If you fell ill and were unable to work, how would you manage financially? Insurance might help.
Why You Might Want Protection
Coping with the unexpected is part of life and insurance can
help you do this. You might want to think about how you would manage day to day
if you fell ill and couldn't work for any length of time.
You might be able to manage in the short term if you are a
member of an employee sick pay scheme or on a combination of state benefits and
savings (if you have any). But if you suffer a protracted illness or are
diagnosed with a life-threatening disease it could be a different matter.
Even the most generous employer sick schemes don't last
forever and if you're self-employed you won't have an employer sick pay scheme
to fall back on.
You may be entitled to state benefits when you are sick but
these are modest and few of us have enough savings to last indefinitely.
What cover you might need
There are various types of insurance which can help replace
your income or meet a specific cost if you're unable to work due to illness. If
you want to protect your income so that you can meet everyday expenses as well
as your usual bills and financial commitments, income protection insurance
offers the most comprehensive cover.
To help work out how much replacement income you might need
you could draw up a budget of how your household's income and spending might
change if you fell ill.
A cheaper but more limited option to income protection is
payment protection insurance, also known as accident, sickness and unemployment
insurance (ASU). The pay-out from this insurance can be used how you choose but
people usually take it out to cover a specific expense such as a loan or
mortgage repayments.
If you are concerned about how you would manage financially
if you contracted a life-threatening or serious illness, critical illness
insurance might be appropriate. And if you would like the option to receive
private medical care or want help with health costs, then private medical
insurance or a healthcare plan might be worth considering.
Income protection insurance
Income protection insurance pays out a regular income if
you're unable to work due to illness. Cover can be for a specified amount of
time or until you are able to return to work, retire or die, whichever comes
first.
Other insurance
Other types of insurance which can be useful if you fall ill
and are unable to work are listed below.
- Mortgage Payment protection insurance (MPPI)this pays out a set amount for a specified period of time, typically between one and two years. The pay-out covers your mortgage if you are unable to work due to illness, an accident or redundancy.
- Critical illness insurancethis insurance pays out a lump sum if you are diagnosed with a specified life-threatening disease.
- Private medical insurance (PMI)covers the cost of private medical treatment.
- Health cash plansin exchange for a monthly premium these schemes pay out a cash sum if you have to go into hospital or have specific treatment such as dental or chiropody work. The pay-outs are relatively small and not enough to pay for private medical treatment. However, these schemes can be useful to cover things like dental treatment or opticians' costs.
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