Getting Income Protection with Asthma

How inhaler usage, hospital admissions, and smoking history affect your IP rates

Asthma is one of the most common long-term medical conditions in the UK, affecting over 5.4 million people. If you have asthma, you understand the importance of managing your health. But have you considered how you would manage your finances if a severe attack or a related complication stopped you from working?

This is where Income Protection insurance becomes a crucial part of your financial planning.

Many people with asthma mistakenly believe they won't be able to get affordable, comprehensive income protection. They worry that their condition will lead to automatic declines or impossibly high premiums. The reality is more nuanced and often more positive.

Insurers in the UK have a sophisticated understanding of asthma. They don't apply a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, they look closely at how your asthma is managed and its severity. Three key factors have the biggest impact on your application:

1. Your inhaler usage: The type, dosage, and frequency.
2. Your history of attacks: Specifically, any hospital admissions or use of oral steroids.
3. Your smoking status: Whether you smoke, vape, or have recently quit.

This definitive guide will demystify the process of getting income protection with asthma. We'll explore exactly how underwriters view these factors, what outcomes you can expect, and how you can secure the best possible cover to protect your earnings.

What is Income Protection and Why is it Essential?

Before we dive into the specifics of asthma, let's clarify what Income Protection (IP) is and why it's considered the bedrock of financial protection.

Income Protection is a type of insurance policy that replaces a significant portion of your lost earnings if you are unable to work due to illness or injury.

It pays out a regular, tax-free monthly benefit until you can return to work, your policy term ends, or you retire, whichever comes first. It is designed to cover your essential outgoings—like your mortgage, rent, bills, and food—preventing financial hardship during a difficult time.

Key features of an Income Protection policy include:

• The Benefit Amount: You can typically cover 50-70% of your gross annual income. This is capped to ensure you have a financial incentive to return to work.
• The Deferred Period: This is the pre-agreed waiting period between when you stop working and when the policy starts paying out. Common options are 4, 8, 13, 26, or 52 weeks. The longer the deferred period, the lower your monthly premium.
• The Payout Period: Most comprehensive policies are 'long-term' and will pay out for as long as you are unable to work, right up until the policy expiry date (often aligned with your planned retirement age). Cheaper, 'short-term' plans may only pay out for 1, 2, or 5 years per claim.

For anyone who relies on their income—especially the self-employed, freelancers, contractors, and those with limited employer sick pay—income protection is not a luxury; it's a necessity. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in the UK provides only a minimal safety net, amounting to just over £100 per week, which is not enough for most households to survive on.

Understanding Asthma in the UK: An Insurer's Perspective

According to Asthma + Lung UK, someone has a potentially life-threatening asthma attack every 10 seconds in the UK. While most people manage their condition effectively, insurers must assess the risk of it leading to a long-term absence from work.

When an underwriter reviews your income protection application, they aren't just looking at the diagnosis of 'asthma'. They are trying to build a detailed picture of your specific situation to calculate the likelihood of you making a claim.

Their main concerns are:

• Severity: How serious is your asthma?
• Control: How well-managed is it day-to-day?
• Stability: Has your condition been stable, or has it worsened recently?
• Complications: Are there any related health issues?
• Lifestyle Risks: Do you smoke or have a high BMI, which could exacerbate your asthma?

Answering these questions allows them to place you in a risk category, which directly determines the terms of your policy. Let's break down the evidence they use.

Deep Dive Part 1: Your Inhalers Tell a Story

The medication you use to manage your asthma is the first and most important piece of evidence for an insurer. It provides a clear, objective measure of the severity and control of your condition.

Here's how different types of inhaler usage are typically interpreted:

Reliever Inhalers (The Blue Ones)

• What they are: These are for immediate relief of symptoms (e.g., Salbutamol).
• What they tell an insurer: If you only use a reliever inhaler very infrequently (e.g., less than twice a week) and don't need any other treatment, it signals very mild, well-controlled asthma. This is the most favourable scenario.
• What it means for your application: You are very likely to be offered income protection at standard rates, meaning you pay the same as someone without a health condition.

Preventer Inhalers (The Brown, Orange, or Purple Ones)

• What they are: These are steroid-based inhalers taken daily to prevent inflammation and reduce the likelihood of attacks (e.g., Beclometasone, Fluticasone).
• What they tell an insurer: Daily use of a preventer indicates you have persistent asthma that requires ongoing management. The key for the insurer is the dosage. A low-dose daily preventer with infrequent reliever use is still viewed as well-managed.
• What it means for your application: With a low- to mid-strength preventer and good overall control, you can still often secure standard rates.

Combination and High-Dose Inhalers

• What they are: These inhalers contain both a long-acting reliever and a steroid preventer (e.g., Symbicort, Seretide). They are used when a standard preventer isn't enough to control symptoms.
• What they tell an insurer: Use of these inhalers points towards more moderate or severe asthma. The underwriter will look very closely at the prescribed dosage and how often you still need to use your blue reliever inhaler on top of this.
• What it means for your application: Standard rates become less likely. You should expect a premium loading—an increase on the standard premium, typically ranging from +50% to +100%, depending on the other factors.

The table below summarises how insurers often view different inhaler protocols:

Adviser Tip: Be prepared with the exact names and dosages of your inhalers when you apply. This allows your adviser to approach the most suitable insurers from the outset.

Deep Dive Part 2: Hospital Admissions & Steroid Use

While your daily medication paints a picture of your baseline condition, your history of severe attacks tells an insurer about its volatility. A sudden, severe flare-up is what's most likely to lead to time off work and a potential income protection claim.

Oral Steroid Courses (Prednisolone)

A course of oral steroid tablets (like Prednisolone) is prescribed to get a severe asthma flare-up under control. For an underwriter, this is a significant event.

• Recency is critical: A single course of steroids over 5 years ago will have minimal impact. However, two or more courses in the last 2-3 years will be seen as a sign of unstable or poorly controlled asthma.
• Impact on your application: Recent or multiple courses will almost certainly lead to a premium loading. If you have had a course within the last 12 months, some insurers may choose to postpone your application for 6-12 months to see a period of stability.

A&E Visits and Hospital Stays

Any hospital treatment for your asthma is a major red flag for insurers. It is the clearest indicator of a severe, life-threatening attack. They will want to know:

• The exact dates of any visits.
• Whether you were treated in A&E and discharged, or admitted to a ward.
• The duration of any hospital stay.
• Whether you required treatment in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or High Dependency Unit (HDU).

Here’s how these events affect your application:

• A&E visit (discharged): A one-off visit more than 2-3 years ago may be accepted with a loading. A recent visit will likely lead to postponement.
• Hospital Admission: An admission for asthma within the last 2-5 years will result in a significant premium loading (often +100% or more) or, with some insurers, a decline. Many insurers will automatically postpone an application if there has been a hospital admission for asthma in the last 1-2 years.
• ICU/HDU Admission: This is the most serious event. It can lead to a decline, even if it was several years ago. However, a specialist broker may be able to find cover with a niche provider after a significant period of stability (e.g., 5+ years).

Deep Dive Part 3: The Unforgiving Factor – Smoking & Vaping

This is the most straightforward—and most critical—factor.

If you have asthma, being a smoker or a vaper will have a profoundly negative impact on your income protection application.

Insurers see the combination of a chronic respiratory condition and smoking as an extremely high-risk proposition. Smoking irritates the lungs, triggers asthma attacks, and dramatically increases the risk of long-term lung damage and other serious illnesses.

Here's how insurers classify your smoking status:

• Current Smoker/Vaper: You will pay "smoker rates," which are often double the price of non-smoker rates before any asthma-related loading is even applied. For moderate to severe asthma, the combination can easily lead to a decline.
• Ex-Smoker (Quit within 12 months): You are still classed as a smoker by all UK insurers. You must have been completely nicotine-free (including all patches, gums, and vapes) for at least 12 months to be considered for non-smoker rates.
• Ex-Smoker (Quit 12+ months): You can now apply for non-smoker rates, which is a huge cost saving. However, the insurer will still take your past smoking history into account when assessing your overall respiratory risk.
• Never Smoked: This is the gold standard and gives you the best possible chance of securing favourable terms.

The Bottom Line: Quitting smoking is the single most effective action you can take to improve your chances of getting affordable income protection and, more importantly, to improve your health. Insurers often use cotinine tests during medical checks to verify your smoking status, so complete honesty is essential.

How Insurers Classify Asthma: A Simple Guide

Bringing all these factors together, insurers will categorise your asthma into a broad severity level. This determines the final underwriting decision.

It's important to remember that these are general guidelines. Every insurer has its own underwriting philosophy. This is why using an expert broker is so important—they know which insurer is most likely to offer the best terms for your specific medical history.

Real-Life Scenarios: Asthma & Income Protection Applications

Let's look at how these rules apply to real people.

Scenario 1: The Freelance Graphic Designer (Mild Asthma)

• Applicant: Chloe, 32, a freelance designer. Non-smoker.
• Asthma History: Diagnosed in childhood. Uses a Salbutamol (blue) inhaler about once a month, usually when exercising in the cold. Has no other medication and hasn't seen a doctor about her asthma in years.
• Application Outcome: Chloe's application is accepted at standard rates. Her asthma is so mild and well-controlled that it's not considered an additional risk by the insurer. She secures £2,500 a month of cover until age 67.

Scenario 2: The Company Director (Moderate, Stable Asthma)

• Applicant: Ben, 48, a director of a small engineering firm. Quit smoking 10 years ago.
• Asthma History: Uses a daily Fostair (combination) inhaler. Had one course of oral steroids three years ago after a chest infection. His condition has been completely stable since.
• Application Outcome: Ben's adviser at WeCovr approached an insurer known to be lenient with stable, historical asthma. The insurer applied a +50% premium loading. While more expensive than standard rates, this provides him and his family with vital financial security. He opts for an Executive Income Protection policy, paid for by his business as a tax-efficient expense.

Scenario 3: The Self-Employed Electrician (Severe Asthma & Smoker)

• Applicant: Tom, 40, a self-employed electrician. Smokes 10 cigarettes a day.
• Asthma History: Uses a high-dose Seretide (combination) inhaler and his reliever inhaler most days. Was admitted to hospital for 48 hours with a severe asthma attack 18 months ago.
• Application Outcome: Tom's application is declined by most mainstream insurers. The combination of smoking, recent hospitalisation, and frequent symptoms presents too high a risk of a claim. His adviser explains that if he can quit smoking for 12 months and demonstrate a year of stability with no attacks, he may be able to secure cover in the future, albeit with a high loading.

Essential Cover for Directors & Business Owners with Asthma

If you run your own limited company, you have access to a specialist form of income protection that offers significant advantages: Executive Income Protection.

• What is it? It works just like a personal policy, but it is owned and paid for by your business.
• How does it work? If you're unable to work due to illness or injury (including a severe asthma attack), the policy pays a monthly benefit to your company. The company then pays this to you as salary via PAYE.
• What are the benefits?
  • Tax Efficiency: The monthly premiums are typically classed as an allowable business expense, reducing your corporation tax bill.
  • Higher Cover Levels: You can often cover up to 80% of your total remuneration (salary and dividends).
  • Protects the Business: It ensures you can continue to draw an income without draining business reserves.

The underwriting process for asthma is identical for an executive policy. However, the tax efficiency can help to offset any premium loading that might be applied, making it an extremely attractive option for company directors.

Top Tips for a Successful Asthma Income Protection Application

1. Be 100% Honest and Accurate: The single biggest mistake you can make is withholding information. Be completely transparent about your inhalers, dosages, and any past attacks. Insurers can access your medical records during a claim, and any non-disclosure could result in your policy being cancelled and your claim rejected.
2. Gather Your Information: Before you apply, make a note of the exact names and strengths of your inhalers, the dates of your last asthma review, and the dates of any steroid courses or hospital visits. This will speed up the process.
3. Get an Asthma Review: If you haven't had one recently, book an asthma review with your GP or practice nurse. A recent, well-documented review showing good control can significantly strengthen your application.
4. Optimise Your Deferred Period: If you have savings or good employer sick pay, choosing a longer deferred period (e.g., 13 or 26 weeks) can dramatically reduce your premium. This can help make cover more affordable if a loading has been applied.
5. Work With an Expert Broker: This is not a self-service product. An independent protection adviser, like the team at WeCovr, has deep knowledge of the market. We know which insurers have the most favourable underwriting for asthma and can present your case in the best possible light. This saves you time and avoids having declines on your record from applying to the wrong providers.

Why Using a Specialist Broker is Non-Negotiable

When you have a pre-existing medical condition like asthma, going direct to an insurer or using a non-specialist comparison site is a false economy.

• Insurers are not all the same. One insurer might apply a 100% loading for your specific history, while another might only apply 50% or even offer standard rates.
• An expert broker knows the difference. We have daily experience with underwriters from all the major UK insurers, including Aviva, Legal & General, Royal London, and Vitality. We know their specific 'appetites' for risk.
• We manage the process for you. Instead of you filling out multiple long applications, we gather your information once and then find the best home for it. This protects your application history and maximises your chances of success.
• It costs you nothing extra. Our service is free to you. We are paid a commission by the insurer when your policy goes live, which is already built into the premium price.

At WeCovr, we are committed to helping our clients not only secure the best financial protection but also to support their long-term health. That's why our clients get complimentary access to CalorieHero, our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app, to help them manage their overall wellbeing, which is a key part of managing any chronic condition.

Asthma shouldn't be a barrier to financial security. With the right advice and approach, you can put a robust safety net in place for you and your family.

The first step is to understand your options.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Protecting your income is one of the most important financial decisions you will ever make. If you have asthma, don't let uncertainty stop you. With expert guidance, you can navigate the application process and secure the cover you need at a fair price.

Contact WeCovr today for a free, no-obligation quote and let our expert advisers find the best income protection policy for you.

Sources

• NHS
• Asthma + Lung UK
• Office for National Statistics (ONS)
• Association of British Insurers (ABI)
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• gov.uk

Disclaimer: This is general guidance only and does not constitute formal tax or financial advice. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances, policy terms, and HMRC interpretation, which cannot be guaranteed in advance. Whenever applicable, businesses and individuals should always consult a qualified accountant or tax adviser before arranging such policies.