"As the PDG grows we want to use the funding to better support the operational side so we can continue to develop and deliver actions on a number of initiatives"
Established in 2016 by a group of like-minded Protection advisers, the PDG was incorporated as a not-for-profit organisation in November 2020.
By April 2023, 23 firm members had joined the group, including Networks, Nationals and individual practices. The sponsorship income helps keep membership fees affordable for all member firms and with them funds the cost of the small PDG executive, thus enabling the many initiatives that aim to have a positive impact on consumers who purchase protection products, and so help grow the protection market.
The inaugural sponsors; CIExpert, iPipeline, Iress, NMG Consulting, Protection Guru, Square Health and UnderwriteMe support adviser activity in quoting, analysing, underwriting and placing Protection into the UK market, and have all agreed with the PDG values in working towards delivering better consumer outcomes.
Neil McCarthy, chair of the PDG, commented:
“As the PDG grows we want to use the funding to better support the operational side so we can continue to develop and deliver actions on a number of initiatives. We have successfully created a Claims Charter outlining what we feel is an industry-wide minimum best practice to help clients, which has been adopted by most insurers, as well as a Funeral Payment Pledge, and are working on a number of initiatives to improve standards in policy retention processes and distribution transparency.”
Steve Casey, Marketing Director at Square Health, adds:
“Square Health is delighted to become an inaugural sponsor for the PDG which is at the forefront of raising standards to deliver better customer outcomes.”
Alan Lakey, Director at CIExpert commented:
“Over the last 10 years, CIExpert has always prided itself in shining a light on product variations in a way that has helped to influence change in the protection market and encourage improvements that deliver improved outcomes for clients. We feel very aligned with the PDG’s initiatives that support this same philosophy and therefore our sponsorship and support was a very natural decision.”
