The protection industry has been talking about the protection gap for decades. It is universally acknowledged that millions in the UK don’t have the cover they need if they were to fall ill and be unable to work. Millions more aren’t even aware that protection insurance even exists.

Numerous campaigns have tried to narrow this gap, but it remains stubbornly wide. Why is this?

There is no one answer or silver bullet. Choosing to buy protection is not a straightforward purchase, with lots of factors to consider. However, behavioural science might give us a clue to at least some of the continued lack of take up. 

Promotional messages tend to focus on the importance of protection, providing a wide range of reasons why people should have it. These try to tap into our emotions, be that our desire to protect those that are precious to us or the fear of losing something important. 

Providing people with the reason why they should have protection is important. However, giving people the reasons why they should do something is only half the story. The missing piece is turning that motivation into action.

The intention-to-action gap, also known as the value-action gap, is when what we say or think we are going to do, doesn’t match our actual behaviour. For example, most people know that they should be eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but less than one in five in the UK actually do.

This gap has been widely researched by psychologists and they’ve discovered giving people motivation alone is not enough and has minimal impact. While awareness of an issue is a vital first step, a trigger is required to push people into changing their behaviour and commit to taking action.

What is required is an implementation plan, a clear idea of how, when and where they are going to do something. People need a trigger, a spark that makes them concentrate on a problem and commit to solving it.

For example, the government’s Fire Kills adverts that encouraged people to check their fire alarms twice a year, at the same time as they were changing their clocks, were hugely successful. By prompting people to think about this while doing something that was already part of their routine it provided the trigger for a change in behaviour. The year following the ads, 41 fewer people died in house fires, showing the power of this approach.

So, what can the protection industry learn from this? It needs to think about what triggers it can create to shift motivation into action. 

This means considering when people might be in the best frame of mind to think about protection. What actions might prompt them to consider cover? Are there certain times of year that are more relevant than others, for example when completing their tax return or looking for schools for their children? 

It also means that when people do search for protection, there is very clear information available on what it is and how they can purchase it. There needs to be no barriers that make the journey appear too hard or complicated.

In addition, could the industry come together and create that moment? The IPTF’s Income Protection Action Week (IPAW) is now a firm fixture in the calendar within the sector. Is there an opportunity for a coordinated approach to take this into the consumer market? This would certainly create a trigger that could help change behaviour significantly.

If the protection gap is to be narrowed, bold, decisive and creative action is required. Do we have the desire and bravery to collaborate for the good of everyone?

By Alan Waddington, Director of Distribution at Cirencester Friendly