Cancer Research partners with Towergate Insurance

Leading charity, Cancer Research UK has announced a partnership with Towergate Insurance, to provide additional funds for the charity. The partnership, covering home, travel, boat and caravan policies will be branded as "Help Beat Cancer Insurance". 

The partnership is for 3 years and the broker will provide Cancer Research UK with 30% of its commission for each "Help Beat Cancer" policy sold. The partnership builds on a long-standing CSR relationship between the 2 organisations and aims to generate £3 million to the charity over the 3 year partnership.

Policies will be available to the general public and not just supporters of the charity. Nevertheless  the £3 million target looks very ambitious, given that the charity, despite its fantastic brand, does not have any obvious channels to market the policies to a wider audience. However, Towergate has confirmed that aggregator distribution may be part of its plans in 2013. 

Suzuki selects Carole Nash as motorcycle partner

Suzuki GB has selected Carole Nash, the specialist broker to provide its official motorcycle and scooter insurance scheme. Carole Nash plans to launch a quote and buy website in early 2013 and will provide sales support to the Suzuki dealer network. 

The decision follows a tender process and means the replacement of CIA Insurance, the broker which had held the Suzuki partnership since October 2009. 

Carole Nash is one of the broking businesses that was not included in the sale of the UK Groupama Insurance Company to Ageas in September 2012. 

The Suzuki car insurance partnership continues to be managed by Original Insurance Services, with cover underwritten by Zenith Insurance. 

Moneyfacts partners with Just Retirement for equity release

Moneyfacts.co.uk, the financial comparison website, has agreed a partnership with Just Retirement Solutions to provide an equity release advice service for its customers and users. 

In press coverage, Moneyfacts has made reference to the service being "comprehensive", but the panel of providers is restricted to just 4 - Aviva, Just Retirement Limited, Bridgewater and Stonehaven. 

Saga extends legal services partnership

Saga has this week extended its partnership with Parabis, to offer a range of legal services including fixed-price will-writing, estate planning, powers of attorney and conveyancing. Parabis, through its "Cogent Law" brand, has worked with both Saga and the AA since 2010, in providing a legal advice service. 

The significance of the deal is that it takes place in advance of the Solicitors Regulation Authority's (SRA) decision on Saga's "alternative business structure" (ABS) application. Such a licence would allow Saga to provide legal services in-house. 

A number of major brands and insurers are actively partnering with legal firms to secure an ABS licence. This will allow them to offer legal services and / or to help manage claims costs more effectively. 

RBS & Standard Life agree distribution partnership

RBS has selected Standard Life to provide investment solutions to its customers in a new 5-year deal. Using the Standard Life "wrap", the service will be made available to RBS, NatWest and Ulster Bank advisers from December 2012. A direct service will launch in 2013. 

Products available include ISAs, Sipps, onshore and offshore bonds. 

The deal follows the announcement by RBS in June that it would be closing its IFA arm and moving to a restricted advice model in advance of the RDR. 

LifeSearch partners with Gocompare.com for advised protection

LifeSearch has signed an agreement with Gocompare.com, one of the "big 4" aggregators, to provide free protection advice to its users. Gocompare will continue to work with theidol.com for non-advised protection sales and PMI Partners for over 50s life cover. 

Gocompare.com customers buying policies through LifeSearch will also be able to access free advice on trusts and claims. 

LifeSearch and its CEO Tom Baigirie have championed the cause of advice-based protection for many years and this approach is also the basis of its other major partnerships, including comparethemarket.com (which also works with theidol.com) and Asda.