COVER Magazine welcomes you to the Claims & Underwriting Forum.

We start off the day with a welcome from our editor, Cameron Roberts. 

Not every client is the same, how you interact and deal with them will differ on a case-by-case basis. This session will educate advisers on how to identify and deliver tailored advice for underserved markets, such as renters and the self-employed. With Consumer Duty encouraging advisers to expand their provider panels for high-risk clients, it is crucial advisers adapt their approach to meet evolving client needs.

This session will:

• Educate on how to identify and serve vulnerable clients effectively.
• Explore how to tailor protection advice for diverse demographics (renters, contractors).
• Gain insights into the FCA’s concerns regarding fair value in products e.g. over-50s life insurance.

There is a growing need for advisers to offer holistic protection as part of their advice process. Whether delivering it themselves or referring clients to specialists, advisers play a crucial role in ensuring clients have access to the best possible outcomes.

This session will:

• Provide insights into when mortgage advisers should refer clients to protection specialists for better advice.
• Discuss best practice in delivering holistic protection in line with Consumer Duty requirements.
• Highlight strategies to ensure clients receive high-quality advice.

Explore how advisers can leverage value-added services and client reviews to engage clients beyond the initial sale. This session focuses on building long-term relationships by highlighting the importance of checking in with clients, understanding their needs, showcasing additional benefits and reinforcing the value of their policies.

This session will:

• Understand how value-added services can enhance client satisfaction and retention.
• Learn techniques for conducting client reviews.
• Share best practice in shifting focus from a one-time sale to a valuable relationship.

Client objections are an inevitable part of the advice process, but they don’t signal the end of the conversation. This session provides strategies on how to respond to client objections appropriately, understand the reasons behind them and identify opportunities to re-engage clients in the future, ensuring no potential relationship is lost.

This session will:

• Provide insights into the most common objections and how to address them.
• Learn techniques to handle objections professionally while keeping the door open for future conversations.
• Discover proactive approaches to re-engage clients after an objection.

The Autumn Budget has brought inheritance tax (IHT) and its implications for financial planning into the spotlight. This session explores the evolving IHT landscape, the role of life insurance in addressing clients’ estate planning needs and how advisers can position protection products as essential tools for mitigating tax liabilities.

This session will:

• Explore the skills advisers need to effectively use life products for IHT mitigation.
• Discuss how evolving regulation and policy will impact the high-earner protection market.
• Project how the industry will respond, with diverse products and services on the menu.
  

The protection industry holds potential to transform the lives of clients with long-term conditions. This session will challenge the industry to rethink how they deliver awareness, prevention and support by evaluating current advice practices, products and services. By bridging gaps and leveraging innovation, the industry can create actionable change for better outcomes.

This session will:

• Explore how accessible contact points can empower clients to seek early intervention and navigate their health journey.
• Unpack the financial impact of long-term conditions and how protection products can mitigate these challenges for clients.
• Identify gaps and opportunities for the industry to provide complementary support to the NHS.

Thank you for joining us at this years Claims & Underwriting Forum.