As a leading voice in protection, LifeSearch’s CEO Debbie Kennedy was invited onto IFA Magazine’s ‘IFA Talk’ podcast to discuss the growing protection gap among UK mortgage holders, and how advisers can better support their customers. The discussion highlighted not only the statistics behind the gap but also practical steps the industry can take to make protection more relevant and accessible to homeowners across the UK.
Debbie was joined by Paula Higgins, Founder and CEO at HomeOwners Alliance, to discuss the vital research we’ve recently conducted together around protection for mortgage holders. Their collaboration sheds light on the trends, behaviours, and barriers that contribute to under-protection and demonstrates the value of combining industry insight with consumer-focused research.
In the podcast, hosted by Megan Rose Bratley and Sue Whitbread from IFA Magazine, Debbie and Paula delved into the joint findings on the very real risks facing homeowners today:
These insights are a stark reminder of the importance of raising awareness and ensuring more people have the right financial protection in place to safeguard their homes and families.
The conversation also dives deeper into how advisers can make protection advice more understandable and genuinely valued. Together, Debbie and Paula highlight key challenges, including the tendency for young people to dismiss income protection as irrelevant and the under-protection of women, while also exploring practical ways advisers can reframe these conversations to better meet client needs and close protection gaps, empowering clients to make informed decisions with confidence and long-term security.
Within the podcast, Debbie advises: “Don’t just lead with the product. Start by finding out what’s brought the customer to you today - what they’re thinking about, what they need and what they’re trying to achieve. It’s all too easy to dive straight into price and product, but the real value comes from listening to their story first.”
A huge thank you to IFA Magazine for shining a spotlight on this important conversation.
You can listen to the full episode here: Providing understandable and valued protection advice, with LifeSearch’s Debbie Kennedy & Homeowners Alliance’s Paula Higgins.
Find out about the latest HomeOwner Survey, conducted by HomeOwners Alliance in partnership with LifeSearch and others, revealing key findings about mortgage protection and financial resilience.
New research from LifeSearch and HomeOwners Alliance exposes a significant and widespread gap in how UK homeowners manage their financial resilience.
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