Business Protection for Directors and SME Owners
What would happen to your business if a key person couldn’t work tomorrow?
I help business owners and company directors protect their businesses against the financial impact of losing a key person, shareholder or partner. Based in Birmingham, I advise businesses throughout the West Midlands and across the UK.
Twelve questions, about three minutes. See where your business is exposed before it costs you.
- FCA regulated
- Agency arrangements with 8 UK insurers
- 5.0 from 10 Google reviews
- Directors and SMEs
- Birmingham based
Our services
Every business depends on a few people. Each of these covers solves a specific problem if one of them dies or falls seriously ill. I'll help you work out which ones your business actually needs.
Business protection
- Key Man InsuranceIf someone the business relies on can't workA lump sum paid to the business to replace lost profit and fund recruitment.Learn more →
- Shareholder ProtectionIf an owner dies or becomes seriously illFunds for the remaining owners to buy the shares, so control stays with them.Learn more →
- Relevant Life PlansLife cover for directors, paid by the companyIndividual death in service cover with potential tax advantages, subject to eligibility.Learn more →
- Executive Income ProtectionIf a director is off work long termA monthly benefit to the company so it can keep paying them while they recover.Learn more →
- Business Loan ProtectionIf the business still owes moneyMay help repay business loans, commercial mortgages or directors' loans.Learn more →
- Group Life and Partnership CoverFor your wider team and partnershipsGroup life schemes for staff, and partnership protection for partnerships and LLPs.Ask me about it →
Personal protection
- Life InsuranceA lump sum to protect your family and your home if you die.Learn more →
- Critical Illness CoverA lump sum if you are diagnosed with a covered serious illness.Learn more →
- Income ProtectionA monthly income if illness or injury stops you working.Learn more →
Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change. Policies pay out only on a valid claim and have no cash value.
Specialist advice. I compare cover from the eight UK insurers I have agency arrangements with.
About Alliance
I'm Des Richards, founder of Alliance Advisory Services. I served in the Royal Air Force, where risk is assessed before you act, not after. I've specialised in protection advice since 2010, and I bring that same approach to the businesses I work with.
Most directors I meet have never worked out what losing a key person would cost. I help them answer that question, compare cover across my panel of insurers, and put the right protection in place. You deal with me from the first conversation through to a claim.
You cannot always stop life from changing. You can prepare for the financial consequences.
Des Richards, Founder
Business resilience health check
Four quick questions, under a minute. Your answers show which areas of your business to review first.
Want the full picture? The complete Health Check has twelve questions covering the business and your personal finances, and takes about three minutes.
- Could the business keep trading if a key person was off for six months?
- Is there cover in place to buy a shareholder's stake if they die or fall seriously ill?
- Are business loans and directors' loans protected?
- Is your own life cover paid for through the business?
How it works
No jargon and no pressure. You decide at every stage whether to go further.
Take the Health Check
Twelve questions that show where your business may be exposed.
Talk it through
A free 30 minute Business Resilience Review, in person or by video call.
Compare your options
I compare cover across my panel of insurers and explain it in plain English.
Put it in place
I handle the paperwork and review your cover as the business changes.
Client reviews
They took time to thoroughly understand our operations, potential vulnerabilities, and organisational priorities before providing recommendations. They helped us identify critical risks we hadn't fully considered and provided clear, actionable steps to address them.
They took the time to thoroughly understand my financial situation and clearly explained all available options without any pressure. Their advice was practical, strategic, and tailored specifically to my needs.
Areas I cover
Based in Birmingham, I advise company directors and business owners face to face across Birmingham and the West Midlands, and throughout the UK by phone and video call.
- Sutton Coldfield
- Birmingham
- Lichfield
- Tamworth
- Solihull
- Walsall
- Wolverhampton
- Coventry
- UK wide
Questions directors ask
What is key man insurance?
Key man insurance, also called key person protection, is a policy a business takes out on someone it depends on. If that person dies or suffers a covered serious illness, it pays a lump sum to the business to help replace lost profit, recruit a replacement or reassure lenders.
What is the difference between key person and shareholder protection?
Key person cover pays the business to protect its profits. Shareholder protection provides money for the remaining owners to buy a deceased or seriously ill shareholder's shares, usually backed by a legal agreement, so ownership stays with the people running the company.
Is business protection tax deductible?
It depends on the type of cover and how it is set up. Some premiums, such as relevant life and executive income protection, may be treated as an allowable business expense, while others are not. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and current rules, and I'll explain the position for your business before you decide.
How much cover does my business need?
There is no single answer. Common approaches look at a key person's contribution to profit, the cost of recruiting and training a replacement, and any loans they guarantee. The Health Check and a short review help us work out a sensible figure.
Do you only work with businesses in Birmingham?
No. I meet clients in person across Birmingham and the West Midlands, including Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Tamworth, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Coventry, and advise businesses throughout the UK by phone and video call.
Prepare your business before it's needed
Arrange a free Business Resilience Review with me. I'll compare cover across my panel and explain your options in plain English.
Get in touch
Tell me about your business and the cover you are considering. I'll compare policies across my panel of insurers and talk you through the options.
- Phone0121 663 0171
- EmailSend me a message
- Based inBirmingham, advising across the UK
Book a Business Resilience Review
A free 30 minute conversation, in person or by video call.
- How your business is set up and who it depends on
- Where the gaps are, and what they could cost
- Your options, compared across eight insurers
- No jargon and no obligation