The exclusion of relevant life policies and key man cover plus income minus expenses (I-E) tax changes in addition to gender neutral re-pricing has dictated a tough and complicated change to manage, L&G’s protection specialist Clare Harrop said.
“The exclusion regarding business protection makes it even more complicated than just gender-neutral re-pricing, in that we have to decide whether to have two different price rates or not,” she explained.
“And if that happens will people take relevant life plans inappropriately because of price? We need gender neutral pricing throughout everything.”
Harrop added that the I-E tax changes will mean providers paying more tax and premiums being pushed up even further.
She said: “And on top of everything, we are also trying to highlight to advisers that 21 December is the cut off for applications on existing premiums, and let them know where the biggest impacts on premiums will be. It is a very difficult one.”
Mutual Exeter Family Friendly said it was well placed to tackle gender re-pricing without having the additional impact of I-E tax change.
Nick Jones, brand and marketing manager at the friendly, said: “For many other insurers it will be a more complex picture. Most have chosen to leave re-pricing until nearer the deadline, while many also have the implications of tax change to deal with.”
