COVER Magazine welcomes you to the Claims & Underwriting Forum.

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

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.

Ilan Buganim, Chief Technology & Information Officer at Sapiens, will share his insights on how to leverage AI to simplify processes, enhance customer engagement, and deliver better customer outcomes. Learn how AI can transform customer interactions, enabling insurers to provide smoother experiences, better risk assessments, and reduced administrative costs—all while putting customers first.

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.
  

In this session we’ll explore the why, the what and the how of added value services from different industry perspectives.

This session will discuss:

• How can insurers effectively integrate added value services to enhance the overall claims process and create a more personalised, supportive experience?
• How can group risk providers ensure their strategies evolve in response to recent trends in cancer diagnosis claims, while keeping added value services accessible and beneficial for all policyholders?
• What can be done to increase take up of these services, so that they can help more customers recognise the value of protection and strengthen their financial resilience?

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 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.

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