Life and critical illness challenger builds on its distribution success.
Protection challenger, Guardian, today joins the HL Partnership (HLP) Protection Panel. It’s the latest of a succession of important distribution wins for the new entrant, which has seen huge interest in its quality approach and pioneering proposition since launch in Q3 last year.
HLP is the largest privately-owned advice network in the UK, with over 250 firms and almost 500 advisers.1 Founded in 2001 with a vision to help its brokers grow, it was one of the first networks in the UK and is dedicated to the mortgage and protection market.
1 Source: HLP website April 2019
Mike Devaney, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Guardian said: “We’re delighted to partner with HLP, working closely with the Management team we aim to support advisers to make sure every customer has their mortgage fully protected. Our proposition works hand-in-hand with the advice process to deliver the very best customer outcomes. From today our sales team will be contacting advisers all around the country, and in July we’ll be joining the HLP protection workshops to share details of our proposition.”
Shaun Almond, Managing Director of HLP said: “Guardian is a valuable addition to the panel because its high quality life and critical illness products reflect the advice that our members give their customers. The comprehensive cover and simple definitions allow our members to explain the true value of protection to their customers in terms that are easy to understand. The cover upgrade promise also gives confidence that Guardian’s critical illness definitions stay relevant and don’t let customers down at the point at which they need to claim.”
Guardian now has strategic partnerships in place with most leading distributors and is available on the IRESS, iPipeline and Synaptic portals. Its distribution success is in large part due to its quality proposition which has achieved Defaqto 5* status, F&TRC Gold rating, Protection Review Platinum status, and public endorsement from industry research site, CI Expert.
The company won ‘Best New Product’ at the Cover Excellence Awards and was awarded ‘Innovator of the Year’ by distributor, Lifesearch.
Press enquiries to Natalie Robinson, 07789 501146, or Natalie.robinson@guardianfs.co.uk.
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Notes to editors:
Guardian Financial Services is an appointed representative of Scottish Friendly
Through our agreement with Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited (SFA), where SFA provides the balance sheet capacity, including allowing use of existing permissions to write business, we distribute our new protection business through the UK intermediary channel. As an appointed representative of Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited, Guardian Financial Services Limited is the market-facing brand under which we’ll promote our proposition and engage with advisers.
Background to Guardian Financial Services, owned by Gryphon Group Holdings
Guardian, the new life and protection insurance business, was established with £180m of investment and has pledged to grow the £700m protection market. The brand promise of ‘Life. Made Better.’ reflects the company’s commitment to rethink and reinvent protection for the better; making sure customers get cover that’s easier to understand, simple to buy and designed to never let them down.
Guardian’s business partners
Gryphon Group Holdings is majority owned by Punter Southall Group as the largest equity capital investor. Leadenhall Capital Partners are co-investors and have provided a substantial additional facility to fund the company’s growth plans. Its back-end technology partner is Liss Systems, the UK arm of Nasdaq-listed EXL. Its front-end technology, branding and marketing partner is Space, UK based financial services specialists. Risk partners are Hannover Re and Gen Re.