Protection – a growing priority 

Protection has always been a core part of good financial planning. But when conversations turn to wealth, understandably, it often slips down the agenda.  

But with rising property values, possible inheritance tax changes and growing awareness of financial risk, more clients need more protection – and they need advisers who can prioritise and talk about it confidently. 

Here is Scott Machin our Proposition Manager talking about this:

Advisers need to look beyond product and price. With reform on the horizon and regulatory scrutiny intensifying, the firms that succeed will be those that make protection simple and fully integrated into their advice process. Embedded protection propositions and frictionless technology aren’t optional – they can set leading wealth advisers apart. By leveraging integration, advisers won’t just meet compliance expectations, they’ll strengthen client trust, deliver better outcomes, and position themselves as the first choice for long-term advice.

The FCA Market Study: protection on the brink of reform

The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA's) ongoing market study into pure protection could fundamentally reshape how the sector operates. The goal is clear: ensure clients receive fair, transparent and value-driven protection solutions. 

Combined with Consumer Duty, there is potential for tougher scrutiny on pricing and recommendation practices, a demand for simpler, clearer communication, and fresh opportunities for innovation through the FCA’s sandbox approach.

For advisers, although this could mean more changes on the horizon, it’s also a chance to stand out. 

Smart integrations: behind the scenes 

Integrated systems enable strong advice propositions – and integration standards provide that universal adapter, creating a shared language across the provider and adviser ecosystem so that protection advice is delivered smoothly and at scale.  

Every year, our data integration standards underpin over half a billion protection quote transactions, connecting advisers with providers, portals and underwriters. What does this mean in practice for advisers? 

  • Less administration
  • Fewer delays
  • Cleaner data
  • More time with clients

Yes, standardised integrations improve efficiency, but ultimately, they’re there to enable confident, repeatable protection advice that meets evolving regulatory expectations. 

As that evolution continues, we see advisers increasingly benefit from working with providers who prioritise integration and interoperability. These providers are better placed to support efficient, compliant, and repeatable protection advice processes. 

Looking ahead

We’re monitoring the FCA protection market study closely to ensure standards enable innovation while keeping to changing regulatory expectations. This means everyone across the protection distribution chain delivers transparent, compliant, and high-quality outcomes for advisers and their clients.