Busiest moving day highlights protection opportunities for advisers
26 August 2026
Busiest moving day highlights protection opportunities
The last Friday in August is historically the busiest day of the year in the UK to move home*. As thousands of households prepare to relocate, new research from Vitality highlights an opportunity for advisers to ensure protection conversations keep pace with life's biggest milestones**.
Whilst buying a new home can be one of life’s most joyful moments, it is also an opportunity for advisers to have frank discussions with clients about their protection needs. While protecting mortgage debt remains an important driver for taking out cover (34%), Vitality's research suggests homeowners increasingly see protection as helping safeguard the life built beyond their home. More than half (56%) of mortgage holders with Serious or Critical Illness Cover say they would use a payout to pay off or reduce their mortgage, while 43% would use it to cover household bills and living expenses. Yet only 15% of all mortgage holders say they actively planned to take out protection cover when purchasing their home.
These findings suggest advisers have an opportunity to broaden protection conversations beyond simply covering debt or their home, helping clients understand how protection can support financial resilience and protect the life they've built beyond the mortgage.
Justin Garbutt, Chief Growth Officer at Vitality, said: "As many people prepare to move home this month, it’s important to remember that protection can be about much more than simply covering the mortgage. It's about helping people maintain financial stability and focus on what matters most when life takes an unexpected turn.
"As advisers help clients take on new mortgage commitments, it's important to consider not just whether a policy pays out, but how it could continue supporting clients over the longer term. For those seeking greater peace of mind, Vitality's Serious Illness Cover can continue providing support after a claim, with members able to receive more than one full payout for separate serious illnesses, highlighting why understanding how a policy may continue to support clients over time can be just as important as meeting their needs today."
Notes to Editors
* Best Days To Move House In The UK - HomeOwners Alliance
** Research carried out by Opinium on behalf of Vitality with 2,000 UK homeowners with a mortgage between 17-26 October 2025.