Good parents do all they can to protect and support their children, whether it is making sure they have a small savings account, teaching them about the value of money, ensuring they lead healthy lifestyles and keeping them safe.

But when it comes to serious illnesses that affect children, too often parents find themselves at the mercy of a well-meaning but over-stretched National Health Service, or paying over the odds for private healthcare.

Yet there are many protection plans an adviser could help put in place to protect both the parents and the children in the event of an accident, illness or the parent’s inability to work.

Most critical illness cover for parents, for example, now has small amounts of cover for certain conditions affecting children, while other providers can build significant cover for a range of children’s illnesses into life insurance policies bought by the parents.

Currently, £25,000 is the cap on children's critical illness claims but some insurers are looking into raising this in line with higher medical costs. 

Whether your clients already have children, are starting a family or are becoming grandparents, having a conversation about protection plans is an important way advisers can help your clients help themselves.

Contributors to this guide: Deepak Jobanputra, deputy chief executive at VitalityLife; Peter Hamilton, head of strategic partnerships for Zurich; Gary Webb, head of compliance for Roxburgh Financial Management; Rob Harvey, independent protection expert for Drewberry Insurance; Phil Nash, product development manager for ActiveQuote; Paul Dalgliesh, head of protection propositions at Aviva UK; Chris McNab, head of protection proposition for LV=; Johnny Timpson, protection specialist for Scottish Widows; Axa PPP Healthcare; and the Association of British Insurers.

Simoney Kyriakou is content plus editor for FTAdviser