Protect yourself

Friday 19th February 2010

By Steve Devine, business development manager at IGI insurance and chair of Protect, the association for UK creditor insurers

I am in the doldrums, in fact its worse - Je suis tres "gutted". I was all excited this week because I had picked up two IGI Insurance corporate tickets for myself and and a guest (and fellow Hammer) to see Manchester United vs. West Ham scheduled to be played on Sat 27th, only to find out the game has been switched to next Tuesday, a date that neither my guest or myself can make. My only consolation is that I won't have to travel to Manchester and watch Rooney bang in five goals.

I can drown my sorrows at the FLA dinner instead. I am going as a guest of the FLA, (thanks to Richard Bostock) as chairman of Protect, which until the 29th January was the association of creditor insurers.

The members voted in a new constitution, which means that Protect is now officially an association of companies and individuals involved in the UK protection markets for insurance or related products and services.
These include but are not restricted to - general / life insurance, payment protection, income protection, guaranteed asset protection, extended warranty and debt waiver/suspension/cancellation.

Protect's objectives are to provide members with networking opportunities, and a forum for education, communication and discussion on the UK protection markets and related financial services issues. The body is also tasked to encourage and provide liaison with regulators, consumer bodies, trade associations and the media to maintain balance and sustainability in the protection markets.

How will we do this? By organising member's meetings including debates, guest speakers and networking and social opportunities. We have a website www.protect-aci.org, which currently reflects the old constitution but is redevelopment plans are in place to reflect the new constitution.

I think it’s going to be an exciting time for Protect and for all of us in the protection markets. My sincere thanks to Victoria for allowing me to hijack this blog to promote Protect. However, it is a worthwhile cause and I hope to hear from you about joining Protect and help us support the protection markets.
 
Steve Devine is business development manager at IGI insurance Company and chairs Protect - the Association of UK Creditor Insurers
Steve joined IGI this year from Cardif Pinnacle (formerly Pinnacle Insurance) where he spent 15 years, the last seven as the head of group corporate communications. Before that he was head of general insurance with Hambro Countrywide, the estate agency group.
Steve is married with four children and as a long-suffering West Ham fan he has learned to cope with difficult and extended lean times.