What is a post-sale protection check?
A short, structured contact soon after a policy starts that confirms the customer has what they need, and flags anything that does not look right.
The purpose
A post-sale check is the first contact after a protection policy goes on risk. It confirms the customer has received and understood their documents, that their details are correct and that nothing has gone wrong in the handover from sale to insurer. It also gives the customer a simple way to raise questions while the sale is still fresh.
What it typically asks
Whether policy documents have arrived. Whether the cover, premium and personal details look right. Whether any policy being replaced has been cancelled. Whether the customer understands how to claim and what support services are included. Whether their circumstances have changed since the application.
Why the responses matter
Each 'no' or 'not sure' is a small issue that could become a complaint, a cancellation or a poor outcome if left alone. In one representative Adviser.ai client sample from June to August 2026, 1,611 of 2,964 completed checks, about 54 in every 100, produced a response that needed prompt action. These are flags to investigate rather than confirmed problems, but they show how much is otherwise unseen.
The link to retention
Customers who complete a post-sale check have been around 50% less likely to cancel across anonymised Adviser.ai client data. The check does two things at once: it fixes problems early, and it reminds the customer that someone is looking after their cover.
The link to Consumer Duty
The FCA expects firms to support customers throughout the life of a product and to be able to evidence good outcomes. A completed post-sale check is a recorded confirmation of understanding, with any issues logged and resolved. That is useful evidence in its own right.
Phone or digital?
Many firms run post-sale calls, but completion is limited by how many customers answer and how many calls the team can make. A digital check, sent in the firm's own branding by email or SMS, can reach every customer, lets them respond in their own time, and routes only flagged cases to a person.
When to send it
Timing matters. Too early and documents may not have arrived, so the customer cannot confirm them. Too late and the moment has passed: the customer has forgotten the conversation, or a problem has already led to a cancellation. Many firms find two to four weeks after the policy goes on risk works well, with a reminder for customers who have not responded.
Designing the questions
Good post-sale questions are short, specific and easy to answer on a phone. Each should map to a real issue the firm can act on. Avoid open questions that produce answers nobody reads. Use the customer's own policy details where possible, so they are confirming specifics rather than general statements. Always give a clear route to a person for anyone who wants to talk.
Handling the responses
Decide in advance who handles each type of flag and how quickly. Missing documents might go to administration with a target of a few days. Incorrect details need an amendment with the insurer. An old policy still running needs the adviser's attention urgently, because the customer may be paying twice. Suitability questions go to the adviser who gave the advice. Track every flag to closure.
Common mistakes
Sending the check from an unfamiliar sender, so customers ignore it. Asking too many questions, so they abandon it. Collecting responses without anyone owning the follow-up. Treating completion rate as the goal rather than issues found and resolved. And running the check only on a sample, which limits both the protection it offers customers and the evidence it gives the firm.
Measuring success
Completion rate is the obvious measure, but it is not the most important one. Track the number and type of issues raised, the time taken to resolve them, and the cancellation rate for customers who completed the check against those who did not. Report the results by product, adviser, insurer and lead source. Over time, the share of responses raising an issue should fall as root causes are fixed, which is the clearest sign the process is improving outcomes rather than simply recording them.
We help the UK's leading protection distributors identify post-sale issues and protect revenue through intelligent, automated customer engagement.
Try it free* *qualifying distributors only
FCA: PRIN 2A, the Consumer Duty
FCA: FG22/5, final guidance on the Consumer Duty
Adviser.ai figures are drawn from anonymised client data and are illustrative. Results vary by firm, product and implementation.
Last updated 27 October 2026