Health and life insurer The Exeter has released new survey data revealing what matters most to advisers and clients when choosing health, income protection and life insurance, with affordability emerging as a clear priority in 2025.
Advisers report that clients continue to place the highest value on product quality, including access to value-added services such as remote GP consultations. This rose to 49%, up from 43% the previous year. Affordability has also increased for clients, increasing from 31% to 44%.
When partnering with insurers, advisers’ priorities remain consistent: product quality is the top factor (43%), followed by competitive pricing (34%) and brand reputation (28%).
Affordability is now the leading concern for clients considering income protection. 52% of advisers say this is the most important factor for clients, a marked increase compared with 2024 at 31% across all products. Product quality, including value-added services, remains a close second at 49%, followed by customer service experience at 41%.
For advisers working with income protection providers, product quality has grown in significance, with 36% in 2025 compared to 26% the previous year. Competitive pricing remains a key consideration at 33%, while brand reputation continues to feature prominently at 30%.
Product quality remains the strongest driver for clients choosing life insurance, cited by 49% of advisers in 2025. Affordability followed closely at 46%, also showing a clear year-on-year increase from 31%. Customer service experience continues to play an important role, selected by 39% of advisers.
Among advisers, product quality is the top priority when working with life insurance providers (35%), with competitive pricing (32%) and multiproduct availability (29%) rounding out the top considerations.
"What this research really shows is how closely aligned advisers and clients are on what matters most right now," Jamie Page, head of protection distribution at The Exeter, said. "Affordability is clearly front of mind, but it’s not just about price; people want products that genuinely add value."
He added: "That’s where quality and value-added services come in. Easy access to medical expertise, whether that’s through remote GP services or ongoing health support, is becoming an expected part of protection rather than a 'nice to have.' Our HealthWise app is a good example of how we’re trying to make that support available when members need it most.
"We’re also seeing a growing focus on brand performance among advisers. Reputation and trust are becoming increasingly influential in their recommendations, which means insurers need to be aware of how they show up in the market. Delivering consistent value, service reliability and a strong experience is essential for maintaining that confidence."
