Guardian has announced that its new Income Protection cover is now live on IRESS, iPipeline and LifeQuote. From today, advisers using these sourcing platforms have access to a full menu of Guardian products including Income Protection, Life Protection, Critical Illness Protection, Combined Life and Critical Illness Protection and Optional Children’s Critical Illness Protection, and can quote and apply on Guardian’s Protection Builder 2.0 system.
Jacqui Gillies, Marketing and Proposition Director, Guardian, said: “We are delighted to announce we are now live on IRESS, iPipeline and LifeQuote and advisers can start recommending our Income Protection as a stand-alone product or part of a full menu with Guardian. We’ve been really pleased with the market’s reaction to the product so far and anticipate a significant opportunity in this space as our valued advice partners help more clients to improve their financial resilience.”
Details of the new Income Protection cover were announced to the market on 28 March and have been well received to date with many positive comments from advisers received directly or on social media. Advisers have welcomed the ‘own job’ definition, as opposed to the more traditional ‘own occupation’; a feature which has been designed to provide more certainty at claim. Other highlights of the policy that have been applauded are the company’s Optional Children’s Critical Illness Protection which can be added to adult stand-alone Income Protection cover; its approach to Premium Waiver paying out after 28 days as standard regardless of deferred period and with no loss of income; and the product’s flexibility enabling advisers to create options for different client budgets.
Setul Mehta, Head of Partnership Services, Openwork and member of the IPTF, said: “I’m very happy to see Guardian go live in this space and the proposition embodies some nice industry game changers. ‘Own job’ is much clearer for a customer and I suspect some industry peers will be trying to introduce this definition in the future. I also welcome the flexibility of the product, with its choice of 2-year and full-term payment periods and a variety of deferred periods. It’s important to have a range of affordable, yet quality, options during these times when costs are high and client budgets are under pressure.”
Alan Knowles, Director, Cura Insurance and former Chair of the PDG, said: “It’s good to see Guardian bring their approach to ‘creating more certainty’ into Income Protection. I particularly like that they are including waiver of premium from 4 weeks, on all plans, meaning people don’t have to pay their premiums when they are out of work. The ability to add Optional Children’s Critical Illness to adult stand-alone Income Protection policies is also important for creating greater access to protection, with more families likely to put in place the protection they need for the children.”
Andrew Wibberley, Co-Chair of the IPTF, said: “At the IPTF we warmly welcome Guardian as an exciting new entrant to the IP market. 2022 was a strong year for IP, and providing broader availability of cover to advisers and their clients is a good thing. Protecting income is essential to any financial plan whether people are primarily protecting their mortgage, rent or retirement plans and we encourage all advisers to utilise Income Protection to ensure their clients futures are financially secure.”
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Notes to editors:
Press enquiries to Natalie Robinson, 07789 501146, Natalie.robinson@guardianfs.co.uk
Guardian Financial Services is an appointed representative of Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.
All products are provided by Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited and we have an agreement with them to underwrite and issue the protection policies we distribute 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 promote our proposition and engage with advisers.
Background to Guardian Financial Services, owned by Gryphon Group Holdings
Guardian, the life and protection insurance business, launched in 2018 and pledged to grow the 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. Guardian partners with UnderwriteMe for its Underwriting Engine, Liss Systems, the UK arm of Nasdaq-listed EXL, for its policy administration technology, and Space, for its front end technology, branding and marketing. Guardian’s reinsurance partners are Hannover Re and Gen Re.