The Insurance United Against Dementia (IUAD) campaign is proof of the miracles that can be worked when like-minded insurance professionals come together. Since the industry-led campaign launched in 2017, it has been supported by over 130 insurance organisations and recently hit its initial fundraising goal of £10 million – with every penny raised going directly to the Alzheimer's Society.
Going back to the 2017 lunch that started it all in a recent interview with Insurance Business, Benedict Burke (pictured) highlighted how a conversation with leading insurance voices Chris Wallace and Paul Jack revealed that they all shared experiences supporting loved ones struggling with dementia. “It’s important to talk about motivation when you talk about a campaign like this that sees so many people coming together in a truly collegiate way,” he said.
“And I have to say, since 2017, the people who have been engaged with this campaign have done so driven by one sincere thought – to help colleagues, friends, families and our business communities either directly impacted by dementia or whose loved ones are impacted.” During that initial lunch meeting, he said, it was Chris Wallace who really articulated the idea that there was an opportunity for the founders to come together, to pull together their networks and to support the dual “care and cure” ambitions of the Alzheimer's Society.
“We set ourselves the ambition of raising £10 million, which at the time felt like an incredibly ambitious target,” he said. “And we partnered with the Alzheimer's Society because we were so impressed by the professionalism of their people. People don’t tend to know a lot about how charities are run until you see behind their scenes – they’re very good people, but they’re also very clever and very professional”
The campaign got a further boost when it was joined by Aon’s Richard Dudley as chair, he said, and has gone from strength to strength. “The four of us really drove it at its outset, and more great people have since joined,” he said. Burke noted that it has been fantastic to see the insurance industry pull together over the years, particularly given the affirmation this has been of insurance as home to so many great people who want to do the right thing.
“I’ve spent nearly 45 years in the industry, and it’s a fabulous industry with fabulous people,” he said. “My own son is in the industry and I’ve always said to [my daughter] that you can become a doctor and the insurance world is still open to you. It sometimes has a somewhat tarnished reputation but I don’t think that’s fair because, overwhelmingly, it’s an industry that tries to do good.”
The success of the IUAD campaign clearly reflects that objective. Among the key milestones achieved by the charity initiative, it has supported the launch of the UK’s first-ever Dementia Research Institute – the UK DRI. Hosted by leading universities, it connects dementia researchers from across the UK so they can work together to better understand, diagnose, and treat diseases that cause dementia.
The industry’s support has also helped to propel researchers towards game-changing breakthroughs, he said. The UK DRI has led the way developing the technology for blood tests that could be used to diagnose dementia – a country-wide trial now underway, welcoming its first participants at the end of Jan 2025. “IUAD - supported by the ABI - was a key funding contributor to AS when it was under real pressure to deliver dementia support throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
“Funds raised through IUAD since 2017 also enabled the charity to increase capacity of its Dementia Support Line and further support this crucial service which manages 70,000 calls per year,” he said. “These experts are often the first point of contact after a dementia diagnosis. And the IUAD contributed to the creation of SUAD (Sport United Against Dementia), which replicated the IUAD model.”
Burke highlighted that dementia continues to devastate lives, and the insurance industry is not willing to accept that not enough people are getting the diagnosis they need to unlock the care/support they need – nor are they willing to accept that people may not be able to access treatments as they become available, treatments which could help slow the progression of symptoms.
“Those involved in the campaign continue to hear of others in the industry who are personally affected by dementia and know that nearly one million people are currently living with dementia across the UK, and hundreds of thousands of people caring for them,” he said. “Ensuring further understanding of dementia and support services available can ensure people get crucial advice.
“Into 2025 we will be engaging with other segments of the insurance/reinsurance industry, including suppliers, and also working on our messaging, including how economic inactivity generated in families by dementia does have a material effect on wellbeing - and how there’s a strong business case for aligning with the IUAD.”
High on the agenda for the IUAD, is continuing to reshape its board composition, he said, as nothing should stand still and it is open to new contributors. “We are excited about the future and how as an industry, we can continue to be effective in both supporting and funding care and cure dementia strategies,” he said. “The IUAD campaign will continue to unite the insurance industry. Together, we will end the devastation caused by dementia.”
