Connect for Intermediaries has announced the appointment of specialist protection adviser, Umbrella Protect, to its panel.

Umbrella’s advisers will provide Connect’s network members with support and also help to “fill the protection gap”.

Connect suggested that customer care will be at the forefront of all Umbrella’s advice, as will developing a strong working relationship with Connect advisers, the specialist lender confirmed.

Umbrella will also provide expert protection advice to all clients referred by Connect advisers and its network members – which will include critical illness, income protection, life assurance, business insurance for key workers as well as buildings and contents insurance.

“Since the pandemic, the need for protection has been heightened, amongst both advisers and their clients,” said Connect CEO, Liz Syms.

“While awareness of the need for protection has grown, demand for mortgages has also increased, so while some advisers are keen to provide protection advice, many just do not have the time. Others do not know the protection market well enough, or prefer to focus on just the mortgage.

“This protection gap cannot be allowed to continue unabated so we have partnered with Umbrella as the first step in making sure all our advisers and their clients have access to a market-leading protection specialist.

“We believe Umbrella, with its complete focus on offering quality protection advice, will play an important role in making sure all of our clients are put in an informed position.”

Umbrella managing director, Anna Glod, added: “Most mortgage advisers just do not have the time to phone round multiple protection providers to carry out pre-underwriting research and analyse which solution is the best before presenting their advice.

“This is the service we will be providing for every Connect adviser who wants it. Not only will we ensure that every client has the best possible advice but if the worst should happen and they need to make a claim, we have a dedicated claims department.”

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