Protection

Around three-quarters of Brits who travel abroad for medical treatment are doing so because they are fed up with UK waiting lists, however, this could affect consumer non-disclosure, suggests a report published by Norwich Union Healthcare.

Standard Life has reduced the rates on its protection products with sums assured of between £100,000 and £250,000 to see level term and mortgage cover with accelerated CIC decrease by an average 6%.

Putting life policies in trust - it's common sense but not common practice. If the experience of other companies is anything like our own, less than 10% of life policies are written in trust. And yet the need is greater than ever.

The Association of British Insurers has backed FSA plans to alter variation clauses as its own legal advice suggests the use of current contracts could be challenged by the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Industry sales of protection policies fell across all product lines last year but worst hit was critical illness take-up which fell by almost a third and income protection sales were down a quarter.

Progress from Royal Liver has added an e-only training programme to its extranet to help new entrants learn about the protection industry.

A quarter of people who developed cancer in 2002 were under the age of 60, suggests evidence from the Office of National Statistics.

Insurers are leveraging the fear of stalking, road rage, burglary and kidnap to attract high net worth customers, according to a survey published by consultant Datamonitor.

iht planning

Standard Life has published statistics behind its critical illness and life assurance claims experiences which reveal non-disclosed alcohol abuse problems could make life insurance policies invalid.