In an upcoming special edition New Insurance and Protection episode of IFA Talk, IFA Magazine’s Meg Bratley and Sue Whitbread are joined by Paul Roberts, Propositions and Distribution Director at CIExpert, to explore how the protection landscape is evolving in 2025, and why advisers should be giving critical illness cover a renewed focus.
Paul explains how insurers have been busy enhancing their propositions throughout the year, with notable innovation coming from providers such as Legal & General, Guardian, and HSBC. These developments, he says, reflect just how far the market has progressed in making protection products more comprehensive and client-focused.
From the expansion of Additional Payments to the introduction of Enhanced and Top-Up benefits, Paul highlights how modern CIC plans are now better equipped than ever to meet clients’ real-world needs. He also discusses the increasing role of payments linked to NHS waiting lists, a timely and practical addition given the ongoing pressures facing the health service.
Paul is also keen to emphasise how critical illness and income protection plans should be seen as complementary rather than competing solutions, “best friends rather than strangers,” as he puts it. Together, they can provide clients with a more robust safety net when health challenges arise unexpectedly.
He also draws attention to the growing importance of Children’s Critical Illness Cover, which has evolved significantly in recent years. For self-employed parents in particular, Paul notes, having the right level of protection in place can offer invaluable flexibility and peace of mind should the unthinkable happen.
💡 Stay tuned for the full episode of IFA Talk coming soon, where Paul delves deeper into how advisers can harness these developments to deliver more effective and holistic financial protection for their clients.
