The Intermediary – February 2026 - Flipbook - Page 71
P RO T E C T I O N
Opinion
Reconnecting with
GI: Habits to support
good practice
W
ith the market
expected to
strengthen this
year, fuelled
by lower
interest rates,
advisers are expected to see demand
rise as property transactions pick
up. Alongside this, 2026 is shaping
up to be a significant year for client
remortgages and product transfers.
Within this environment,
general insurance (GI) presents a
powerful opportunity to deepen
client relationships, support good
customer outcomes, and generate
additional income.
Our latest annual adviser research
highlights both the opportunity and
the challenge. In 2025, we surveyed
485 financial advisers and found
that 83% want to grow the volume
of GI business they write. However,
half admied they sometimes miss
opportunities to discuss or sell GI.
As the year gathers pace and good
intentions risk slipping down the
priority list, the focus should be
on turning GI into a habit. Beyond
simply remembering to raise the
subject, here are some tips for
effective GI conversations today, so
that advisers can ensure more of their
clients benefit.
Ask the right questions
Even with all the integrations and
automated quotes available, nothing
replaces the benefits of a meaningful
conversation. Fact-finding remains
the foundation of good advice, but
effective GI conversations go beyond
basic property details. Asking the
right questions helps advisers connect
insurance back to what maers most
to the client.
Questions such as “what’s important
to you about your insurance?”,
“what do you expect this policy to do
for you?” and “are there any items
you’d want to be absolutely sure are
covered?”, demonstrate genuine
interest and encourage meaningful
dialogue. Clients should feel
understood, not funnelled towards a
standard product.
For remortgage clients in particular,
it’s essential to check whether
circumstances have changed. Have
they purchased any high-value items?
Started working from home? Have
they renovated or extended their
home, or are they planning any
building work soon? These prompts
help advisers quickly assess whether
existing cover is still appropriate
and competitive.
Crucially, advisers should be
led by what the client tells them.
For example, if a client mentions
a child moving out for university,
it creates a natural opportunity to
discuss relevant features - such as
Paymentshield policies that include
up to £10,000 of contents cover for
household members living away
from home.
Optional extras
Home insurance premiums have
risen across the market in recent
years, largely due to higher rebuilding
costs. While prices are now easing
(Consumer Intelligence reports a
1% average decrease in the last three
months and a 4.8% fall in Q3 2025),
premiums remain above pre-2024
levels. As a result, some clients may
gravitate towards more slim-line
policies. This is where advisers can
add real value.
Clients appreciate guidance on
where savings make sense and where
they don’t. Discussing optional extras
such as home emergency or personal
possessions cover, and explaining their
NASAR HUSSAIN
is director of intermediated
household at Paymentshield
benefits, helps clients make informed
decisions rather than simply cuing
cover. Using real-world examples such as the cost and disruption of a
boiler breakdown - can make these
discussions more tangible.
Referral is always an option
For advisers who don’t feel like they
have the time or resource to handle GI
in-house, referring to a trusted partner
is a straightforward mechanism to still
help drive good customer outcomes.
It’s a route growing in popularity: our
referral volumes increased by almost
40% in 2025 compared to 2024.
However, consistency is key. If GI
discussions are oen missed with
remortgage or product transfer
clients, for example, building referral
into the standard process can help
close that gap. Quality also maers.
Clients should be warmed up and
expecting contact, as this significantly
improves engagement.
Staying connected
At its heart, GI is about connection:
connecting advice to real lives and
policies to priorities. Advisers who
build strong GI habits don’t just
reduce missed opportunities - they
reinforce their role as trusted partners
throughout the home-owning journey
and beyond.
By asking beer questions, linking
cover back to what maers and
using referral where appropriate,
advisers can ensure GI remains
a natural and integral part of the
client relationship. ●
February 2026 | The Intermediary
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