"Raise the profile of wellbeing benefits to convert interest from under-65s and expand the market."
Sarah Hitchcock, Associate Consultant – Financial Services
16% of over-50s who do not have a guaranteed acceptance whole-of-life plan express interest in getting a policy, while an even greater proportion are keen to learn more about the product. This equates to a larger number of people than currently have the product. Yet despite this level of interest, sales have fallen in both of the past two years.
The decline reflects weaker demand as a result of cost-of-living pressures, along with a contraction in supply, which has reduced competition. It also reflects uncertainty caused by the FCA’s investigation into the protection market. The latter is likely to have suppressed appetite for innovation, with providers generally adopting a cautious wait-and-see approach.
The delayed publication of the interim report in January 2026, therefore, will have come as a relief. With the threat of regulatory intervention largely gone, providers now have more certainty. Notwithstanding economic challenges and pricing pressures, providers also have more to feel positive about. There are good prospects to grow sales and expand the market, once inflationary pressures ease and as new digital developments increase marketing and distribution opportunities.
Instant delivery when paying by credit card, invoice orders may take longer
Save 10% when you purchase two reports together.
Save 15% when you purchase three reports together.
Save 20% when your purchase four or more together.
Discount automatically applied at checkout
Our research specialists can answer your questions and recommend the reports that best match your business needs.
Contact us
There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.
However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.
When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.
They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.
So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.
Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.
When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.
The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.
At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Our research specialists can answer your questions and recommend the reports that best match your business needs.
Contact us
