Fast pace change and developments have swept through the world of health and protection in 2025 in the UK and internationally.
It was a year in which increases to employer’s national insurance contributions (NIC) came into effect, Sir Charlie Mayfield delivered his Keep Britain Working Review, while the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) failed to deliver on a commitment to publish its Protection Market Study interim report.
But we start off with the first quarter of 2025 in which the prime minsiter shed light on how the government would cut NHS wait times, Vitality added weight loss injections to the insurer’s weight management pathway, Health & Protection launched our inaugural UK provider service ratings for protection and health insurers, and the FCA published its final plan for the market study.
January
As the year kicked off, Setul Mehta, announced the launch of his new social media management support company for advisers.
A further launch came in the form of Axa Global Healthcare’s app integrating its healthcare, insurance, and personalised wellbeing features.
Health & Protection also brought news that the Towergate name will be dropped by Ardonagh in favour of Everywhen, although UsayCompare is expected to remain.
We also brought you news of prime minister Keir Starmer outlining plans detailing how the government would now “roll up its sleeves” to reduce waiting lists at the NHS.
Part of that strategy was allowing NHS app users to choose from a wide range of providers – including in the independent sector.
And reflecting a trend that would be felt across the year, Aon revealed the cost of employee medical plans had been increasing around the globe, with the highest increases in the Middle East and Africa and the Asia Pacific regions.
January is also FA Cup 3rd round time, and H&P spoke to a qualified financial adviser who turned out for Tamworth as they took on Tottenham Hotspur.
February
As the long winter came to a close, the ABI staged its 2025 conference where H&P asked Vitality’s Dr Katie Tryon about their recent addition of weight loss injections to the insurer’s weight management pathway.
Mid month brought with it St Valentine’s Day which saw Emma Wood, director of healthcare at Broadway Insurance, tell Health & Protection about how her colleague, senior health and wellbeing consultant, Melissa Jayne Golder, supported a customer right to the very end of her cancer.
The month also saw Simplyhealth launch its Simply Essentials package.
Meanwhile, Bupa Global extended its reach into France with ambitions to claim 10% of international private medical insurance (IPMI) business in the country.
On another international note, rules mandating professional qualifications for senior insurance representatives and introducing a host of other regulations to tighten up the United Arab Emirates (UAE) broker market went live.
March
As spring set in, Health & Protection launched its inaugural provider service ratings for insurers in the UK health and protection markets.
The LifeSearch Awards took place at which founder Tom Baigrie said the FCA was already making good progress in clearing out rogue distributors ahead of the imminent release of its final terms of reference of its upcoming protection market study.
The month also saw Howden announce the acquisition of Barnett Waddingham, with H&P bringing readers an exclusive on the eventual disappearing of the Barnett Waddingham name.
Bupa Global signed a deal moving its Qatari customers to Doha Insurance Group to allow it to provide IPMI products and solutions in the Qatari market.
Meanwhile, the health insurer reported it’s pre-tax profit rose more than 70% to almost £1bn in 2024, however its UK and Global insurance division saw profits slip 15% over last year with commission and claims costs rising.
Adviser network Primis faced a £1.9m charge in its annual results after expelling a protection advice firm from the network, with £1.2m to cover potential commission clawback.
The warmer days also bring with it the Spring Statement where chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance was set to increase by 2029, but the health element of that was set to be halved and frozen for new claims.
Finally, one of the highest profile events of the month which set the course for the year was the FCA publishing its final terms of reference for its pure protection market study.
The FCA expanded the areas under consideration to include restricted panels of insurers used by distributors’, cover for customers who have pre-existing medical conditions and barriers to innovation and investment.
It will also consider the activities of reinsurers, portals, product comparison platforms, and lead generators.
However the regulator confirmed private medical insurance (PMI), business and key person insurance, accident, sickness and unemployment insurance (ASU), funeral plans and insurance products with a savings or investment element will be outside the study’s scope.
