On 26th February, teams from across the protection industry will battle it out for the ultimate title: champion of Inside Track 2026 (IT26).
This educational game show is returning for a second year, once again putting advisers’ knowledge to the test over eight rounds on everything from definitions and technology to underwriting and insurance history, all while encouraging a bit of friendly rivalry…
For 2026, Inside Track is supported by UnderwriteMe as the sponsor of Round 1: Definitions. I spoke with chief revenue and customer officer, Nilesh Patel, about why UnderwriteMe chose to get involved.
"Our involvement in Inside Track last year left us eager to participate again this year," he says.
"The event provided an excellent opportunity for networking and offered invaluable insights and education in the protection space."
Nilesh adds that the decision to sponsor the Definitions round was informed by the belief that "adviser education and understanding is crucial in the protection market and leads to better advice and customer outcomes."
"By supporting education that helps clarify definitions and terminology, advisers can confidently recommend the right cover, explain it clearly to clients, and reduce the risk of disputes or declined claims," he continues.
Nilesh notes that the terms he most commonly sees advisers misunderstand are underwriting exclusions, total and permanent disability (TPD), Income Protection deferred periods, and non-medical limits (NMLs).
"Advisers may gloss over exclusions or assume clients understand them. Exclusions define what is not covered, and failing to explain them clearly can lead to disputes and uncertainty for the client when claims are denied.
"TPD can be confused by advisers in terms of understanding which definition the client is on and why. TPD pays out the sum insured if the client becomes totally and permanently disabled, under one of two definitions, and with no prospect of improvement at any time: Own Occupation - unable to do their own occupation ever again, and Specified Work Tasks - unable to do three specified work tasks ever again.
"For Income Protection deferred periods, if the client is still unable to work at the end of their deferred period, they will start to receive their benefit payment. They can choose either a 0 (day one),1-, 4-, 8-, 13-, 26-or 52-week deferred period. Benefit payments will start one month after the deferred period and are paid monthly in arrears.
"NMLs represent the threshold at which an insurer will automatically request additional evidence for an application, regardless of any specific disclosures, if the coverage amount exceeds a certain level," he explains.
Nilesh stresses the importance of "getting the basics right in protection advice," as "it gives advisers the confidence to explain products clearly and accurately, while ensuring recommendations remain compliant with regulatory standards."
"When advisers fully understand core concepts, they can tailor solutions to client needs without risk of misadvice."
"This clarity reduces the chance of misselling, strengthens client trust, and sets realistic expectations, which ultimately leads to better outcomes at claim stage," he says.
Nilesh also highlights how "clearer definitions improve client trust and engagement because they remove ambiguity and make complex protection products easier to understand."
"When advisers explain terms like 'deferred period,' or 'sum assured,' in plain language, clients feel informed rather than overwhelmed, which builds confidence in both the adviser and the recommendation.
"This transparency signals honesty - increasing trust and reducing the risk of misunderstandings or surprises at the claim stage. As a result, clients are more likely to actively participate in shaping their cover, leading to stronger engagement and better long-term relationships," he continues.
In 2026, Inside Track is supporting the financial education charity Money Ready with a fundraising goal of £10,000. The charity delivers programmes to people aged 4-40 across the UK to help create, in its words, "a financially fluent population." Nilesh describes the charity’s focus on financial education as "vital."
"Charities like Money Ready help the protection space by addressing one of its biggest challenges: financial literacy. When people understand the basics of budgeting, saving, and planning for unexpected events, they’re far more likely to appreciate the value of protection products such as life insurance, income protection, and critical illness cover.
"This education empowers clients to make informed decisions, reduces misconceptions, and creates a more meaningful dialogue between advisers and customers. Ultimately, it shifts protection from being seen as a 'nice-to-have' to an essential part of financial wellbeing, which benefits both consumers and the industry," he says.
In the protection space in particular, Nilesh underlines how financial education and awareness can "empower both customers and advisers to make informed decisions."
"For customers, it ensures they can make decisions with confidence and are able to feel more secure choosing products that truly meet their needs. For advisers, it fosters trust, drives demand for services, promotes the profession, and helps serve clients better, leading to a more financially stable society.
"With almost two-thirds of young adults not recalling any financial education and more than half worried they’ll never achieve financial security, the protection industry has a clear mandate to keep pushing financial literacy higher up the agenda.
"That starts with collaboration: advisers, insurers, educators, and professional bodies working together to embed simple, practical financial education into advice journeys, workplaces, schools, and digital platforms.
"The protection space is uniquely well placed to lead because it deals with real-life risks people immediately understand - illness, income loss and family security."
"By using clearer language, real-world examples, and consistent messaging, and by advocating for policy and regulatory support for education initiatives, the industry can help normalise financial conversations earlier in life," he says.
To find out more about Inside Track 2026 and how you can get involved, visit the website here.
