Paymentshield’s annual Adviser Survey found 83% of advisers planned to grow their general insurance (GI) work in the next 12 months.
The survey showed 37% of financial advisers had seen increased demand for GI advice in the past year.
Only 12% disagreed that clients actively wanted advice on GI.
Advisers said clients mainly wanted GI advice because they did not want the hassle or did not have time to organise it themselves, needed help understanding policy features and benefits, or wanted to find cover that suited their budget.
Half (50%) of advisers admitted they sometimes missed opportunities to sell GI, especially to existing clients.
45% said they reviewed existing clients’ GI needs yearly, and over a quarter (28%) only did so if the client asked.
Nearly half of advisers said they were worried about “finfluencers” as an alternative source of advice for their clients.
When it came to social media, half (50%) of advisers said they used Facebook to engage with clients, 38% used LinkedIn and 26% used Instagram.
Only 6% used TikTok.
Almost one in three advisers (30%) said their preferred way to sell GI was to refer, and 40% thought referring would make a sale more likely.
Paymentshield reported that advised telephony referrals converted at 35%, compared to 20% when advisers wrote GI business themselves on Adviser Hub.
Almost half (47%) of advisers said they were more confident about the year ahead.
Emma Green, director of distribution at Paymentshield, said: “Our 2025 Adviser Survey results send a clear message that consumers see the value in receiving advice on their general insurance needs, and advisers see the value in selling it.
“It’s hugely encouraging that the overwhelming majority of advisers are telling us they plan to prioritise GI growth over the next year.
“It’s also encouraging to see that they are exploring different routes to achieving that, with this year’s survey revealing that about one third of advisers prefer to refer their GI business.”
Green added: “Whatever approach they take, we remain committed to supporting advisers with the tools, training and technology to help them maximise every GI opportunity – ultimately helping to ensure that every home is properly protected.”
