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  1. Life Insurance
  2. Income protection insurance

Income protection insurance

✓ Safeguard your salary in case you get sick or injured and can't work
✓ 5 Star Defaqto rated income protection
✓ Get the Apple Watch® Series 6 deal when you buy a qualifying plan

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What is income protection insurance?

If you get sick or injured and can't work, income protection pays you part of your monthly income. It's tax-free and helps you protect your finances while you recover.

There are three income protection cover options with Vitality. With our Income Protection Cover Plus, you can protect:

✔60% of your salary before tax per month, up to a payment of £5,000 per month
✔And then 50% after this, capped at a payment of £16,666 per month.

Because it’s tax-free, this should replace most of your salary.

How much income protection cover do you need?

Call us on 0161 216 7595 to speak to an adviser, or get a quote

Do I need income protection insurance?

You should consider income protection if:
  • You couldn't cover your outgoings if you get sick
  • You couldn't pay your bills with government benefits (the Employment and Support Allowance pays between £74.35 and £113.551 a week)
  • You wouldn't get sick pay
  • You're a single income household
  • You’re the main income earner.

What does income protection insurance cover?

What it covers:

✔Being unable to work due to illness or injury, whether your self-employed or employed
✔If you have an accident, become disabled and cannot work 

What it doesn't cover:

✘ If you're dismissed or made redundant

Your income protection insurance options

For different needs and budgets, we offer three tiers of income protection.

  • Short Term
    Income Protection Cover

    Short term cover

    Get 60% of your salary, up to a payment of £5,000 a month

    50% after that, capped at
    £10,000 per month

    Get payments for up to
    two years per claim.

  • Income Protection Cover

    Income protection cover

    Get 60% of your salary, up to a payment of £5,000 a month

    50% after that, capped at
    £10,000 per month

    Get payments as long
    as your plan lasts.

  • Income Protection Cover Plus

    Income protection cover plus

    Get 60% of your salary, up to a payment of £5,000 a month

    50% after that, capped at
    £16,666 per month

    Get payments as long
    as your plan lasts.

Why choose Vitality?

✓ 93.5% of income protection claims were paid out in 20202 
✓ Access to partners and rewards with the Vitality Programme
✓ 5-star Defaqto rated cover
✓ Get £100 per day if you're hospitalised for more than 6 days
✓ Get £2,000 worth of specialist care and support - to help with your recovery and return to work. Available on Income Protection Cover Plus plans.
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Vitality's income protection cover is rated 5-star Defaqto
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All it takes is a couple of minutes.

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How much cover do I need?

Call us on 01619742513 to speak to an adviser.

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Relevant guides and articles

  • Income protection insurance

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    Income protection insurance covers your monthly salary if you get sick and can't work.

    Income protection explained

  • Mortgage protection insurance

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    Mortgage protection explained

  • Life insurance for parents

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    Life insurance for parents includes a variety of policies that mean your loved ones will be covered if you die. Read our guide for new parents.

    Life insurance for parents explained

Income protection insurance FAQs

Do you pay tax on income protection insurance?

No, the income you receive is tax-free. This means you should be able to cover most of your monthly outgoings.

How soon can I claim income protection?

You usually have to wait at least four weeks but payments can start up to two years after you stop work.

Does income protection cover being sacked?

Income protection policies don't cover this.

What does income protection not cover?

Income protection doesn’t cover:
  • If you’re sick less than your policy’s deferred or waiting period
  • If you’re made redundant or are dismissed.

What is long-term income cover insurance?

If you can't work due to illness or injury, long-term income protection pays you a monthly income. If you can't work, it pays out until retirement age. It's also known as long-term sickness insurance.

What is short-term income protection cover?

Short-term income Protection Insurance covers you for a fixed amount of time if you’re sick and can’t work. This is usually six months to two years.

What is the difference between income protection insurance and life insurance?

Income protection pays out a monthly income to replace yours if you're injured or sick, and can't work. It's support for both you and your family.

Life insurance pays out when you die, or if you're diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Why can’t I just rely on state benefits?

It depends on how much you need to maintain your current lifestyle and what your outgoings are.

Even if you do qualify for government benefits, you might only get between £74.35 and £113.551 per week. Could you and your family survive on this level of support?

For more information on the Employment and Support Allowance, visit gov.uk.

When should I get covered?

You can take out income protection insurance at anytime. A lot of people think about taking out a plan when they’re changing jobs, getting married or starting a family.

How long does it take to get income protection?

With most policies you usually have to wait at least three months after you stop work for payments to start. This is called the deferred period, or waiting period. Some deferred periods last up to two years.

You have a choice of deferred periods. This is usually done to match sick pay and the longer the deferred period the more affordable the premium is. For example, if you have six months of sick pay, then you would set your deferred period to six months.

How much does income protection insurance cost?

Your premium will depend on few things, like:
  • Your age;
  • Your medical history and your family’s medical history;
  • Your job;
  • Yow much alcohol you drink;
  • Your choice of deferred or waiting period;
  • If you’re a smoker (or use other tobacco products); and
  • What type of cover you choose. We have three types; Short Term Income Protection Cover, Income Protection Cover and Income Protection Cover Plus. 

Can I get income protection insurance if I’m self-employed?

Yes, if you’re self-employed, you can choose from any of our plans. You can also choose to start receiving pay outs from as early as one month.

Do I get a payout at the end of the policy if I don’t claim?

The plan only pays out if you're unable to work due to accident or sickness during the term of your plan. Once your policy has reached its end date, your cover stops. This plan isn’t an investment so there’s no cash value when your cover ends.

More insurance options from Vitality

  • Life insurance

    Umbrella icon

    Life insurance pays out a lump sum to your loved ones if die within the policy term. It’s there for your family when you are no longer around, to help ensure their financial security.

    More on life insurance

  • Serious Illness Cover

    Medical bag icon

    Like income protection, Serious Illness Cover also offers protection if you get sick. Instead it pays out a lump sum based on the severity of the illness, rather than a monthly income.

    More on Serious Illness Cover

  • Mortgage protection 

    home icon

    Instead of covering your monthly income, mortgage protection covers your mortgage repayments. This means your family can keep their home if you die.

    More on mortgage protection insurance
Sources

1 turn2us.org.uk. Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) - How much Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will I get?
2 Claims and benefits report August 2021

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