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Income Protection Insurance

If illness or injury stopped you working, how would you manage your regular bills? Explore the questions behind income protection.

Explore my protection needs

Plan around the income your household relies on

Income protection is designed to replace part of your earnings through regular payments if illness or injury prevents you working under the policy’s definition. Claims are subject to insurer terms, eligibility and evidence; it is not a promise to replace your full salary.

When would payments begin?

The deferred period is the agreed wait before benefits become payable. Consider it alongside employer sick pay and accessible savings, so you understand how you would manage before a qualifying payment starts.

How long could benefits last?

Check both the overall policy term and the maximum payment period for a claim. Some arrangements limit each claim to a shorter period. A benefit is not automatically payable until retirement.

  • How does the policy define being unable to work?
  • What earnings can be insured and how are benefits assessed at claim?
  • What waiting period, exclusions and payment limits apply?
  • Can premiums or benefits change, and how is existing cover taken into account?

Employees and self-employed people

Employees should check their sick-pay arrangements. If you are self-employed, discuss how income is evidenced and what happens to business and personal commitments when you cannot work. Occupation and working arrangements are relevant to the assessment.

A review of your whole position

Bring an outline of essential spending, savings, employer benefits and existing insurance. We can discuss the gap you want to plan for, the cover’s limitations and an affordable premium. Do not cancel existing insurance before understanding any replacement terms.

General information, not a personal recommendation. Cover, premiums and claims depend on insurer assessment, policy terms, limitations and exclusions.

Income Protection Insurance FAQs

Your questions,
answered.

Understand the terms before choosing cover.

Talk through my options
Does income protection cover redundancy?
This type of income protection concerns inability to work due to illness or injury. Do not assume it includes redundancy or unemployment; those are different risks and require checking separately.
Will it replace all my earnings?
Usually only part of eligible earnings can be covered. Insurer limits, the way income is assessed and other benefits may affect the amount payable.
What does own occupation mean?
It generally refers to assessing whether you can perform your own occupation, but exact wording matters. Other definitions may assess different work, so compare the policy terms carefully.
Can self-employed people apply?
They may be considered, subject to insurer criteria. Discuss trading arrangements, income evidence, occupation and benefit limits rather than assuming a standard salary-based assessment.
How is it different from critical illness cover?
Income protection provides regular benefits for qualifying inability to work after a waiting period. Critical illness cover generally provides a lump sum for a specified condition meeting its definition.
What if I change jobs or my income changes?
Review the policy and tell the insurer about changes where its terms require it. Cover limits or suitability may need reassessment.

See the bigger picture.

Different types of cover address different needs. Review them together with your existing arrangements.

Explore protection

Life Insurance · Critical Illness Cover · Compare the three types of cover

Further reading: MoneyHelper: income protection insurance. Information checked 12 November 2026.

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