ScotWid to relaunch protection via advisers

While the product details are still to be confirmed it is understood the range will include individual life insurance and critical illness cover as well as business protection.

The firm currently sells protection products via parent company Lloyds Banking Group after withdrawing from the adviser market in 2007.

Since then various hints have been dropped with Johnny Timpson, financial protection specialist and planning manager at Scottish Widows, confirming plans to make the move in November last year.

At the time he said the range would be branded Scottish Widows Protect and would be launched from May 2015.

It is thought the provider is likely to sign up to quote comparison software provider UnderwriteMe although a Scottish Widows spokeswoman could not confirm this.

In August UnderwriteMe launched a pilot with LifeSearch and Cavendish Online.

Scottish Friendly, Exeter Family Friendly, Partnership, Canada Life, LV=, Royal London and Old Mutual Wealth have already signed up to the service while the firm said it was in talks with all other major providers.

UnderwriteMe declined to comment.