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In this month’s newsletter, we have lots of interesting info! First up, a Q&A with your broker. Then we’ll discuss insuring an empty property, critical illness cover, care at home in the later years, and tips for private medical insurance. Finally, we have a supportive message if you are facing a divorce later in life.
We are here for you.
Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other debts secured on it.
Do you own a house that is sitting empty? Whether it's awaiting sale, between tenants, undergoing renovation, or simply sitting vacant during probate… this is something we should talk about. Unoccupied properties are one of the fastest-growing areas of risk we're seeing right now. Many owners don't realise they may already have a gap in their cover.
The scale of the problem
You're far from alone. Government data shows there are now over 303,000 long-term empty homes in the UK. The highest figure in 11 years! A sluggish property market, rising renovation costs, probate delays, and longer void periods between tenants are all contributing to more properties sitting empty for longer than expected.
Why your standard policy may not be enough
This is the part that catches most people off guard. Most standard home and landlord policies only cover a property that's unoccupied for 30–60 days. Beyond that, you could be left exposed to risks like theft, escape of water, and malicious damage, with no valid claim to make.
It's important we review your cover now. Before something goes wrong. Let’s check your policy to see how long your empty property is covered for.
What specialist cover looks like
Unoccupied property insurance is designed specifically for these situations. It fills the gap left by standard policies. Think: a home awaiting sale, a rental between tenants, a holiday let out of season, or a property going through probate or renovation.
What we'd suggest
Many property owners only discover a gap in their cover when they come to make a claim. By then, it's too late. We'd rather have this conversation with you now.
We have access to special insurance products, so getting the right cover in place can be straightforward. The peace of mind is well worth it.
Get in touch today, and let's make sure your property is properly protected.
Let me be straight with you. Nobody wants to think about getting seriously ill. I don't. You don't. It's the kind of conversation we'd all rather skip over, until life forces the issue.
But here's the thing: I’ve known clients who've had a cancer diagnosis, a stroke, a heart attack. Real people with mortgages, kids, and lives they'd carefully built. And the ones who had the right cover in place? They can focus entirely on getting better. The ones who didn't? They were worrying about money at the worst possible moment. That's what drives me to have this conversation with every single client.
So what actually is critical illness cover? It pays you a tax-free lump sum if you're diagnosed with a serious condition. Illnesses like cancer, heart attack, or stroke. Not when you die. When you're alive and dealing with it. That money can clear your mortgage, cover treatment costs, adapt your home, or simply give you the breathing room to stop working and recover properly.
What about income protection? Critical illness cover is brilliant, but it's not the whole picture. Income protection is different. It replaces a portion of your monthly salary if you're too ill or injured to work for an extended period. Think of it as your salary continuing even when you can't. For most people, this is actually the cover they need most and think about least.
And life insurance? Life insurance pays out when you die, giving your family financial security and keeping the roof over their heads. Ideally, you'd have all three working together: life insurance protects your family, critical illness cover gives you a lump sum in a crisis, and income protection keeps the bills paid month to month.
Is it worth the cost? Around 1 in 2 people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Strokes and heart attacks don't wait until retirement either. The cost of cover is often far less than people expect. And far less than the financial fallout of going without.
You work hard for everything you have. Let's make sure something unexpected can't take it away. Get in touch, I’ll find the right combination of cover for you, your budget, and your life.
As a later life lending broker, one of the most meaningful conversations I have with clients isn't about mortgage rates or later life lending products. It's about what comes next. Specifically, how to plan ahead so that if care is ever needed, families aren't scrambling to find answers at a stressful time.
The reality is that more than 2 million people in the UK aged 65 and over have unmet care needs right now. And by the time we're in our mid-40s to mid-50s, around half of us will already be helping to care for an older relative in some way. This isn't a niche issue, it's something most of us will face, either for ourselves or someone we love.
So let's talk through your options clearly, without the jargon.
The Three Main Types of Care
When people think about "care," they often picture care homes. But that's just one piece of the picture. Each of the below routes are suited to different circumstances and stages of life.
- Domiciliary care supports people living at home. It covers personal care, domestic help, and mobility support, currently costing from £32.41 per hour in England.
- For those who can no longer manage independently, a care home provides round-the-clock support, with costs starting at over £5,000 per month across residential, nursing, dementia, and dual-registered settings.
- A third, often-overlooked option is simply adapting your home. Stairlifts, grab rails, and a walk-in shower can cost as little as £500 for minor changes, or £15,000 or more for major works.
Funding Your Care
If a local authority assessment determines you'll fund your own care, you're classed as a self-funder. The good news is there are more options than most people realise. These include releasing equity through a lifetime mortgage, renting out your property, using a government-backed deferred payment scheme, downsizing, drawing on savings, investments or pension funds, taking out long-term care insurance, or receiving contributions from family members.
One thing I see time and again is families leaving these conversations too late. Often until a health crisis forces the issue. By that point, decisions that should be made calmly end up being made under enormous pressure.
Each option suits different circumstances, which is why independent financial advice is so important. The free My Care Hub resource is also well worth bookmarking for practical guidance on navigating the care system.
A Word About Equity Release and Care
Later life lending can be a helpful way to fund home adaptations or domiciliary care costs, allowing someone to stay in their own home with the support they need. However, if a full-time move into a care home is on the horizon, equity release is unlikely to be the right solution. In that situation, the property would typically need to be sold or rented rather than kept as security for a lifetime mortgage.
A good later life adviser will help you work through all of this. The right answer depends entirely on your individual situation, which is why a personalised conversation is always the place to start. beyond.
This is a lifetime mortgage. To understand the features and risks, please ask for a personalised illustration. Check that this mortgage will meet your needs if you want to move or sell your home or you want your family to inherit it. If you are in any doubt, seek independent advice.
Are you looking at a private medical insurance policy? We’d love to help you streamline the process. We have access to the best deals, and we can often save you money by knowing where to look. Importantly, they will suit you personally. Not just a generic policy off the web. Let’s dive into some top tips to get you started!
Before You Start, Know What You're Buying:
Private medical insurance (PMI) pays for private diagnosis and treatment of acute conditions. Things that flare up, are treated, and resolved. It is not designed to cover chronic, long-term conditions like diabetes or asthma that you manage ongoing.
Step 1: Know Your Health History
Before a broker can find you the right policy, you need to be honest and thorough about your medical history. Insurers will ask about conditions, symptoms, and treatments. Typically going back 5 years, sometimes longer. Be prepared to answer questions about anything you've seen a GP or specialist about, any medication you're currently taking, and any ongoing symptoms, even if undiagnosed.
The golden rule: never withhold information. A policy that pays out is only as good as the disclosure behind it. If you omit something and later make a claim related to it, the insurer can void the claim. Or the entire policy.
Step 2: Understand Underwriting, This Is Crucial
Moratorium underwriting is the most common for individuals. Any condition you've had in the last 5 years is automatically excluded at the start. If you go 2 years claim-free for that condition, it may be covered going forward. It's simpler and quicker to set up, but you won't know exactly what's excluded until you try to claim.
Full medical underwriting (FMU) means you declare everything upfront, and the insurer tells you exactly what is and isn't covered from day one. It takes longer, may require a GP report, and exclusions are fixed. But there are no surprises.
Step 3: Decide What Level of Cover You Actually Need
PMI policies vary hugely in what they include. Core decisions include:
- Inpatient vs outpatient cover.
- Mental health cover.
- Cancer cover.
- Dental and optical.
- GP access.
- Choice of hospital.
We’ll go through this with you in detail!
Step 4: Consider an Excess
Like car insurance, you can choose to pay a voluntary excess per claim or per year to bring your premium down.
Step 5: Understand What's Not Covered
Regardless of the policy, certain things are almost always excluded across the board. These include pre-existing conditions (under moratorium), chronic conditions, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment, pregnancy and normal childbirth, and emergency A&E treatment (which the NHS handles).
Step 6: Compare, But Not Just on Price
A good broker will compare across multiple insurers. Don't just pick the cheapest. A policy that doesn't pay out when you need it is worth nothing.
Plus: Don’t forget to review your policy every year!
Getting PMI right is about much more than finding a low premium. A good broker takes time to understand your health, your priorities, and your budget. We’ll find cover that will actually be there when you need it.
A note from your financial adviser
First, I just want to say, if you're going through this, I'm sorry. Divorce at any age is hard. But when it happens later in life, it comes with a particular kind of weight. You've built something together over decades, and now you're facing the task of unpicking it all. Often, while also trying to figure out what retirement even looks like on your own.
You're not alone in this. Around 1 in 3 divorces now happen after the age of 50. It's far more common than people realise. The financial implications are real and significant. Which is exactly why I want to talk you through them openly and honestly.
The financial reality. And why it matters to face it early
On average, people who divorce after 50 see their annual income fall by around £7,753 in the year following separation. With fewer working years left to rebuild, that hit can feel especially hard. More than 200,000 people who divorce after 50 are forced to delay their retirement as a direct result. These aren't just statistics. They're real people who had a plan, and suddenly found themselves starting again.
The thing most people overlook: pensions
This is where I really want to help you. Only 25% of people who divorce after 50 include pensions in their settlement discussions. Nearly a third waive their rights to their partner's pension entirely. Yet just 8% seek financial advice before doing so. Please, before you sign anything, make sure you have obtained professional advice.
Your home, more complicated than it seems
A third of people divorcing after 50 say they'll need to downsize as a result. For many, the family home is both a financial asset and an emotional one, and the decision about what to do with it. Sell, keep, release equity. It deserves proper thought rather than a rushed decision made under pressure.
What I'd love to help you do
The most important thing right now is that you don't make any big, irreversible financial decisions on your own or in a hurry. Decisions involving pensions, property, and retirement income are deeply interconnected. Taking a holistic approach can help avoid unintended consequences that affect your standard of living for years to come.
I can help you understand what options you have available. What you're entitled to and what a fair settlement looks like. But importantly, what your retirement can still look like from here. Because it can still be good. Life genuinely does go on, and with the right plan in place, it can go on well.
Please get in touch. This is exactly what I'm here for.
Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other debts secured on it.
