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by Protection Review 03/12/24 Category: Latest News

The judging day was held in October and took over 6 hours. One of the longest judging days yet.

As usual, the industry votes help to decide the shortlists. And combined with the written entries, the views and opinions of the judges decide the overall winners.

Here are some notes on how the judges came to their decisions.

Innovation Award in association with Gen Re

Winner: Zurich

Zurich Accelerate, launched earlier this year, provides access to global experts to offer a package of medical care services for cancer, heart and neurological conditions.The judges said the response to the proposition from the industry is telling – described as a potential game changer, with acclaim from advisers, and excellent marketing, all supporting a ‘new approach with the customer in mind and offers fast access to consultations, diagnostics, and second medical opinions.

Best New Product/Enhancement in association with Hannover Re

Winner: Zurich

The judges said this year’s winner focused on two developments. A new critical illness product that's a truly modular product offering 3 levels of adult cover, 2 levels of children's cover and the unique, optional Pregnancy and Early Childhood Cover. Customers only pay for the cover they need, when they need it. The second is Accelerate, a new support package that offers fast access to consultations, diagnostics and second medical opinions that described in the previous category.

Individual Protection Adviser of the Year in association with The Exeter

Winner: Karla Edwards, The Protection Parent

The judges said the Karla shared a powerful case study about a claimant who went on to feature in her social media activity along with strong metrics. This adviser is pushing the industry forward in terms of reaching new customers using videos on social media platforms and strong stories based on real client experiences.

Health Insurance Adviser of the Year in association with Reframe Cancer

Winner: Howden Life & Health

The judges said Howden’s entry was very customer focused. They were impressed with the winner running consumer panels, where 15 clients visit their HQ and providefeedback on the customer journey which the company then used to restructure its proposition. Judges also highlighted the steps taken for a deaf customer which made a powerful case study.

Global Development Award in association with INSTANDA

Winner: Hannover Re

The judges were impresssed by how Hannover Re has revolutionised the underwriting process for life insurers through its partnership with Quest Diagnostics’ Exam One. This integration enabled real-time, comprehensive data to streamline underwriting decisions and policy issuance by eliminating manual, in-person involvement and reducing both medical testing and overall costs. This underwriting solution in the US was likely to have the biggest impact for customers while also being the most technically challenging to achieve and implement. A true example of innovation which will drive development.

Underwriting & Claims Award in association with Contact State

Winner: Guardian

The judges felt this is an incredibly important award because it’s all about claims and underwriting. Our winner, Guardian won both the industry AND adviser vote, they are part of PDG Claims Charter, some guest judges had very positive personal experiences, plus they provided strong testimonials in their entry. 

Young Achiever Award in association with Zurich

Winner: Britney Trussler, Dynamo

The judges said this entry showed an authentic & driven self-starter, putting herself out of her comfort zone, focused not only on building her own profile but working for the good of the industry – with rapid promotion and a focus on impaired lives.

Best Protection Network in association with HSBC

Winner: Paradigm Protect

The judges liked Paradigm Protect's emphasis on educational initiatives and the breadth of work in this area along with comprehensive protection & GI support. They showed strong growth across all product lines with a particular emphasis on amplifying support for mortgage firms, helping them write/grow protection business, both in line with Consumer Duty (CD) and whilst the mortgage market has been falling and cost-of-living crisis continued.

Unsung Hero Award in association with MetLife

Winner: Andy Woollon, Zurich

The judges said our winner may have had too many social media screenshots in their entry, but that didn’t detract from a career spanning 40yrs promoting health and protection solutions, which has clearly been motivated by great customer outcomes. Andy impressed the judges in his role as a Specialist Presenter with a who range of CPD workshops, presentations, lunch and learn sessions and webinars all of which he promotes on LinkedIn.

Best Care and Support Experience in association with CIExpert

Winner: The Exeter

The judges were interested in The Exeter's research found that only one in two advisers talk to their clients about the benefits of value-added services. Over the past 12 months, they've made it our mission to ensure value-added services are part of the adviser and client conversations. The judges were unanimous that this clear and well-constructed entry describing how they've focussed on raising awareness of their services, backed up with strong data to support the claims made, was a clear winner. 

Best Protection Marketing in association with Space

Winner: Zurich

The judges said this comprehensive entry represents a proper marketing integrated campaign. Their entry talked about a campaign (late 2023 to 2024) to focus attention on rehabilitation. The judges liked the range of insight/materials developed and breadth of stakeholders engaged, including politicians, consumers, advisers and opinion formers. The work was impressive in terms of its reach and impact.

Doing it Better Award in association with Iress

Winner: Shepherds Friendly

What shone through to judges with Shepherd Friendly's entry was that “Doing it better” is part of their culture. This organisation gives employees choices with a comprehensive range of initiatives, far beyond expectations for an organisation of its size. Their efforts affect their staff, the local community, the environment and society.

Protection Journalist of the Year in association with Iress

Winner: Moira O'Neil

The judges said this award usually goes to trade journalists but every now and again a writer gets to grips with issues that matter for consumers. Our winner, Moira, has written a number of detailed pieces about protection over the last year and also won this year’s HeadlineMoney Award for protection.

Distribution Impact Award in association with Aviva

Winner: Reassured

The judges said this is a new award that is underpinned by data, and there are three incredibly good firms on the shortlist. In truth, any of them could’ve won. However, when you have categories that are so close – and so hotly debated – sometimes you need to focus on the quality of the entry, and the evidence and data provided. Judges liked the work with Avatars and AI, the universal trust form, and the commitment demonstrated to grow the market.

Protection Intermediary of the Year in association with Holloway Friendly

Winner: Future Proof

The judges said Future Proof's was a well written & clearly presented entry packed full of data and metrics, with an engaging human touch. They provided strong evidence of great service and great customer outcomes, plus showed a real ambition for the future.

Personality of the Year in association with Beagle Street

Winner: Matthew Chapman

The judges said the winner of this award should be high profile, positive, outspoken and customer focused. Our winner this year has worked tirelessly to raise – and then use his profile to improve the quality of advice given by advisers. As well as working with insurers to assist in product design and development, he has also worked with trade bodies, speaks at industry events & podcast, and has been known to do the odd social media post.

Organisation of the year

Winner: Guardian

This award recognises dedication, innovation and achievement across a range of important areas. Our winner was in the top 3 for many categories tonight, including the all-important Underwriting & Claims award, while also innovating in product development. Most importantly, the feedback from advisers is overwhelming.

Lifetime Achievement in association with Legal & General

Winner: Tom Baigrie

Unlike some previous winners of this prestigious award, tonight’s winner is someone we think you all know. In fact, it is someone who one way or another has probably had an impact on every one of us in this room – and many thousands beyond.

Born in South Africa and educated in Cape Town he completed two years National Service in the early 1980s, before joining Merchant Investors. In 1986 he met his long-term business partner (who is here tonight) and started a new IFA business. And in 1989 he married Alison (who is also here tonight). By all accounts, life cover, the building block of all financial planning, was not quite the highest priority in those investment driven days of the 80s. But to rectify this – and making the most of new technology at the time – a phone-based protection advice business was created in the late 90s. Legend has it, it all began with one person on the phone and a freephone number in the Yellow Pages. 

Our winner is not one for exams. But he does like an award or two. In fact, his protection business once won THREE Money Marketing awards in one night. He is not afraid to try new things – new insurers, new products, new technology, new campaigns & more. He was very supportive about Seven Families and the CPIEC campaign (who remembers that?!). He also laid the foundations for what is now known as the PDG. He has helped to raise the profile and awareness of protection over many years and is famous for saying “The Claim is the product.” His firm has arranged 2m protection policies. And he has been cited as the inventor of the protection advice call centre. In his career he has been responsible for recruiting and developing some of the industry’s finest people – in 2010 he recruited the wonderful Emma Thomson and a certain Kevin Carr, to name but a few.

At times he has rubbed people up the wrong way. He has occasionally offended people. And you won’t always agree with him.

But what cannot be denied is his overwhelming and lasting impact on the protection industry, which he has without doubt made a bigger and better place.

How to win in 2025?

• Read and respond to the entry criteria
• Stick to the format and word count
• Back up your claims as best you can with evidence, stats, testimonials & more

And for a bit of fun – check out this video by Kevin Carr.