MorganAsh brings new upgrades to MARS vulnerability tool ready for Consumer Duty
07 March 2023
With just a few months to go until Consumer Duty comes into force, MorganAsh has announced a raft of new upgrades to its vulnerability tool for advisers.
The MorganAsh Resilience System (MARS) now allows users to book an appointment, in real time, for a nurse assessment. This is designed for circumstances where the consumer has severe physical or mental health issues, or where the adviser needs an independent party to undertake the assessment.
To support the platform’s objective ‘Resilience Rating’, MorganAsh has also introduced greater functionality around treatments – the relevant next steps firms can configure for each consumer characteristic. Now, users can choose to assign a treatment between resilience ratings and between age groups.
That’s in addition to greater configuration options which support different use cases and appetites for risk. Users can personalise the contents within vulnerability questionnaires, the depth of detail in assessment certificates – and the text of emails and messages to be sent to consumers, among other features.
Firms also have the choice to set specific options on individual cases or to set options at a firm level.
Andrew Gething, managing director of MorganAsh said: “As we get closer to the implementation deadline of Consumer Duty, we’re really pleased to be supporting our users across financial services with these upgrades to MARS.
“In its latest correspondence, the FCA has made it very clear that investing in technology and data strategy should be a clear focus for firms as we head towards full implementation in July. Fundamental to all of this is an objective and consistent approach to managing and monitoring vulnerability data. These powerful upgrades aim to make that task much easier for all firms.
“The MARS platform supports everyone from single advisers right through to firms with thousands of users – such as St James’s Place and Key Later Life. We also have users from complex products like DB transfer to small credit loans. These bring different requirements on how the MARS tool is used. We have therefore added numerous configuration options, enabling us to change the tool to match the size and type of firm – and to meet their specific requirements.”
MorganAsh launched its MARS broker tool in March last year to help firms understand and monitor vulnerable customers and deliver good outcomes, in line with the requirements of Consumer Duty. Through clear and consistent assessments, businesses can identify vulnerable characteristics and generate an objective ‘Resilience Rating’ – much like a credit score.
The upgrades come as firms prepare for the next Consumer Duty deadline. Providers must complete all necessary reviews and inform advisers by the end of April 2023. Firms must then ensure all products in open books comply by July 2023, and all those in closed books by July 2024.
To find out more or access a free trial, visit: morganash.com/mars or phone: 0330 159 8162
