Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Solutions. Read the original article for full details.
Shepherds Friendly joins The Right DA Club protection panel
The Right DA Club, the directly authorised (DA) proposition from The Right Mortgage, has announced the addition of Shepherds Friendly to its protection panel. The partnership gives advisers access to Shepherds Friendly's income protection proposition, which is designed to provide clients with a replacement income if they are unable to work because of illness or injury.
Shepherds Friendly said it paid 97% of income protection claims in 2025 and offers a straightforward application process for eligible applicants.
Underwriting flexibility
The insurer can also consider a range of pre-existing medical conditions through its fully underwritten product, including diabetes, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, higher BMI and back pain, subject to individual circumstances. According to the report, the addition strengthens The Right DA Club's protection panel and provides advisers with another option for clients whose health, income circumstances and protection needs may fall outside standard criteria.
Chelsea Kiefert, head of DA at The Right DA Club, said the firm was pleased to welcome Shepherds Friendly to its protection panel and to give member firms further choice in meeting the income protection needs of their clients. She noted that income protection remains a vital part of the protection conversation, particularly given the financial impact an extended period away from work can have on individuals and their families.
Kiefert added that Shepherds Friendly has a strong proposition, including flexibility around client circumstances and underwriting, alongside a straightforward application process, which should help advisers put appropriate cover in place. She said The Right DA Club wants its member firms to have access to a broad range of providers and products so they have as much choice as possible when recommending protection to their clients.
A mutual perspective
Phil Nash, chief sales officer at Shepherds Friendly, said that as a mutual supporting members for 200 years, the firm is delighted to join The Right DA Club's protection panel. He said its focus is on helping advisers find suitable solutions for a wide range of clients, including those whose circumstances may make securing cover more challenging.
Nash added that he believes income protection has an important role to play in protecting financial wellbeing, and that the insurer is looking forward to working with The Right DA Club and its member firms to help more people access the cover they need.
Why it matters for advisers
For intermediaries, including those advising landlords and property clients on wider protection needs, the move expands panel choice and offers a route to cover for applicants whose health circumstances might previously have made income protection harder to secure.
Source: Mortgage Solutions