We want to showcase you, our broker heroes, and the difference you make to your clients’ lives through the protection solutions you put in place. Our next broker hero showcase is Christian Shaw, 313 Financial.
Christian’s Story
I had a meeting last year with a young couple looking at a rate switch. We boxed that off but after going through insurances they advised they didn’t have anything. They had a young daughter and they were expecting another baby, so they had a big need for cover.
I covered the mortgage and help-to-buy loan on a life and CIC basis with Scottish Widows. The husband is the main earner and is only entitled to SSP, so I also advised full term IP for him with a 4 week deferred period at the max benefit amount he could have with his wage.
The baby was born earlier this year and tragically he developed a very rare serious condition at only a few months old. The baby was admitted to the ICU in the RVI Newcastle and due to COVID only one parent was allowed to be at the hospital. They took turns sleeping in the ICU whilst the other looked after their other young child.
The husband got signed off for stress and I started the claim with Holloway, they accepted the claim straight away and because it was due to a poorly child they waived the waiting period. I was shocked as the ‘Back to day one’ cover was double the cost when I originally quoted. This was a major relief for my clients, as the husband could take time off and get replacement income. He currently receives £1,000 every 2 weeks from the policy.
I also went through the life and CIC policy they have for the mortgage. Although the baby didn’t meet a specific definition, they have a ventilator policy he almost met. My business manager with Scottish Widows (Graeme Muirhead) was fab when I called. He kept me informed throughout and gave me the call personally to say they had accepted the claim.
I recommended a split policy in the original meeting, as it’s simply good advice for any clients with a family. The children’s cover paid £25,000 for each policy, we successfully made a double claim so the clients received £50,000. When I rang to tell the clients they were speechless – it was great news at a really hard time. Most importantly, the baby is out of hospital and should hopefully make a full recovery.
I’ve been advising for five years now. I really enjoy helping people buy their dream homes and protect their futures with proper cover. When I had the news that my clients were getting £50k on top of the income benefit, I felt like a real hero when they needed it most.
