Commitments to be less impatient with insurers, to gain more qualifications and ensure protection is included in every client conversation feature among advisers’ personal and business New Year resolutions for 2026.
With today being the first day back for many workers across the country, Health & Protection spoke to advisers and found a sector committed to many ways of improving themselves and their organisations throughout the year.
Being more patient
“My personal one is to be less impatient,” Alan Lakey, director at CIExpert and Highclere Financial Services (pictured), told Health & Protection.
“I get so annoyed with insurers with their delays and my bank every three months makes me change my password. It seems unnecessary.
“I’m going to be more patient this year and not shout and jump up and down. We’ll see if that works out, but I’m not convinced that it will.”
In business, Lakey added he wanted to be more proactive because there is a tendency in any business to be more reactive.
“In my advisory business I spend so much time dealing with clients wanting to do things and I spend less time reviewing client’s files and thinking they need to do this,” Lakey continued.
“Someone has had a baby and you email them to tell them they need to think about family protection and things like that.
“So I’m going to make sure I devote one day a month, if not two or three, to being proactive as opposed to just sitting there and being an order taker.”
Better work life balance
Alan Knowles, co-managing director at Cura Financial Services, admits he does not do New Year resolutions, but starts earlier.
“I do Christmas resolutions,” Knowles said.
“My view is that if I can do it over Christmas then I can continue into January and beyond.
“So for me, the two are mutually exclusive. A better work-life balance: more time in the gym and taking the time to do things I enjoy and that relax me; less time in the office, but making sure that time I do spend working is super productive and efficient.”
Getting more active
For Chantal Leprêtre, client adviser at SIP Medical Family Office, her focus is on fitness.
“I’ve been lazy for the past two years,” Leprêtre said.
“I want to get back on that – I even bought new running shoes and they are fabulous because they’re specifically for running on pavements and concrete. So I can really feel the difference between my old running shoes and the new ones.
“I also actually want to pick up some pictures in my new flat so it looks more like a home.
“Work wise, I want to do the CII certification, so do more personal development.”
Increasing coverage
Jo Pawson, head of protection at New Leaf Distribution, reveals she does not set any New Year resolutions – preferring to set goals.
“From a New Leaf perspective, in 2026 I want to help our advisers make protection part of every conversation with every client so by the end of the year we’ve protected more clients than ever before,” Pawson continued.
“I also want to help build adviser confidence – not just knowledge as well.”
