a staggering number of people had been victims of declined claims. The market reacted strongly against the publication of such statistics, brandishing them "scaremongering". Was...

Several supermarkets have entered into the private medical insurance and protection arenas. Is this good for the industry or will it further tarnish the industry's reputation as retail firms are more likely to offer insurance products without advice?...

The pension term assurance debacle rattled the industry at the end of last year. But just how badly has it damaged the reputation of the industry and how long will it take to be rectified? Has it caused irreparable damage?

The Association of British Insurers has said it will look into Swiss Re's new findings that the cancer definition should be termed differently. Bearing in mind there has been a working group discussing the issues of redefining the critical illness definitions,...

The Financial Services Authority recently published its proposals for a radical move to principles-based regulation. What will this mean for the industry and what are the pitfalls?

Last month, the COVER Insight research revealed that poor service levels have forced many advisers to turn their backs on Norwich Union. In general, are industry service levels below expectations? What can be done by insurers to ensure that this does...

According to a recent report by the Department of Health, more than 12 million adults and one million children will be obese by 2010. How may this affect the overall price of protection premiums and could it lead to more or fewer people buying life insurance...

Should more providers take a leaf out of Pioneer Friendly's book and publish their declined income protection claims statistics? Would this help rebuild consumer trust?