- We insure our cars, phones, even our Sky box in case they stop working, but often not ourselves. But with over 2.2m people out of action due to long-term sickness [1] we’re just as prone to ‘breaking’ and the financial consequences are much more severe.
- It’s a lot more likely you’ll be off long-term sick than die or suffer a critical illness during your working life. [2] Income Protection is the one insurance we really all should have, yet more of us have life cover or critical illness cover.
- Nearly everyone has long term financial commitments and income protection provides long-term protection to cover these.
- Most of us couldn’t survive financially on an income of around £5,000 a year, [3] which is all the state would provide for long-term sickness (if you’re able to qualify in the first place!)
- It’s becoming increasingly hard to qualify for state benefit. In the first year of Employment Support Allowance only 20% of claimants were deemed unable to work, compared to 83% under the previous Incapacity Benefit. [4] Private provision is becoming essential.
[1] Labour Market Statistics, September 2010, [2] Defaqto, 2008,
[3] DWP, 2010, [4] Crisis, September 2010