Programme

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Registration and Breakfast

COVER Magazine is delighted to welcome you back to the COVER Protection and Health Summit.

Arrive early and start the day right by enjoying our welcome breakfast!

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Welcome Remarks

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

The theme for this year’s COVER Protection and Health Summit is “Elevating Adviser Insight”.

Speaker
Editor
COVER Magazine
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Rethinking protection for long-term care

As our nation ages, the realities of dementia, long-term illness and the strain on existing care systems are becoming impossible to ignore. What was once seen as a future challenge is now very much a present-day concern. Join Rose St Louis, Board member of the Insurance United Against Dementia campaign for her keynote speech that aims to shine a light on the state of the nation, the growing impact of dementia, and why long-term care must become central to the way we think about health and protection. Crucially, it will explore how insurers and advisers can come together to create powerful ecosystems of expertise — ensuring clients and their families receive the very best all-round support, today and for the years ahead.

Speaker
Board member of the Insurance United Against Dementia campaign
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Royal London

Session details coming soon...

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The impact of everyday accidents and illnesses and how to slow the financial implications

Join Phil as he reveals the everyday risks we face and shines a light on important areas of protection that are being overlooked with traditional insurance products. He will share how MetLife innovative products serve to meet this need and how they fit into the protection puzzle.

    Speaker
    Head of Individual Protection
    MetLife
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    Lightning pitches
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      Morning Break

      Time to grab a coffee and meet our exhibitors.

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      Moving from insurance to assurance – How PMI is evolving

      In this session, Arun Thiyagarajan, CEO of VitalityHealth, explores the transformation of private medical insurance in response to a rapidly shifting healthcare landscape and the implications for advisers and our industry more broadly. With rising consumer expectations, mounting pressures on public health services, and a growing emphasis on prevention and digital care pathways, PMI is no longer just about covering illness—it’s about enabling better health outcomes.

      Speaker
      Chief Executive Officer
      Vitality Health UK
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      Strengthening financial resilience

      The FCA’s Financial Lives 2024 survey highlighted 49% of UK adults showed characteristics of financial vulnerability, reaffirming the growing concern that protection isn’t cutting through as it needs to be. This session will explore how the industry can better position protection as a vital tool for building financial resilience and navigating life’s inevitable challenges.

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      The pace of change: can the industry keep up?

      Evolving customer expectations, a complex housing market, and ongoing economic uncertainty are reshaping the protection and health industry. Advisers and providers alike face growing pressure to adapt with speed and confidence. This session examines whether the industry is truly equipped to keep pace with change.

      Speakers
      Head of Protection Proposition Delivery
      St. James's Place
      Founder and Managing Director
      Umbrella Protect
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      Lunch

      Time for lunch - grab a bite to eat in the exhibition hall and grow your network!

      Product Updates

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      From awareness to action: early cancer detection strategies for a changing workforce

      Cancer remains the leading driver of health and protection claims, yet the UK is still missing its target to diagnose 75% of cancers early. Screening participation is falling, health literacy among younger generations is in decline, and misinformation is compounding the problem. At the same time, cancer incidence in under-50s is rising sharply.

      In this session, Kelly McCabe, Co-Founder & CEO, Perci Health will explore:

      • Why the UK is struggling to meet early detection goals.
      • What the last NHS Long-Term Plan achieved - and what’s changing in the next.
      • The impact of declining health literacy and digital misinformation on participation and outcomes.
      • Practical strategies for employers, insurers, and brokers to improve health literacy, screening uptake, and navigation of NHS and private pathways.

      With real-world data and forward-looking insights, this session will make the case that improving knowledge, confidence and access is the foundation on which all early detection strategies must be built—helping insurers manage claims costs, employers protect workforce wellbeing, and individuals secure better outcomes.

      Speaker
      Co-Founder & CEO
      Perci Health
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      IHT: what's life got to do with it

      The Autumn Budget has brought inheritance tax (IHT) and its implications for financial planning into the spotlight.

      This session will:

      • Explore the skills advisers need to effectively use life products for IHT mitigation.
      • Discuss whether joint life second death may be a more viable option than single life in this scenario.
      • Project how the industry will respond.
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      EAPs: the importance of prevention and early intervention

      This session explores developed EAP propositions designed to provide long-term mental health support, reducing reliance on PMI schemes and offering a more sustainable solution for employers and employees alike.

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        IP - is it time we forgive ASU?

        This session will look at the various ways customers might think about protecting their income, which might not be Income Protection. Although ASU doesn't have the best track record within the industry, it is becoming a viable option for many.

        Core Skills

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        Financial resilience and the art of positioning protection

        With a need to create positive client outcomes, protection can play a vital role in safeguarding and securing your clients against future life and health uncertainties. Over last few years it has become increasingly important for advisers to understand their clients and demonstrate the value of protection. In this session our expert speaker will explore the latest insights from LV’s Reaching Resilience research which will help you position protection and enable you to have more effective protection conversations.

          Speaker
          Protection Sales and Marketing Director
          LV=
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          Mortgage protection: protect the bank or the home?

          If the goal of Consumer Duty is to deliver good customer outcomes and prevent foreseeable harm, do we need to rethink traditional mortgage protection advice. In this session, Vitality’s Andy Philo will consider why our industry must prioritise a more holistic approach to mortgage protection – to safeguard a client’s home and the people in it, not just the lender’s interests.

            Speaker
            Director of Strategic Partnerships
            Vitality
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            What is a vulnerable customer?

            Join our Deputy Editor, Jaskeet Briah, alongside a panel of industry experts as they unpack exclusive findings from our latest COVER audience survey. This session explores how the industry is defining, recognising and responding to customer vulnerability, and what that means for your business.

              Speakers
              Deputy Editor
              COVER Magazine
              Founder and managing director
              MorganAsh
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              How to boost your protection sales

              This session provides practical guidance for advisers aiming to improve their sales. Learn how to engage clients in meaningful conversations, overcome objections with confidence, and use social media to build trust and drive inquiries.

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              Afternoon break

              Time to grab a coffee and meet our exhibitors.

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              How AI is reshaping the future of the protection and health industry
              The protection and health industry is on the cusp of transformation, with AI set to accelerate change across products, services, and customer experiences. But can the industry adapt quickly enough to harness its full potential while keeping trust at the core?
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              FCA’s Pure Protection market study
              Closing Remarks

              Thank you for joining COVER Protection and Health Summit.

              Please note that this programme is subject to change