Just an Update 24/07/2023

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Just an update

Monday 24th July

This week's headlines:

Equity Release

We are delighted to confirm that our second podcast episode is now available!

In this episode we are joined by guests Iain McKechnie and Mike Stratton, two of our ER Advisors and concentrate on Mortgage Prisoners. We discuss what they are, how to spot them and how Equity Release can help.

You have two opportunities to listen, you can either watch a video or you can download the audio file and listen to it when you are out and about!

Visit HERE

In addition we have produced this 2 minute video sharing a number of handy facts about Equity Release that may help you with realising the opportunity HERE

Finally, to Refer an Equity Release enquiry, simply visit HERE, it will take you 2 minutes to complete.

We have just celebrated our 1st anniversary of partnering with eConveyancer and the proposition goes from strength to strength with record numbers now using the service.

If you are yet to try the service or have tried it and stopped why not instruct them on your next case?

Be it Remortgage or Purchase they can help!

the 200+ active users of eConveyancer!
Join
A reminder of the key USP's: User Portal for Advisers User Portal for Customers Account Manager Support Over 60 conveyancers on panel at any time Electronic Identification Available in Northern Ireland Multiple languages Catered Trading Style Branding can be used Online case status updates available User Ratings to choose on service

Don't just take our word for it, here are some recent testimonials from brokers:

“ I have found eConveyancer to be an amazing addition to my sales process, it’s customer facing format allows me to give my clients an easy to understand approach to conveyancing, they can see tangible options based on locality, price and ease of completion that make what traditionally can be a stressful time that little bit easier and the process of purchasing or remortgaging a more enjoyable experience."

“The portal is very easy to navigate, whether quoting, retrieving or instructing a case. The instruction process is very quick and if you should need to cancel then this is also carried out in a timely manner. The add a query section of the case works well, however, this normally needs a follow up email to the conveyancer themselves and a phone call to get an update. You can quite clearly see at what stage of the process you are at, as long as the conveyancer has ticked that a particular task has been completed. Email updates of milestones have been reached are also very helpful, again as long as the conveyancer has ticked that box! Adele Duffy is very hands on and if you need anything chased or actioned she replies very speedily. Confirmation of payment made when an instruction has been completed is also very quick and paid into the account normally only a few days after completion.”

"I have had a lot of success using E-Conveyancer. The process is sharp and understandable. I have managed to get a re-mortgage done from start to finish in 3 weeks recently. They then pay sharply upon completion which is another motivator. For Re-Mortgages, I have complete faith they are 10x better than the free solicitors provided by banks. With rates increasing and people being particularly scared of dropping onto the variable, it’s really useful to have a solicitor you can use to ensure a smooth process, or one who is motivated to help when you contact them."

"As a mortgage broker, one of my guiding principles for legal services referral is that the firm is reliable, reputable, and dependable. It is a deal breaker for me if I am not kept up to date with the progress of my case and worse still not being able to get hold of the acting solicitor. For this reason, I have often shied away from making legal referrals, to avoid damaging the relationship with my clients from a negative referral experience. I am pleased to say that since signing up to the e-conveyancing platform a year ago, my experience is one of outstanding service and communication. Their online referral system is super easy to use and that is saying something as I am a real technophobe! I foresee a long relationship with e-conveyancing and look forward to placing more business in the future.”

-Valerie Anigbo
-Harry Hlavaty

Integra joins Paymentshield panel

With over 40 years in UK Home Insurance industry, Integra are an MGA based in the UK with a focus on homeowner insurance products. Their products are constantly reviewed and refined using the latest in-depth data enrichment technologies allowing them to provide competitive quotations based on granular data.

Delivering high-quality insurance and providing their customers is at the heart of what they do. They offer a first-class claims service managed by their UK based global claims partner who provide customer focussed end to end claims handling, utilising a range of market leading field and digital technology-based services.

Joe Bishop, Insurer Relations Director at Paymentshield, said: “At Paymentshield we work closely with insurers to deliver our advisers the best quality panel that offers a wide scope of coverage, competition on price and the peace of mind that, should their clients ever need to make a claim, they will receive an unrivalled experience.

“The addition of Integra to our Home Insurance panel, will support all of these things and provide advisers with a great opportunity to talk about general insurance with their general insurance clients.”

Integra’s Deputy Chief Underwriting Officer, Tony Dixon, said ‘We’re delighted to be forming a new partnership with Paymentshield. Their unique distribution channel through mortgage and financial advisers opens up a new segment of the home insurance market to Integra.

We’re now able to offer Paymentshield customers competitive household rates driven from our sophisticated pricing models and enhanced quotability derived from our IHP infrastructure. This is an exciting opportunity for both parties, and we look forward to building a successful relationship.’

The Insurance List has been updated to include Integra and distributed by Liz Yates. Please use the updated version for all Protection business.

TBMC closed to new applications

The closure of TBMC follows a comprehensive review by its parent company Paragon Banking Group PLC and is in line with Paragon’s strategy of prioritising investment in its core operations.

Paragon Bank Managing Director of Mortgages Richard Rowntree commented: “We appreciate this is difficult news for our colleagues at TBMC and I thank Jane Simpson and her team for the service they have given to the company over the years.” He added: “Paragon’s mortgage distribution model has evolved and broadened significantly since TBMC was acquired in 2007 and, as such, TBMC is today considered a non-core operation.

As one of the leading Buy to Let lenders in the UK, our strategy remains focussed on growing lending in specialist segments of the market, particularly in areas where larger banks fail to adequately serve customers.”

TBMC is now closed for new applications. Please be assured that any applications currently in the pipeline will be managed through the usual process, and TBMC will ensure a smooth transition during this period.

If you need to contact TBMC regarding existing applications, please phone 029 2069 5400 or email enquiries@tbmc.co.uk

The Exeter add ‘first job promise’ and ‘redundancy premium holiday’ to Income First

The Exeter has added a first job promise and redundancy premium holiday to its Income First product to provide greater support for members who find themselves in vulnerable circumstances.

When an income protection claim is made, a member’s benefit is assessed against their previous 12 months of earnings. But for those who have just started work following full-time education, this can be impossible to provide, exposing a gap in cover.

With The Exeter’s new ‘first job promise’, if a member claims within their first year of employment, they will calculate their income based on an annual salary of the income they have so far earned prior to the claim.

A ‘redundancy premium holiday’ offers support to members made redundant and facing financial difficulties, offering to waive their premiums for up to three months. It will support both employed and self-employed members, who must have held their policy for 6 months to qualify.

If the member is self-employed, they will qualify for the feature if they suffer a form of business failure – such as bankruptcy, insolvency, or liquidation – at least six months after the policy starts. The redundancy premium holiday is aimed at giving members greater certainty during times of financial difficulty and the ability to retain full cover, benefits, and access to value-added services, such as HealthWise.

Prioritise your client’s protection with indexation

With the inflation outlook more uncertain than it’s been in years, indexing a plan has never been more relevant. Indexation enables your clients’ cover to increase each year with no further underwriting and protects them against rises in the cost of living – making sure they have the cover they need now and in the future.

Plus, your clients can now access Vitality’s new and enhanced upfront discount of 4.5% off their premiums when they add indexation to their term life cover1. That’s the same marketleading cover, with a bigger discount.

To find out more about Indexation, visit Vitality’s website here. 1 The discount of 4.5% on Term plans (excl. Income Protection) and 5% on Whole of Life plans applies to single life plans only. The discount of 1% is for joint Whole of Life plans.

GP 24/7 – the most used added value benefit

This headline appeared in the press last weekend:

Access to Virtual GPs is the most used of the Added Value Service that our providers offer. With the NHS under strain and wait times for GP appointments often 2-3 weeks away, having access to a virtual GP within a few hours, often at a slot chosen by the client, is an invaluable benefit and, according to research from Pacific Life Re one that clients would pay over £5 per month for if they were able to subscribe to a standalone service.

So remind clients that although services vary by provider, this will often form part of the free additional benefits that come with the protection you arrange. Most services are free of charge, are available for family members and not just the life assured and can be used throughout the life of the plan.

New Aviva webinar - Walking the UK’s economic tightrope

Summer 2023 will be one of economic uncertainty. Inflation is still high, interest rates are rising, investment markets are shaking, the property market is wobbling, and talk of recession is reemerging. How did we get here, and where might we go next?

Join Aviva in this 1 hour CPD webinar to examine:

The health of the UK economy today, and the latest outlook for 2023 and beyond

Recent drivers in the movement of key investment markets

The latest outlook for property in the UK

Interest and inflation rates – Why are prices rising so fast and what this means for the UK?

Date: Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Time: 10:00 AM British Summer Time

Duration: 1 hour

To book your place, register today and Aviva will send you a confirmation email with your joining details and a link to the webinar.

Be vigilant on application fraud as affordability is squeezed

Halifax Intermediaries has issued a great new guide to help you spot fraudulent mortgage applications.

You may be surprised to learn the largest share of fraudulent applications Halifax decline is from first time buyers. To protect first time buyers, Halifax wants to work together with its intermediary partners to ensure lending remains affordable.

In this latest article from Halifax, there are top tips on how to spot fraudulent applications and what you can do to help prevent mortgage fraud.

Take time to read the guide

HSBC enhances its our online ‘Chat with us’ service

With effect from Wednesday 19 July, you can now request a rate change on an existing mortgage application with HSBC through ‘Chat with us’, rather than having to complete an Application Amendment Form.

This enhancement will reduce the overall processing time, shortening the application to offer timescale. Please note, for any other changes to an existing mortgage application, the Application Amendment Form will still need to be completed and submitted via the broker platform.

HSBC’s Broker website has been updated to reflect the above change.

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