Income protection insurance in the UK
Protect your salary if you can't work. And boost your payouts by up to 20%1 when you look after your health. Redundancy not covered.
5 Star Defaqto rated income protection
What is income protection insurance?
Income Protection Insurance pays you a monthly tax-free income when you're unable to work due to illness or injury. It helps you maintain financial stability by covering essential expenses like:
- Mortgage or rent
- Childcare
- Utility bills
- General living costs
You won’t be able to insure yourself for the full amount of your salary, but you can usually expect payout amount up to 60% of your gross salary, depending on how much you earn.
Income protection is worth considering if:
- You have limited savings. Think about how long your savings could cover you for if you were unable to work. Would it be enough to pay for your essential outgoings until you can go back to work?
- You have a family or dependants. Do your partner or children rely on your salary? Then, you may want to consider income protection. This could help to take care of them while you’re getting better.
- You have outstanding debt. Are you currently working on paying off any credit cards or loans? You could use some of the money you receive from income protection to keep on top of these payments.
What do you get with our income protection cover?
Included in your cover:
As standard, you get:
- Earnings Guarantee
We’ll automatically guarantee your benefit amount up to £1,500 per month. When you verify your earnings within the first six months of your plan, we'll guarantee up to £8,000 a month, subject to eligibility.
- Income Booster
Engaging in the Vitality Programme reduces the likelihood of Income Protection claims. So we'll boost your payout by up to 20% extra for the first six months of your claim when you look after their health. The booster amount is based on your Vitality status at point of claim.
- Recovery Benefit
You get access to private healthcare pathways to help your recovery when you claim. It includes access to physiotherapy, counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and a 12-week health optimisation programme for people recovering from cancer2. Also, neurological physiotherapy will be available to support recovery from strokes and other neurological conditions.
Additional cover and options
Enhance your plan with more protection:
Serious Illness Cover
Our Serious Illness Cover lets you claim more than once and can protect you for later life conditions like dementia and frailty, too. Plus, more conditions covered than any other insurer - Defaqto, 2025. More on Serious Illness Cover
Accident and Fracture cover
Simply add it on to any Vitality personal life insurance plan and get payouts for fractures, accidents and emergency surgery. With up to six physio sessions available per valid claim, you'll be back to doing what you love in no time. More on Accident and Fracture Cover
Indexation
Future-proof your cover, so that when you need to claim, it's worth as much as it is today - protecting your cover against inflation. More on Indexation
Waiver of Premium
If you're unable to work due to illness or injury, you won't have to pay your income protection premium for that period, but you'll still be covered.
Get the best available premium
When you get active with Vitality
You can enjoy our best available premium from day one. Get up to 40% off premiums with Optimiser3, and access to savings and rewards to save more4.
Optimiser also gives you access to the Vitality Programme. Meaning we can help you understand your health. And make it cheaper, and easier, to get healthy discounts, rewards and cashback.
What's not covered with income protection insurance?
While income protection insurance offers valuable financial support if you're unable to work due to illness or injury, there are some important exclusions to be aware of. Like most insurers, we won’t pay out if:
- You’re made redundant or dismissed from your job – income protection is designed to cover health-related work absences, not employment changes.
- You’re still receiving sick pay from your employer – your policy only activates once your employer stops paying you.
Understanding these limitations helps to ensure you choose the right protection for your needs.
Who is eligible for income protection insurance?
To be eligible for income protection insurance, you must:
- Be aged 16 to 74
- Be a UK resident (excluding Channel Islands and Isle of Man)
- Have been registered with a UK GP for at least 2 years
- Not be working on a zero-hours contract
Additional conditions may apply depending on your employment type or if you’ve recently taken a career break
Who else can benefit from income protection cover?
Healthcare professionals
Doctors and surgeons can get up to £3,000 per month guaranteed - no need to submit proof of earnings.
Public sector employees
Deferred periods are automatically aligned with your sick pay structure when you choose a 12-month deferred period.
Self-employed
Members don’t have to worry about a temporary drop in income. You’ll still get the full benefit when making a claim.
Parents on parental leave
Even while on parental leave, you’ll still be classified as working - so your payout won’t be reduced if you need to claim.
Why income protection is worth it?
Support While You Recover
Income protection pays a tax-free monthly income if you're unable to work due to illness, injury, or disability. This helps cover essential expenses like mortgage or rent, childcare, and utility bills while you recover.
Earnings Guarantee
Vitality automatically guarantees benefit amounts up to £1,500 per month, and up to £3,000 for doctors and surgeons, without needing to verify earnings. This ensures a predictable payout when you need it most.
Income Boost Feature
You can receive up to 20% extra on your monthly benefit for the first six months of a claim, based on your Vitality status. If you return to work within six months, the remaining boosted payments are paid as a lump sum.
Recovery Support
Vitality includes a Recovery Benefit with access to private healthcare services like: Cancer treatment support, Mental health therapies (e.g. CBT and counselling), Musculoskeletal physiotherapy or Neurological rehabilitation.
Flexibility
You can tailor your plan with options like deferred periods, payment terms, and additional cover (e.g. Accident and Fracture Cover). Public sector employees benefit from automatic alignment with their sick pay structure.
Rewards for Healthy Living
Vitality’s programme encourages healthy habits and offers discounts and rewards (e.g. Apple Watch, a gym membership).
How does income protection work?
Choose how much cover you need
Decide how much of your income you’d like to protect and deferred period*.
Pay a monthly premium
The amount you pay depends on your benefit level, deferred period, and any optional extras.
Make a claim
If you’re unable to work, call us on 0345 601 0072, email [email protected] or start your claim.
Receive regular payout
If your claim’s approved, we’ll pay a tax-free monthly income straight into your bank account.
What our members say about income protection cover
William's Story: Income protection when it mattered most
At just 30, William*, a self-employed personal trainer, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour. He underwent surgery and radiotherapy, needing time off to recover. Thanks to his VitalityLife plan with Income Protection Cover, William was able to focus on his health without worrying about money.
What income protection William received:
- £1,140 per month after his deferred period
- Full benefit amount through our Earnings Guarantee
- Vocational support to help him return to work
*Real name and some details have been changed to protect anonymity. Image is for illustrative purposes only
**You choose a deferred period on the plan. This is the time you wait before your insurance benefit starts after making a claim.
How much is income protection insurance?
Your income protection premium depends on few things, like:
- Your age
- Your medical history and your family’s medical history
- Your job
- Your income level
- How much alcohol you drink
- Your choice of deferred or waiting period
- If you’re a smoker (or use other tobacco products)
You could also add on indexation. This allows you to increase your cover in line with inflation.
Need further advice on income protection cover?
Our team are here to help you decide if income protection insurance is the right cover for you.
They'll give you qualified advice and recommendations. No obligation, no charge.
Call us on 0330 678 3328
Or
Call charge information
Why choose Vitality income protection insurance?
Stay active, earn rewards
Members received £99 million in rewards and savings via the Vitality Programme*
Enhanced Recovery Benefit
Unlimited access to private healthcare to get you back to work
Award-winning cover
5 Star Defaqto rated
Income protection insurance FAQs
Sources
- Payouts are boosted by up to 20% for the first 6 months of your claim. The booster amount is based on your Vitality status at point of claim.
- Available from notification of claim and with no limit on the appropriate level of support. Over three quarters of claims for Income Protection (74%), were for illnesses covered by our enhanced Recovery Benefit. Based on VitalityLife's Claims and Shared Value Report, 2025
- Only available when you add Optimiser to your plan. An extra monthly fee of £5.50 per adult applies. Get an up upfront discount of up to 40% on Whole of Life insurance or up to 30% discount on Term life insurance. Minimise your premium increase by looking after your health and building your Vitality status.
- To get the full range of rewards, you need to have a monthly premium above £45 for a single plan, or above £60 for a joint plan. An extra monthly charge of £5.50 per adult applies.
- www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance/what-youll-get, October 2025
