Income Protection Insurance

Give your income the backup it needs.

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What is Income Protection Insurance?

Income Protection ensures financial security if you’re unable to work due to illness or injury. You pay a monthly premium, and if sidelined by health issues, you receive tax-free payments until you can work again or reach retirement, covering essential outgoings and maintaining your standard of living.

  • Insure up to 70% of your income tax free
  • Make as many claims as you need to

Do I Need Income Protection Insurance?

It’s vital for anyone reliant on their earnings to meet daily expenses. A staggering 31% of UK adults have had their working lives disrupted by health issues or family bereavements. Income Protection helps mitigate the financial strain during such critical times.

SSP provides just £116.75 per week and is payable for up to 28 weeks by employers. Given its limited duration and amount, it’s hardly enough to cover regular outgoings, making Income Protection a crucial safeguard.

"Most people underestimate their weekly expenses & wouldn't be able to pay all of their bills using Statutory Sick Pay alone."
~ Tom, Cover Direct

How Long Does Income Protection Insurance Take to Payout?

Payments typically commence after a deferred period, chosen based on your existing sick pay arrangements. This waiting period helps lower your premiums.

What impacts the cost of my policy?
  • Desired monthly payout.
  • The waiting period before benefits start.
  • Your job.
  • Age and health status.

Common questions about Income Protection

You can cover up to 70% of your pre-tax salary with Income Protection Insurance, ensuring you have enough to maintain your current lifestyle even if you're unable to earn.

The deferment period is the time you wait before your insurance payments start after making a claim. You can choose a period that suits your needs, typically ranging from one to twelve months. The longer the deferment period, the lower your premiums.

Yes, many policies offer partial benefits if you can return to work part-time or in a reduced capacity. These benefits are proportional to your loss of earnings.

Absolutely, Income Protection Insurance covers you if you are unable to work due to either physical or mental health issues, ensuring you're supported regardless of the nature of your illness or injury.

While Income Protection is available to most workers, premiums and policy acceptance may vary based on the risk level of your occupation. Some high-risk jobs might have higher premiums or specific terms.

You can receive payments until you are fit to return to work, reach retirement age, or the policy term ends, depending on the terms of your specific policy.

No, there is no limit to the number of claims you can make. As long as you have a valid policy and meet the claim criteria, you can claim as many times as necessary.

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Every day people are making life changing decisions.

A young customer, in her early twenties, living with her mother and without children, faced the reality of minimal sick pay from her job as a marketing manager earning £30k annually.

Aware of the need to safeguard her earnings and savings, especially for future life events like homeownership, she opted for Income Protection. Understanding that being signed off work due to illness could jeopardise her financial plans, she embraced the policy.

Just six days after activating her income protection, she experienced an unexpected fainting incident on the London underground, resulting in hospitalisation and a diagnosis of fatigue, exhaustion, and vitamin D deficiency. Despite the distressing news, knowing she had the right cover in place provided a sense of reassurance.

Every day people are making life changing decisions.

A customer, aged 58, suffered a stroke four years ago, leaving him with residual effects such as loss of function in his right arm and leg.

Additionally, he was diagnosed as borderline diabetic with elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, and a high BMI. His family history, including his sister’s stroke at 58 and his brother’s benign brain tumour at 54, made it challenging to secure insurance from the broader market.

Despite numerous attempts by brokers over the years, only The Exeter was willing to consider his case. Finally, he obtained life insurance, bringing him immense relief. We plan to review his coverage annually to seek better rates.

Every day people are making life changing decisions.

A client faced challenges securing insurance due to his occupation as a pilot, limiting options to only three providers, one of which offered coverage at a high cost and required further medical underwriting due to his extensive flying hours.

However, as a whole-of-market provider, we successfully obtained coverage for him without additional underwriting, and at a significantly lower cost than previously quoted by other brokers.

Every day people are making life changing decisions.

In April 2024, Sam, the wife of our founder’s oldest friend Greg, contacted us after being diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer. This diagnosis was particularly hard-hitting for us, as we had set up Sam’s Scottish Widows critical illness policy.

Throughout 2024, Sam faced intensive treatment and weeks of isolation from her two-year-old daughter. However, the financial burden was eased when her policy paid out within two weeks of her claim. Sam expressed her gratitude: “This lump sum isn’t for a holiday; it will literally pay the mortgage while I am on SSP during my treatment.”

Sam’s story underscores the importance of having the right protection in place, turning abstract statistics into a personal reality.

Every day people are making life changing decisions.

Carlo, one of our dedicated advisors at Cover Direct, recently assisted a client who needed to reassess his life insurance. The client believed he required more coverage due to changing circumstances. Carlo thoroughly reviewed his existing policy and advised an extension rather than purchasing a new, more expensive one, adding only £3 per month.

Carlo went further, recommending placing the policies in trusts for the client’s children to ensure they wouldn’t be included in his estate. He guided the client through all the paperwork, providing exceptional service. Thanks to Carlo, the client now has the right coverage at a reasonable cost and plans to return to us for future insurance needs.

Every day people are making life changing decisions.

As a business owner realised they lacked coverage for key personnel, they found Cover Direct online. Our thorough approach resonated with them. We took the time to educate them on various protection products, helping them choose Key Person Insurance to safeguard vital employees.

Our reasonable pricing also allowed them to opt for Relevant Life Cover, benefiting their employees and families. The peace of mind provided was invaluable, and the gratitude from their staff was unexpected. Our commitment to understanding and meeting their needs made all the difference.