Our final review of the year looks back at Q4 2024 when the Health & Protection Awards 2024 returned, as did Scottish Widows to the world of income protection, Bupa aimed to address doctor concerns by increasing fees, and CIExpert’s Single Is Best campaign courted controversy.
October
The UK Health & Protection’s Awards headlined October with comic Kevin Bridges overseeing proceedings and Alun Beynon received the Outstanding Contribution Award (pictured).
And of course the great and good of the sector celebrated their success by partying into the wee hours.
The month also saw some high profile exits from Protection Guru.
Scottish Widows returned to the world of income protection with the launch of its new product.
The dispute between doctors and insurers took another twist as Bupa made a series of concessions to medical practitioners including increasing fees, the launch of a consultant panel and a commitment to regularly reviewing fees in future.
Guardian revealed marketing and proposition director Jacqui Gillies was leaving the insurer and departing the industry after 42 years.
Also bidding a fond farewell was Andrew Wibberley, who stepped down as co-chairman of the IPTF.
October was also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, for which Sarah Morgan, a people experience consultant at Zurich, spoke to Health & Protection about how work played a key role in her beating breast cancer.
The month ended with the chancellor’s increase to employer’s National Insurance Contributions announced at the Budget among a whole host of changes.
And there was plenty of hot debate at Health & Protection’s individual PMI House of Lords roundtable.
November
In November, CIExpert’s Single Is Best campaign drew significant backing, but also some detractors.
Bupa’s Richard Glassborow’s moved to Axa Health in the newly created role of distribution and marketing director.
At Protection Review 2024, AMI CEO Robert Sinclair told delegates the protection sector needed to focus its attention on a landmark ruling which threatens to drive a “coach and horses” through every part of commission in financial services.
Elsewhere, MPs and peers proposed that the appointed representative (AR) regime should either be banned entirely or networks should be made 100% responsible for their ARs.
And to mark Movember Health Shield’s Alan Murphy and Reassured’s Phil Jeynes shared their Movember stories.
December
The end of the year saw Brown & Brown buy advice firm and employee benefits consultancy Drewberry for an undisclosed sum.
Over the pond, Gallagher bought fellow multinational intermediary AssuredPartners for $13.45bn, approximately £10.56bn, from private equity firm GTCR.
Marking Grief Awareness Week, Legal & General’s Beth Sutton-Evans told her moving personal story about coping with grief since the passing of her husband in spring 2023.
And looking ahead to 2025, Health & Protection revealed details of our next Protection Forum which will take place in March.
