Background and early establishment
The PDG originated in Tom Baigrie’s idea of LifeSearch leading a “Force for Good in Protection” back in 2016. Tom discussed this with Kevin Carr, a market specialist, and Kevin developed it into a workable plan, and then called a number of like-minded protection intermediary leaders he thought might like the concept. They did! Including a number of leaders from significant protection focused firms who created the momentum to get the PDG started. The original 10 founder firms were Assured Futures, Cavendish Ware, Drewberry, Future Proof, Highclere, LifeSearch, Lightblue, L&C, Roxburgh and Vita.
Emma Thomson was asked if she would add chairing this still informal group to her then role at LifeSearch. Emma agreed and called our first meeting, and it was collectively decided that the PDG would seek only to help people find the protection they needed, and encourage our market to deliver better consumer outcomes.
After 2 years at the helm, during which time the PDG launched its market changing Funeral Pledge and Claims Charter initiatives, Emma stepped down when she joined an insurer. Alan Knowles of Cura became the chair from October 2018 until March 2022, leading us through the Covid crisis. Neil McCarthy is the current chair.
We formally incorporated in November 2020 as a not for profit organisation and have developed our Board and Membership structure to enable us to grow in scale and influence while still being efficient at executing our stated initiatives. We continue to seek to influence the Protection market positively with improving consumer outcomes at the heart of all our activity.
About the Protection Distributors Group
The Protection Distributors Group (PDG) mission is to help people find the protection they need by encouraging insurers and intermediaries to deliver better consumer outcomes.
We see a future where empathy, honesty and transparency are the core drivers to insurer and intermediary care. We want to build trust within the insurance industry.
The PDG was established in 2016 by a group of like minded Protection advisers, and incorporated as a not for profit organisation in November 2020. In October 2023 there are 25 member firms in the PDG.
The PDG has successfully created a Claims Charter* outlining what we feel is an industry wide minimum best practice to help clients, which has been adopted by most insurers, as well as Funeral Payment Pledge*, and are working on a number of initiatives to improve consistency in “Retention” processes and “Transparency” in distribution.
For more information and to join the PDG contact info@protectiondistributorsgroup.org.uk
*For more information on Claims Charter, Funeral Pledge and other PDG campaigns go to https://www.protectiondistributorsgroup.org.uk/campaigns/