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Walking a mile in your client’s shoes

22/10/2024

Eric Bell, Business Development Manager

Have you ever stopped to think about what it really means to “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes?” 

This phrase pops up in conversations, but do we grasp the depth of its message? It’s more than just a suggestion to consider someone else’s life. It’s about empathy and understanding, about truly stepping into another person’s world. 

However, do we really think about the financial and emotional pressures that exist during a client’s time of need.

Like me, if you work within the Protection industry you will speak about the different products available to meet customers’ needs on a regular basis and these conversations will naturally include not only the features of a plan but also the benefits.

How do we react when we hear about someone who is off work due to illness and as a result has also lost their monthly income?

Our initial reaction will often be… I hope they have an Income Protection plan in place. Replacing most of their lost Income is undoubtably the key area of need here. If they do have an Income Protection plan in place their income will be replaced, but can we really consider that a job well done?

Photo of Jennie

Walking in someone’s shoes

At the start I mentioned putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.

Let’s look at an example that is based on one of our recent Income Protection claims we had here at LV=. 

You work full time, you are married and have one daughter. Out of the blue you suffer a stroke and are left with limited movement in your arms and your speech has been badly impacted. The good news is you have an Income Protection plan however that won’t start providing any monthly benefit until the 3 month deferred period has run its course.

In these 3 months your husband needs to go back to work as the household can’t afford for him to be off work to look after you. Friends and family are helping with looking after the kids, school runs etc…a lot of the time you are home alone. The thought of receiving your IP benefit at some point soon is 100% better than not. However, all you want at this point is life to get back to normal, or as close to it as possible.

What if your IP plan gave you access to immediate support, financially and emotionally? Imagine being in the above position and you also got access to:

  • Throughout the entire claims process, you have access to one to one support and guidance from a dedicated claims handler.
  • Get immediate back to work support (as early as during the deferred period) to help you get back to work quicker, for example this can include speech therapy. Arranged and paid for by your protection provider. 
  • 24/7 access to a remote GP and mental health support throughout your recovery and for as long as your policy is live. 

For many a successful Income Protection claim isn’t just about the tax-free income they will receive after their deferred period. It’s the additional support they have access to - before, during and after the claim begins. 

 

Thinking beyond the standard Income Protection claim

When thinking of your clients and their specific circumstances, always pull out the features that do and could benefit them in the future. 

Last year we paid almost £190,000 in parent and child cover

Parent and child cover

You are a parent with a daughter and she is sadly diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. You want to take the time off to support your daughter and be there throughout her treatment. When speaking to your financial adviser on how you can do this, they remind you that your Income Protection policy includes parent and child cover. 

This cover pays a lump sum out to parents if their child is diagnosed with a listed illness. After receiving medical evidence to confirm the diagnosis, you receive a payment of £25,000 for the family. This payment allows you and your partner to focus on what's most important – spending time together as a family.

Image of Jill

Pay my mortgage

Imagine you are a new homeowner, and you have a mortgage of £250,000. Unfortunately, not long after signing up for your Income Protection, you suffer a haemorrhage which eventually leads to an epilepsy diagnosis with chronic symptoms that leave you unable to go back to work as a caterer.

When submitting your claim, your adviser notices you receive Universal Credit and reminds you that as part of your policy, you can use the pay my mortgage facility. This facility allows you to have all or some of your monthly Income Protection paid directly to your lender while protecting some or all of your Universal Credit income at the same time.

Talk about the wider benefits of protection

Now that you have walked in a few client’s shoes, you can make the most of your protection conversations by using this experience with your clients. Take them through various experiences and the potential situations they could experience throughout their lives.

Make sure you highlight that protection products these days go beyond the main claim and there are multiple other features and benefits that they can use. Within LV’s Income Protection policy alone, we offer 4 potential claim opportunities through the various product features included.

¹ LV= Claims report 2024 

All situations are based on claims received by LV=

Real stories

Bring life to your protection conversations, by sharing real stories that highlight the impact of protection. Find some examples to support your advice. 

Visit the Real Stories hub 

Income Protection Solutions

Without an income, most people would struggle to maintain their lifestyle, leaving them and their families vulnerable if they’re unable to work due to illness or injury. 

Learn more about our Income Protection Solutions  

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Your account manager can provide dedicated support to help you with protection, from 121 training to support on specific cases.