New protection provider Guardian is piloting its life and critical illness proposition with four distributor firms: L&C, Paradigm, Sesame Bankhall Group and SimplyBiz Group.

The pilot is taking a ‘test and learn’ approach to all elements of the new business journey. It involves 60 adviser firms across the four distributor businesses.

The first firms came on board last month with the remainder of the 60 joining throughout July.

The pilot is expected to continue for a further six weeks to fully test Guardian’s technology and operational capabilities before the protection challenger operated by Gryphon Group Holdings opens to the wider market.

Andy Peters, Guardian distribution director, said: “Our proposition is about making life better for customers and advisers. Crucial to this is making sure each distribution partner and adviser firm has a good on-boarding experience and full support when they first start working with us.

“That’s why we’re running the pilot and also why we’re phasing our roll-out through the industry portals and with more product features added over time.”

Firms have begun submitting business with clients already on risk.

Mike Allison, head of protection at Paradigm, said: “We’re excited to be part of Guardian’s pilot and what we expect to be a very successful market entry. At Paradigm, we’re fully supportive of their vision to ‘make life better’ for customers and advisers. Very much in line with our own values at Paradigm, Guardian is focusing on quality – aiming to provide better cover that is worth the price tag.

“This improved cover, as well as the ‘future-proofing’ of policies through their commitment to critical illness upgrades, were things we knew our advisers and their clients would find attractive.”

Martin Reynolds, chief executive of SimplyBiz Mortgages, added: “Guardian aims to shake-up the market with their version of what life and critical illness should look like. At SimplyBiz Group, we particularly like their approach to overcoming the problem of probate delays, via Payout Planner.

“We’re keen to support them in their vision to bring this, and their other innovative improvements, to market by participating in their pilot.”