CIExpert’s “Single is Best” campaign has now secured the backing of over 100 firms, and over 230 individuals, marking a significant step in its mission to reshape industry standards by prioritising Individual Protection plans as the preferred choice for couples.
Since its launch in November 2024, the campaign has gained momentum, with support from a growing number of financial firms, including LifeSearch and Reassured.
To drive awareness and encourage engagement, CIExpert has actively participated in numerous industry events, engaging advisers and key stakeholders in discussions on the importance of Individual Protection.
The company has also introduced its Critical Thinking Ambassadors Programme, designed to further amplify the campaign’s reach and provide advisers with the tools needed to advocate for this change.
As the campaign grows, it is also highlighting the need to better protect vulnerable clients.
In the last year, 4.1 million UK women experienced economic abuse from a current or ex-partner, according to charity Surviving Economic Abuse.
This form of domestic abuse is when an abuser controls their current or ex-partner’s money and economic resources, including exploiting financial products, like joint insurance policies, to cause harm.
CIExpert’s “Single is Best” campaign presents clear evidence of the numerous advantages that individual protection plans offer over joint policies, at only a marginal additional cost.
Alan Lakey, director at CIExpert, said: “In just months, the ‘Single is Best’ campaign has gained incredible traction, highlighting a significant industry shift towards prioritising individual protection plans.
“This movement, rooted in our 2024 inaugural Critical Thinking study, has not only illuminated key consumer and adviser insights but has also driven tangible change.
“We are now seeing this reflected in our pledge support and, more importantly, in the evolving behaviours of some leading firms. This milestone underscores the industry’s increasing commitment to more client-focused protection strategies.”
Lauren Garrett, senior financial services manager at SEA, said: “For too long, domestic abusers have misused joint life insurance policies as tools for economic abuse, both during relationships and long after separation.
“Perpetrators exploit these policies by withholding their consent to end them, trapping victim-survivors into unwanted financial ties for many years after separation. Alarmingly, some abusers even use their status as a beneficiary to reinforce their threats to kill, leaving victim-survivors living in fear for their lives.
“That’s why we are calling on the insurance industry to make single life insurance policies, at the same price per person as joint policies, the default offer.
“We’re pleased that CIExpert has supported our calls with its ‘Single is Best’ campaign, and now we want to work with the sector to help providers better identify and support customers experiencing economic abuse and prevent their products from being exploited by abusers.
“We’re also urging the government to consider legislative reforms to enable firms to separate or end joint policies in cases of economic abuse. These reforms are vital for victim-survivors to achieve economic independence and safety.”
