Royal London’s pension and protection business are now separate entities in this year’s survey following its acquisition and subsequent rebrand of Scottish Provident and Bright Grey.
The service offered by the life assurer’s new look protection business, which, it said, combined the best features of the now amalgamated Scottish Provident, Bright Grey and Scottish Life brand, has been deemed worthy of a five-star ranking by our readers.
Bright Grey, which rebranded to Royal London in November 2015, was ranked in the five-star category in the two previous surveys. Scottish Life held the top rating since 2009 until it adopted the Royal London brand in 2014. Scottish Provident, which rebranded in the first quarter of this year, recorded a three-star rating from 2013.
Isobel Langton, chief executive officer, intermediary, for Royal London, said: “Being a mutual requires us to provide great customer outcomes and experiences and we know that people are not going to get the best outcomes without impartial advice.
“Around 80 per cent of all protection sales come through intermediaries. We aim to help fill the protection gap that is opening in the UK by supporting advisers. The fact that we are not trying to cut advisers out of the process and transferring all our efforts to direct-to-consumer sales demonstrates this.”
4. Just Retirement
Just Retirement has maintained its impressive run in the Service Awards survey amid a transitional period in the business following its merger with Partnership.
The company, now a part of the JRP Group following the completion of the £1.6bn merger earlier this year, has been a regular in the top ranking category for the past 11 years.
Stephen Lowe, group communications director at the firm said: “At a time for significant change for the business, Just Retirement has continued to focus on providing tangible support which makes a real contribution to the growth of each adviser's business.”
The tangible support comes in the form of updated webinars, interactive calculators, insight articles and sample white label material - all available on its specialist intermediary website.
The firm also boasts a team of market specialists who train intermediaries on the latest regulatory and product developments.
Mr Lowe said: “We have been working hard to bring together the best of Just Retirement and Partnership and next year we will be revealing our new identity to intermediaries.
“We have some exciting new service propositions to help intermediaries conquer some of the emerging regulatory challenges on the horizon and help some clients who may no longer have as much access to their adviser as they did historically. More to follow in 2017.”
5. Payment Shield
The sales and marketing director of Payment Shield pointed to investment in the firm's sales team as a major contributing factor behind its retention of the five-star service ranking.
