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14 December 2022

GUARDIAN PUBLISHES WHITE PAPER DESIGNED TO HELP ADVISERS RISE TO THE COST-OF-LIVING CHALLENGE

Guardian has today published a white paper, ‘On The Front Foot’, designed to help advisers rise to the challenge of getting people the protection they need, and keeping it, in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and ongoing economic uncertainty.

The sixty-page white paper contains extensive market and sector analysis, helping advisers understand more about the current economic factors impacting their clients. It builds on the findings of Guardian’s survey of over 700 advisers into how the cost-of-living and other economic considerations are impacting protection advice conversations.

Drilling deeper into the results of that research, the white paper features a range of adviser and industry expert views, detailing their thoughts on how to help clients continue to appreciate the value of protection when their budgets are stretched. These views span challenges specific to mortgage and protection advice, specialist protection advice, and financial advice and financial planning.

Guardian’s CEO and a number of its executive team are featured, giving their view on the task ahead. The paper concludes with 10 takeaways based on Guardian’s own thinking and the insights from the featured industry experts and advisers. These takeaways are designed to help advisers ‘get on the front foot’ when dealing with protection in this economic context, to continue to educate and support clients in understanding the value of protection and the important role it plays in increasing their financial resilience.

Jacqui Gillies, Marketing and Proposition Director, Guardian, said: “The current set of economic circumstances can be overwhelming for some clients. Household budgets are being squeezed and when budgets are tight, many find they have to make choices. What we don’t want to happen is that clients make choices that end up undermining their financial security. This is particularly important in our industry, as it’s difficult to come up with a sustainable solution. Payment deferrals, holidays, pauses in cover are all short-term solutions that might ease immediate pressure, but often give the client another dilemma if they still can’t afford the premiums at the end of the ‘break’. So, while many of these options seem beneficial to clients now, the longer this period of uncertainty continues, the more likely we are to see undesirable outcomes, and fewer people with the protection they need.

“Our task, as an industry, really should be on helping clients see the value that protection gives them, so they can make informed choices. That’s where advisers come in. They’re best placed to explain the value of a protection policy and give their clients peace of mind at this time of prolonged uncertainty. That’s why we asked advisers for their views in our research, and why we’ve produced this white paper, with its peer-to-peer views, research results, and a host of background information and statistics. We’re committed to growing the protection market by supporting advisers to have great protection conversations with every client, and that’s more important than ever during a cost-of-living crisis.”

To view Guardian’s ‘On the Front Foot’ white paper, please visit Guardian’s website or download here

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Source

Notes to editors:

White paper contributors include:

Katya MacLean, CEO, Guardian; Nischal Singh, Actuarial Director, Guardian; Hilary Banks, Sales Director, Guardian; Martin Reynolds, CEO, SimplyBiz Mortgages; Emma Thomson, Head of Protection and GI Propositions, Sesame Bankhall Group; Angela Davidson, Head of Protection, Mortgage Intelligence; Scott Taylor Barr, Adviser, Carl Summers Financial Services; Jiten Varsani, Founder, FortyOne Money; Mark Harrington, Advice Director, L&C Mortgages; Robyn Allen, Founder, Robyn Allen Solutions; Alan Knowles, Managing Director, Cura Insurance; Ian Else, Founder, 4 Financial Planning; Robert Reid, Principal, CanScot Solutions LLP; Roy McLoughlin, Associate Director, Cavendish Ware; Helena Wardle, Partner, Smith and Wardle Financial Planning and Founder, Money Means, a subscription-based advice service for younger people; Greg Moss, Founder, 11-2 Financial Planning.

Press enquiries to Natalie Robinson, 07789 501146, Natalie.robinson@guardianfs.co.uk

Guardian Financial Services is an appointed representative of Scottish Friendly

All products are provided by Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited (SFA) 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.