An industry agreement that directs individuals with medical conditions or disabilities toward appropriate insurance providers has been renewed for another three years.
Since its introduction in January 2020, the Agreement on Access to Protection has allowed over 30,000 consumers to gain better access to life and protection insurance, according to the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA).
Under the agreement, insurance providers are obligated to guide customers with medical conditions or disabilities toward specialists if they are unable to offer coverage themselves. BIBA’s Find Insurance Service is recommended as one of the key solutions within this framework.
A Press release from BIBA said its Find Insurance Service has received 30,227 enquiries relating to life insurance, critical illness and income protection since the agreement came into effect. It highlighted the experience of a woman with medically managed HIV who was put into contact with a specialist broker after struggling to find life insurance.
BIBA chief executive Graeme Trudgill commented on the positive impact that the agreement has had on consumers, expressing satisfaction with its renewal.
“This agreement has made such a difference to consumers, and we are delighted with the support that it has received during the first three years and now at the renewal,” he said. “BIBA is ideally positioned to help those with medical conditions or disabilities find their way to a specialist protection provider to help them access the cover they need, and we look forward to continuing to do so.”
BIBA is one of 39 signatories included in the agreement. It is joined by insurers like Zurich, as well as other industry bodies, protection insurance groups, brokers, and charities. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is a new signatory and is set to offer additional support.
“The renewal of the agreement is a great example of different parts of the industry coming together and collaborating to make access to insurance easier for those with more complex medical histories,” said Peter Hamilton, Zurich’s head of market engagement and the industry’s disability access ambassador. “There’s more to do – we want to grow the number of charities signposting to BIBA for example – but the number of customers visiting the site and seeking cover is evidence of a very real need that the industry is well placed to meet.”
“Life and protection insurance offers vital peace of mind that, should anything happen to us, our loved ones will be supported,” added Yvonne Braun, ABI’s director of policy, health and protection. “The ABI and our members are committed to making sure this product is accessible to as many people as possible. That’s why we are delighted to be joining the industry’s signposting agreement, to ensure anyone who needs specialist protection is able to find it.”
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