CWC Research

Home::

|Site Map|

Screen Icon

Graph Icon

Speech Icon

CWC Research provides research data, advice and consultancy to insurance and life and pensions companies, wrap platforms and fund supermarkets, fund managers, re-insurers as well as other consultants operating in intermediary markets. We are a specialised research based consultancy set up in 1999 by Clive and Monica Waller, operating exclusively in the intermediary sectors of the financial services industry, covering all forms of investment, pensions and protection.

Our knowledge of IFAs and other adviser firms and their personnel is second to none. It enables us to provide customers with qualitative data of unrivalled excellence on current and likely future behaviours. Our reports and advice help providers, re-insurers and distributors formulate strategy on product, distribution and administration.

In addition, we are able to provide consultancy on a broad range of issues such as IFA segmentation, commission structures, investment propositions and underwriting strategy.

Our reports help providers, re-insurers and distributors formulate strategy on product, distribution and administration.

We are commonly regarded as the leading research consultancy on issues around wrap and other intermediary platforms and are currently advising a number of platform providers in this new and exciting arena. We have written and published the only adviser guide to intermediary platforms currently available.

We are also joint founders of the Income Protection Task Force, a forum combining insurers, re-insurers and IFAs, to further the cause of this most important of protection products.

The-Investment-Net-Work

The-Investment-Net-Work is a forum for senior managers from all parts of the investment industry to meet, listen to top rate speakers, debate and discuss key issues under Chatham House rules. Meetings are held in country house hotels four times a year.

For more information visit the website.

Income Protection Task Force

For further information click here

adnitor UK Platform Awards Dinner 2008 in association with CWC Research

The second adnitor UK Platform Awards Dinner in association with CWC Research will be held at the Café Royal on 21 October. Once again, we will be celebrating success and achievement across the platform sector with a gala dinner and fantastic entertainment followed by the awards ceremony.

which platform?

A tool that enables clear and fair comparison of wrap and wrap-style platform solutions ‘side-by-side’ enabling choice and facilitating decision making. Visit www.whichplatform.com

Intermediary Platforms 2008 and The Provision of Advice

CWC Research in association with BNP Paribas Securities Services have published 2008’s most comprehensive reports on intermediary platforms and the provision investment advice.

Providers selling their platforms on yesterday’s criteria may find they are talking the wrong language to advisers. Not only is the platform market becoming more diverse and complex, the adviser landscape is changing equally fast.

Whereas, two years ago, there were those who had their doubts about the relevance of platforms, this is no longer the case. Moreover, the vast majority of advisers are or will be changing their business models. Even the most reluctant are having to reconsider in view of the RDR.

Now that advisers have become familiar with platforms, they are able to make informed decisions in terms of how they will support their business. They are now looking at platforms and investment advice together.

A study - 'SIPPs and Platforms' from CWC Research in association with Mastek

The new magic roundabout?

75% of new SIPP investment is from transfers – largely personal pensions; 85% is pre-retirement business. It does not take an Einstein to calculate that two-thirds of new SIPP investments are from pension plans that have not matured.

Figures published in trade and national newspapers suggest that more than 90% of SIPPs sold by insurance companies are simply invested in the insurers' own core funds. In some cases, commissions for selling SIPPs are twice those for selling basic stakeholder pensions.

Are insurers paying out more in distribution costs and commissions to fight for a share of surrenders of policies that have not yet repaid set up costs, to see the funds invested in new plans with smaller margins?