Written by Ahmed Bawa, CEO, Rosemount Financial Solutions (IFA)
As 2026 gets underway, many advisers will be considering what went well over the past year, where they added the most value for clients, and where there may still be gaps in their proposition. And I think that for many protection policies offer a real untapped opportunity.
Recent years have been positive for the protection market, with sales volumes improving for policies which deliver an invaluable safety net for clients. The acid test for protection is always how well it pays out for policyholders when they need it, so the fact 2024 – the most recent data period from the Association of British Insurers – was a record-breaker for payouts is a further feather in the cap.
But it would be complacent to think the job is done – we are only just scratching the surface.
Just last month research from the regulator suggested only 42% of consumers have protection policies in place, leaving a significant proportion of households exposed if life takes an unexpected turn. Illness, accident or the loss of an income can derail even the most carefully laid plans, yet for many clients, protection remains overlooked or poorly understood.
Stepping up to the challenge
This is not because protection lacks value. Advisers will have their own tales of protection policies delivering for their clients, providing financial support which can genuinely change lives for the better. The challenge comes from the fact that selling protection is far from easy.
After all, clients don’t come to the adviser wanting to buy protection. Conversations start with products the client is actively looking for help with, like mortgages or investments. Protection is different – it relies on the adviser making the case for it, helping the client see the need, even if there are 1,000 other areas they’d rather devote that money to each month.
Making the case for protection requires confidence and skill. Advisers need to be able to articulate not just what a policy does, but why it matters in the context of the client’s wider financial plan. And they need to do so sensitively, particularly at a time when many households are feeling the strain from rising living costs.
In those circumstances, it can be tempting to shy away from the conversation altogether. No adviser wants to feel like they are adding pressure to a client who is already watching every pound, but that is precisely when protection becomes most important. Clients with limited financial headroom are often the least able to absorb a financial shock, and so represent those with the most to gain from financial support.
Protection, then, is not about fearmongering or hard selling, but about planning.
Are you doing enough?
The first step for any adviser looking to improve is honesty. How confident are you when discussing protection? Do you regularly review existing cover, or does it sometimes fall down the agenda once the primary advice need has been met? Are objections handled comfortably, or avoided altogether?
For some advisers, the answer may lie in further training. That might be technical, helping them get to grips with the nuances of particular products, but just as often it is about improving communication – learning how to frame protection in a way that resonates with clients and links clearly to their personal circumstances.
Others may benefit from learning alongside peers. Shadowing advisers who are particularly strong in this area, or sharing experiences within peer groups, can help demystify what good protection advice looks like in practice. Small changes in approach can have a large impact on client engagement, and with it the level of protection sales.
And if protection still feels like a challenge, there is nothing wrong with recognising where specialist support may be appropriate. Partnering with protection specialists can ensure clients receive high-quality advice, while allowing advisers to focus on their own strengths. What matters is that protection is addressed properly, not quietly sidelined.
What lies ahead?
This focus is also timely from a regulatory perspective, since protection will be under increased scrutiny this year, with the FCA due to publish its interim findings from the Pure Protection Market Study. That will provide greater clarity on the regulator’s expectations and the standards advisers will be expected to meet.
But advisers should not wait for regulatory prompts before acting. Those who embed protection confidently and consistently into their advice process now will be better placed for whatever changes lie ahead.
At Rosemount, we have seen first-hand how the right support, whether through targeted training, peer learning or access to specialist partners, can transform adviser confidence in this area. The aim is not to push protection for its own sake, but to ensure advisers feel equipped to have meaningful, professional conversations that genuinely serve their clients’ best interests.
Protection is a core part of good financial planning. As advisers take stock at the start of a new year, it deserves the same attention as any other area of advice. Those who invest time in sharpening their skills now will not only deliver better outcomes for clients, but also build stronger, more resilient businesses for the long term.
