Owl Financial, Openwork’s specialist protection advice business, has arranged over 47,000 policies since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The specialist business, which is licensed to recommend products from providers including Aviva, Zurich, Legal & General, MetLife and Vitality, adopted a new sales process, involving online face-to-face advice.

Owl Financial has been able to grow its network of advisers during the pandemic with nearly 300 new starters.

Life and Critical Illness cover, which accounts for nearly half of sales this year, has been most in demand while Accident and Health has also been popular. Almost 5,200 Accident and Health claims were paid out in the first half of 2020.

Owl Financial operates a network of 150 businesses with 1,200 advisers serving more than 350,000 customers who currently have an active policy. It has been part of the Openwork network for six years.

Pat McKenna, sales director at Owl, said: “The expansion at Owl this year underlines the commitment and drive of the team to support customers and their focus on communicating the benefits of protection at a time of huge uncertainty.

“Thanks to the support from the Openwork network, we have come together and delivered a new online solution to support our existing customers and offer advice to those seeking it.”