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The Growth Protection Paradox

The Growth Protection Paradox 2025 | Top Insurance Guides

Are you truly prepared for exponential personal growth in an unpredictable world? By 2025, health realities are clear: experts project over 1 in 2 UK individuals may face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, illustrating the critical need for proactive planning. This isn't just about financial safety nets; it’s about empowering tradespeople, nurses, electricians, and every ambitious individual to pursue their dreams without the silent fear of illness or injury derailing their future. Discover how strategic Family Income Benefit, Income Protection, Life and Critical Illness Cover, Personal Sick Pay, and Gift Inter Vivos – alongside the immediate access and tailored care of Private Health Insurance – are not just protection products, but essential pillars for uninterrupted growth, relationship security, and a life truly lived on your terms.

We live in an age of ambition. We're driven to build careers, grow businesses, achieve personal milestones, and create lasting legacies. Yet, a fundamental paradox lies at the heart of this pursuit: the more we build, the more we have to lose. This is the Growth Protection Paradox. As you climb higher, the potential fall becomes greater, and the safety nets we once thought were adequate become perilously thin.

The stark reality is that our health is the bedrock of all our ambitions. Without it, the best-laid plans can crumble. A 2025 projection from Cancer Research UK suggests that more than one in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime. This isn't a scaremongering tactic; it's a statistical reality check that underscores the fragility of our health and the absolute necessity of proactive, intelligent planning.

This guide isn't about fear. It's about empowerment. It's for the electrician scaling their business, the nurse on the front line, the freelance creative building a portfolio, and the company director steering their ship. It’s about understanding that robust financial protection is not a begrudging expense but a strategic investment in your most valuable asset: your ability to grow, to thrive, and to live without the constant, nagging worry of 'what if?'.

Let’s dismantle the paradox and build a future where your growth is not just possible, but protected.

The Modern Landscape of Risk: Understanding Your Exposure in 2025

To build an effective defence, you must first understand the battlefield. The UK in 2025 presents a unique combination of health, financial, and systemic challenges that can derail even the most carefully planned life journey.

The Unforgiving Health Reality

While we are living longer, we are not necessarily living healthier. The prevalence of serious health conditions is a significant concern for individuals and families across the UK.

  • Cancer: As mentioned, the projection that 1 in 2 people will face a cancer diagnosis is a watershed moment. While survival rates are improving dramatically, treatment and recovery can be a long, arduous, and financially draining process.
  • Heart and Circulatory Diseases: The British Heart Foundation reports that there are around 7.6 million people living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK. Every five minutes, someone is admitted to a UK hospital due to a heart attack.
  • Strokes: The Stroke Association highlights that there are over 100,000 strokes in the UK each year. That's one every five minutes. A stroke can have a life-altering impact on your ability to work and live independently.
  • Musculoskeletal and Mental Health: The Health and Safety Executive's 2023 statistics revealed that stress, depression, or anxiety accounted for nearly half of all work-related ill health cases. Musculoskeletal disorders were the second most common cause, impacting hundreds of thousands of workers, particularly those in manual trades.

These aren't just statistics; they represent millions of individual stories of interrupted careers, strained relationships, and shattered financial stability.

The Precarious Financial Buffer

How long could you survive financially if your income stopped tomorrow? For many UK households, the answer is frighteningly short.

A 2024 report from the Money and Pensions Service revealed that a significant portion of the UK population has less than £1,000 in savings. Even for those with more, a sustained period without income can quickly erode a lifetime of careful saving. Consider the costs that don't stop when your salary does:

  • Mortgage or rent
  • Council tax
  • Utility bills
  • Food and groceries
  • Car payments and insurance
  • Childcare costs

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provides a minimal safety net, but at just over £116 per week (2024/25 rate), it is rarely enough to cover even the most basic of household outgoings.

The NHS: A National Treasure Under Pressure

The National Health Service is one of our country's greatest achievements, providing incredible care to millions. However, it is no secret that the system is facing unprecedented demand. As of early 2025, NHS England waiting lists for routine treatments remain a significant challenge.

While emergency care is world-class, waiting for a diagnosis, a specialist consultation, or elective surgery can take months, sometimes longer. This "downtime" is not just a health concern; it's an economic one. It's time spent in discomfort or pain, unable to work, unable to earn, and unable to move forward with your life.

This complex landscape demands a modern, multi-layered solution. It requires a personal protection strategy that acts as a comprehensive shield against the unpredictable nature of life.

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Deconstructing Protection: Your Personal Growth Toolkit

Think of protection insurance not as a single product, but as a customisable toolkit. Each tool has a specific purpose, and when combined correctly, they create an unbreakable defence for your financial life. Let's open the toolbox.

1. Income Protection: The Bedrock of Your Plan

If you could only choose one policy, this would arguably be it. Income Protection (IP) is designed to do one thing brilliantly: replace a significant portion of your monthly income if you are unable to work due to any illness or injury.

  • What it is: A regular, tax-free monthly payment that continues until you can return to work, your chosen claim period ends, or you retire.
  • Why it’s a growth enabler: It pays your bills, covers your mortgage, and maintains your lifestyle while you focus 100% on recovery. For a self-employed person, it's the difference between their business surviving a health crisis or folding. It removes the pressure to return to work before you are medically ready.

Key Features to Understand:

FeatureDescriptionWhy It Matters
Deferred PeriodThe waiting period from when you stop working to when payments start. Typically 4, 8, 13, 26, or 52 weeks.A longer deferred period means lower premiums. Align it with your sick pay or savings.
Occupation ClassThe definition of 'unable to work' used by the insurer.This is CRITICAL. 'Own Occupation' is the gold standard, covering you if you can't do your specific job.
Level of CoverUsually 50-70% of your gross monthly income.Provides a substantial safety net without disincentivising a return to work.
Payment PeriodCan be short-term (1, 2, or 5 years) or long-term (until retirement).Long-term cover provides the most comprehensive protection against career-ending conditions.

Example: An electrician earning £45,000 a year suffers a serious back injury. Their 'Own Occupation' Income Protection policy, with a 13-week deferred period, kicks in. It pays them £2,250 a month, allowing them to cover their mortgage and family bills while they undergo physiotherapy and recover fully, without any financial stress.

2. Critical Illness Cover (CIC): The Financial Fire Extinguisher

While Income Protection handles the ongoing bills, Critical Illness Cover is designed to tackle the immediate financial firestorm that a serious diagnosis can ignite.

  • What it is: A one-off, tax-free lump sum paid upon the diagnosis of a specific, serious illness listed in the policy.
  • Why it’s a growth enabler: This lump sum gives you options and control at a time when you feel you have none. You could use it to:
    • Clear or reduce your mortgage, drastically cutting your monthly outgoings.
    • Pay for private medical treatment or specialist consultations.
    • Adapt your home for new mobility needs.
    • Fund a period of extended, stress-free time off for you and your partner.
    • Inject cash into your business to keep it running while you recover.

Insurers cover a wide range of conditions, but the "big three" are typically cancer, heart attack, and stroke. It's vital to check the policy documents, as definitions and the number of illnesses covered can vary significantly. An expert broker at WeCovr can help you navigate these differences to find the most comprehensive cover available.

3. Life Insurance (Life Protection): The Ultimate Legacy

This is the most well-known form of protection, providing a financial cushion for your loved ones after you're gone.

  • What it is: A tax-free lump sum paid to your beneficiaries upon your death.
  • Why it’s a growth enabler: It ensures that the life you've built for your family can continue. It prevents your ambitions for your children's future from being curtailed by your absence. It provides peace of mind, freeing you to live life to the fullest.

Main Types of Life Insurance:

Policy TypeHow It WorksBest For
Level TermThe payout amount remains the same throughout the policy term.Covering an interest-only mortgage, providing a family lump sum, or leaving a legacy.
Decreasing TermThe payout amount reduces over time, broadly in line with a repayment mortgage.Covering a repayment mortgage or other loan that decreases over time. It's the most affordable option.
Whole of LifeThe policy is guaranteed to pay out whenever you die, as long as you maintain premiums.Covering a future Inheritance Tax bill or providing a guaranteed sum for funeral costs or a legacy.

4. Family Income Benefit (FIB): The Sensible Salary Replacement

Family Income Benefit is a clever and often more affordable alternative to a standard lump-sum life insurance policy.

  • What it is: Instead of a single large payout on death, FIB provides your family with a series of smaller, regular, tax-free monthly or annual payments.
  • Why it’s a growth enabler: It mimics a lost salary, making budgeting far easier for a grieving family. It can be set up to pay out until your youngest child would have finished university, for example, ensuring key life stages are financially secure. Because the total potential payout reduces over time, it can be a very cost-effective way to protect your family during their most dependent years.

Example: A 35-year-old parent with two young children takes out a 20-year FIB policy for £2,000 per month. If they were to pass away 5 years into the policy, their family would receive £2,000 every month for the remaining 15 years, providing a stable, manageable income to cover bills and maintain their lifestyle.

Specialised Protection for the Ambitious: For Trades, Freelancers, and Directors

Standard protection products are excellent, but certain professions and business structures have unique vulnerabilities that require specialised solutions. This is where a tailored approach becomes essential.

For the Tradespeople: Personal Sick Pay

If you're a plumber, builder, scaffolder, or in any manual trade, your body is your business. An injury doesn't just mean time off; it means a complete halt to your income. While comprehensive Income Protection is the ideal, some tradespeople prefer the simplicity and accessibility of Personal Sick Pay insurance.

  • What it is: A type of short-term income protection, often with simpler underwriting. It's designed to pay out quickly for a defined period, typically 12 or 24 months.
  • Key Features:
    • Day-One Cover: Some policies can be set up to pay out from the first day you are off work, which is vital when you have no employee benefits.
    • Accident-Focused: Many plans are geared towards covering injuries, which are a primary risk for trades.
    • Affordability: Because the claim period is shorter, premiums are often lower than long-term IP.

This is a crucial safety net that ensures a broken leg doesn't lead to a broken business.

For the Self-Employed & Freelancers: The Non-Negotiable Duo

For the UK's 4.2 million self-employed workers, there is no safety net. No Statutory Sick Pay (beyond the basic Employment and Support Allowance), no employer pension, and no death-in-service benefit. For this group, Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover are not optional extras; they are fundamental business tools.

  • Income Protection: This is your sick pay, your financial lifeline. It allows you to say "no" to clients and projects while you recover, preserving your health and your professional reputation.
  • Critical Illness Cover: A lump sum can provide a vital cash injection to keep your business afloat. It can cover business overheads, pay for a temporary replacement, or simply give you the breathing room to recover without worrying about your business collapsing.

For Company Directors: Protecting Your Greatest Asset—Your Business

As a company director, you are responsible not only for your own family's financial future but also for your employees and the health of the business itself. Smart directors use the business to fund tax-efficient protection policies that safeguard everyone.

Key Business Protection Strategies:

ProductWho It's ForHow It Works & Key Benefit
Key Person InsuranceBusinesses reliant on specific individuals (directors, top salespeople, technical experts).The business takes out a policy on the 'key person'. If they die or suffer a critical illness, the business receives a lump sum to cover lost profits, recruitment costs, or loan repayments. It ensures business continuity.
Executive Income ProtectionCompany directors and valued employees.An Income Protection policy owned and paid for by the business for an employee. Benefit: Premiums are typically an allowable business expense, making it highly tax-efficient for the company and a fantastic perk for the director.
Relevant Life CoverSmall businesses wanting to offer a death-in-service benefit without a full group scheme.A company-paid life insurance policy for an employee/director. Benefit: Premiums are not treated as a P11D benefit for the employee and are generally a tax-deductible business expense. The payout is made tax-free to the family via a trust.
Shareholder ProtectionCompanies with multiple owner-directors.Provides a lump sum on the death or critical illness of a shareholder, enabling the remaining shareholders to buy the affected director's shares from their family. This prevents shares from passing to individuals who have no interest in the business, ensuring a smooth transition of ownership.

Navigating these options requires expertise. At WeCovr, we specialise in helping company directors structure these policies in the most effective and tax-efficient way, ensuring both their family and their business are protected.

Advanced Strategies: Securing Your Wealth and Legacy

For those who have built significant personal wealth, protection insurance plays a vital role in preserving that wealth for the next generation.

Gift Inter Vivos: The Inheritance Tax Shield

Inheritance Tax (IHT) is a significant consideration in financial planning. When you make a large gift to someone (a Potentially Exempt Transfer or PET), you must survive for seven years for that gift to become completely exempt from IHT. If you pass away within that seven-year window, the gift becomes part of your estate and could face a tax bill of up to 40%.

  • What it is: Gift Inter Vivos insurance is a specialised life insurance policy designed to solve this problem. It's a term assurance policy that runs for seven years, with a payout that matches the potential IHT liability on the gift.
  • How it works: If the person making the gift (the donor) dies during the policy term, the insurance pays out a lump sum. This sum is used by the recipients of the gift to pay the IHT bill, ensuring they receive the full intended value of the gift. It's a simple, cost-effective way to guarantee your generosity isn't diluted by tax.

The Power of Writing Your Policy in Trust

This is one of the most important yet often overlooked aspects of life insurance. Placing your policy in trust is a simple legal arrangement that ensures the payout goes exactly where you want it, quickly and efficiently.

Benefits of Using a Trust:

  1. Avoids Probate: A trust is separate from your estate. This means the insurance payout does not need to go through the often lengthy and complex probate process. Your family can receive the money in weeks, not months or even years.
  2. Control: You specify exactly who the beneficiaries are and who (the trustees) will manage the money on their behalf. This is especially useful if beneficiaries are young children.
  3. Inheritance Tax Efficiency: For most types of trust, the life insurance payout falls outside of your estate for IHT purposes. This means the full lump sum goes to your family, without a potential 40% deduction for tax.

Setting up a trust is usually free and straightforward when you take out a policy. It's a simple piece of administration that can save your family a huge amount of stress and money.

Supercharging Your Wellbeing: The Proactive Role of Private Health Insurance

So far, we've focused on financial protection against ill health. But what if you could minimise the impact of that ill health in the first place? This is where Private Health Insurance (PHI), also known as Private Medical Insurance (PMI), becomes a crucial pillar of your growth strategy.

PHI is not a replacement for the NHS; it's a powerful complement to it.

  • What it is: A policy that covers the cost of private medical care for acute conditions that arise after you take out the policy.
  • Why it’s a growth enabler:
    • Speed of Access: This is the primary benefit. PHI allows you to bypass NHS waiting lists for specialist consultations, diagnostic scans (like MRI and CT), and elective surgery.
    • Minimising Downtime: Quicker diagnosis and treatment mean a faster return to health, work, and your life's ambitions. For a business owner or key employee, this can be the difference between a minor blip and a major business disruption.
    • Choice and Control: You gain more control over when and where you are treated and can often choose the specialist or surgeon who will oversee your care.
    • Access to Advanced Treatments: Some policies provide access to new drugs or treatments that may not yet be available on the NHS due to cost or other considerations.
    • Comfort and Privacy: A private room can make a significant difference to your recovery and mental wellbeing during a stressful time.

The Modern PHI Policy: More Than Just Treatment

In 2025, leading health insurance policies are as much about proactive wellbeing as they are about reactive treatment. Many now include an incredible suite of value-added benefits as standard:

  • Virtual GP Services: 24/7 access to a GP via phone or video call, often with the ability to get prescriptions delivered.
  • Mental Health Support: Access to counselling and therapy sessions without a long wait.
  • Physiotherapy and Musculoskeletal Support: Quick access to treatment for back pain or sports injuries.
  • Wellness Incentives: Discounts on gym memberships, fitness trackers, and healthy food.

At WeCovr, we believe in this holistic approach to health. That's why, in addition to finding you the perfect insurance policy, we provide our clients with complimentary access to CalorieHero, our exclusive AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app. We understand that empowering you with tools to manage your daily health is just as important as providing a safety net for when things go wrong.

Practical Steps to Building Your Unbreakable Protection Portfolio

Feeling overwhelmed? Don't be. Building a robust protection plan is a logical process. Here's a simple, step-by-step guide to get you started.

  1. Assess Your 'Why'. Before looking at any products, understand what you are protecting. Is it your family's home? Your children's education? Your business's future? Your ability to live your current lifestyle? Your 'why' will be the guiding star for your entire plan.
  2. Conduct a Financial Health Check. Be honest with yourself. Collate your income, monthly outgoings, debts (mortgage, loans, credit cards), and savings. Calculate how many months your savings would last if your income stopped today. This will help you determine your ideal deferred period for Income Protection.
  3. Review Your Existing Cover. Do you have any protection through your employer? Check the details carefully. 'Death in service' cover is often a multiple of your salary (e.g., 4x). Is this enough to clear your mortgage and provide for your family? Does your employer provide any sick pay, and for how long? Crucially, remember that this cover ceases the moment you leave your job.
  4. Seek Independent, Expert Advice. This is the single most important step. The protection market is complex, with dozens of providers and hundreds of policy variations. An independent broker, like WeCovr, works for you, not the insurance company. We will:
    • Conduct a full, no-obligation review of your circumstances.
    • Explain your options in plain English.
    • Compare policies from across the entire UK market to find the right cover at the most competitive price.
    • Help you with the application forms and ensure your policies are placed in trust.
  5. Don't Procrastinate. Protection insurance is priced based on your age and health at the time of application. The younger and healthier you are, the cheaper your premiums will be. Every year you delay, the cost increases. Lock in lower premiums for the life of your policy by acting now.

Conclusion: Exchange Fear for Freedom

The Growth Protection Paradox is real. The pursuit of a bigger, better future inherently creates more to protect. But it is a paradox that you can solve.

By viewing protection not as a cost but as a strategic enabler, you fundamentally change your relationship with risk. You exchange the silent, underlying fear of 'what if' for the freedom and confidence to pursue your goals with everything you have.

An Income Protection policy is the permission slip to recover properly. Critical Illness Cover is the emergency fund that gives you control when you need it most. Life Insurance is the ultimate expression of love and responsibility for those you leave behind. And Private Health Insurance is the fast-track pass back to the life you love.

For the ambitious, the builders, the carers, and the creators, this protection isn't a luxury. It is the essential, non-negotiable foundation upon which a life of growth, security, and true freedom is built. It’s how you ensure that no matter what unpredictable challenges life throws your way, your journey forward is uninterrupted, and your future remains firmly in your hands.

Is protection insurance expensive?

The cost of protection insurance varies widely based on several factors: your age, your health and lifestyle (e.g., whether you smoke), your occupation, the type of cover you choose, the amount of cover, and the policy term. However, it is often far more affordable than people think. For example, a healthy 30-year-old could secure significant life cover for the price of a few weekly coffees. An expert broker can help you find a plan that fits your budget by adjusting cover levels and features.

Do I need to have a medical examination to get insurance?

Not always. For many people, cover can be put in place based on the answers you provide on the application form. Insurers use this information, along with your age and the amount of cover you're applying for, to make a decision. However, if you are older, applying for a very large amount of cover, or have disclosed certain medical conditions, the insurer may request a GP report, a nurse screening, or a full medical examination, which they will pay for.

What if I have a pre-existing medical condition?

It is still possible to get cover, but you must declare all pre-existing conditions fully and honestly on your application. Non-disclosure can invalidate your policy. Depending on the condition, the insurer might offer cover on standard terms, charge a higher premium (a 'loading'), or place an exclusion on the policy, meaning you cannot claim for that specific condition. In some cases, they may decline to offer cover. A specialist broker can help you approach the insurers most likely to offer favourable terms for your condition.

Can I have more than one insurance policy?

Yes, and it's often a good strategy. You might have a decreasing term life insurance policy to cover your mortgage and a separate level term policy or Family Income Benefit to provide for your family's living costs. You can also hold Life, Critical Illness, and Income Protection policies simultaneously, as they are all designed to cover different risks.

How much cover do I actually need?

There is no single answer, as it's based on your personal circumstances. For life insurance, a common rule of thumb is to cover 10 times your annual salary, but a better method is to calculate your specific needs: clear your mortgage and any other debts, provide a lump sum for immediate expenses, and create a fund to generate an income for your family. For income protection, you can typically cover 50-70% of your gross income. A financial adviser or broker can perform a detailed needs analysis to give you a precise figure.

Are payouts from life insurance, critical illness cover, and income protection taxed?

For personal policies paid for with your post-tax income, the payouts are almost always free of tax. Life insurance and critical illness lump sums are paid free of income tax and capital gains tax. If a life policy is not written in trust, the payout may form part of your estate for Inheritance Tax purposes. Income Protection benefits are paid free of tax and National Insurance. For business protection policies, the tax treatment can be more complex, and professional advice is essential.

Why life insurance and how does it work?

What is Life Insurance?

Life insurance is an insurance policy that can provide financial support for your loved ones when you or your joint policy holder passes away. It can help clear any outstanding debts, such as a mortgage, and cover your family's living and other expenses such costs of education, so your family can continue to pay bills and living expenses. In addition to life insurance, insurance providers offer related products such as income protection and critical illness, which we will touch upon below.

How does it work?

Life insurance pays out if you die. The payout can be in the form of a lump sum payment or can be paid as a replacement for a regular income. It's your decision how much cover you'd like to take based on your financial resources and how much you'd like to leave to your family to help them deal with any outstanding debts and living expenses. Your premium depends on a number of factors, including your occupation, health and other criteria.

The payout amount can change over time or can be fixed. A level term or whole of life policy offers a fixed payout. A decreasing term policy offers a payout that decreases over the term of the cover.

With critical illness policies, a payout is made if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness with a remaining life expectancy of less than 12 months. While income protection policies ensure you can continue to meet your financial commitments if you are forced to take an extended break from work. If you can’t work because you’ve had an accident, fallen sick, or lost your job through no fault of your own, income protection insurance pays you an agreed portion of your salary each month.

Income protection is particularly helpful for people in dangerous occupations who want to be sure their mortgage will always be covered. Income protection only covers events beyond your control: you’re much less likely to be covered if you’re fired from your job or if you injure yourself deliberately.

Questions to ask yourself regarding life insurance

Just ask yourself:
👉 Who would pay your mortgage or rent if you were to pass away or fall seriously ill?
👉 Who would pay for your family’s food, clothing, study fees or lifestyle?
👉 Who would provide for the costs of your funeral or clear your debts?
👉 Who would pay for your costs if you're unable to work due to serious illness or disability?

Many families don’t realise that life, income protection and critical illness insurance is one of the most effective ways to protect their finances. A great insurance policy can cover costs, protect a family from inheriting debts and even pay off a mortgage.

Many would think that the costs for all the benefits provided by life insurance, income protection insurance or critical illness insurance are too high, but the great news is in the current market policies are actually very inexpensive.

Benefits offered by income protection, life and critical illness insurance

Life insurance, income protection and critical illness insurance are indispensable for every family because a child loses a parent every 22 minutes in the UK, while every single day tragically 60 people suffer major injuries on the UK roads. Some people become unable to work because of sickness or disability.

Life insurance cover pays out a lump sum to your family, loved ones or whomever you choose to get the money. This can be used to secure the financial future of your loved ones meaning they would not have to struggle financially in the event of your death.

If it's a critical illness cover, the payout happens sooner - upon diagnosis of a serious illness, disability or medical condition, easing the financial hardship such an event inevitably brings.

Income protection insurance can be very important for anyone who relies on a pay check to cover their living costs, but it's especially important if you’re self-employed or own a small business, where your employment and income is a bit less stable. It pays a regular income if you can't work because of sickness or disability and continues until you return to paid work or you retire.

In a world where 1 in 4 of us would struggle financially after just four weeks without work, the stark reality hits hard – a mere 7% of UK adults possess the vital shield of income protection. The urgency of safeguarding our financial well-being has never been more palpable.

Let's face it – relying on savings isn't a solution for everyone. Almost 25% of people have no savings at all, and a whopping 50% have £1,000 or less tucked away. Even more concerning, 51% of Brits – that's a huge 27 million people – wouldn't last more than one month living off their savings. That's a 10% increase from 2022.

And don't even think about state benefits being a safety net. The maximum you can expect from statutory sick pay is a mere £109.40 per week for up to 28 weeks. Not exactly a financial lifeline, right?

Now, let's tackle a common objection: "But I have critical illness insurance. I don't need income protection too." Here's the deal – the two policies apply to very different situations. In a nutshell:

  • Critical illness insurance pays a single lump sum if you're diagnosed with or undergo surgery for a specified potentially life-threatening illness. It's great for handling big one-off expenses or debts.
  • Income protection, on the other hand, pays a percentage of your salary as a regular payment if you can't work due to illness or injury. It's the superhero that tackles those relentless monthly bills.

Types of life insurance policies

Common reasons for getting a life insurance policy are to:
✅ Leave behind an amount of money to keep your family comfortable
✅ Protect the family home and pay off the mortgage in full or in part
✅ Pay for funeral costs

Starting from as little as a couple of pounds per week, you can do all that with a Life Policy.

Level Term Life Insurance
One of the simplest forms of life insurance, level term life insurance works by selecting a length of time for which you would want to be covered and then deciding how much you would like your loved ones to receive should the worst happen. Should your life insurance policy pay out to your family, it would be in a lump sum amount that can be used in whatever way the beneficiary may wish.

Decreasing Term Life Insurance
Decreasing term life insurance works in the same way as level term, except the lump sum payment amount upon death decreases with time. The common use for decreasing term life cover is to protect against mortgage repayment as the lump sum decreases along with the principal of the mortgage itself.

Increasing Term Life Insurance
Increasing term life insurance aims to pay out a cash sum growing each year if the worst happens while covered by the policy. With increasing term life cover amount insured increases annually by a fixed amount for the length of the policy. This can protect your policy's value against inflation, which could be advantageous if you’re looking to maintain your loved ones’ living standards, continue paying off your mortgage in line with its repayment schedule and cover your children’s education fees.

Whole of Life Insurance
Whereas term life insurance policies only pay out if you pass away during their term, whole of life insurance pays out to your beneficiaries whenever this should happen. The most common uses for whole life insurance are to cover the costs of a funeral or as a vehicle for your family's inheritance tax planning.

Family Income Benefit
Family income benefit is a somewhat lesser-known product in the family of life insurance products. Paying out a set amount every month of year to your beneficiaries, it is the most cost-effective way of maintaining your family's living standards to an age where you'd expect them to be able to support themselves financially. The most common use would be for a family with children who are not working yet so are unable to take care of themselves financially.

Relevant Life Insurance
Relevant Life Insurance is a tax-efficient policy for a director or single employee. A simple level term life insurance product, it is placed in a specific trust to ensure its tax efficiency. The premiums are tax deductible and any benefit payable should a claim arise is also paid out tax free, which makes it an attractive product for entrepreneurs and their businesses.

Important Fact!

There is no need to wait until the renewal of your current policy.
We can look at a more suitable option mid-term!

Why is it important to get life insurance early?

👉 Many people are very thankful that they had their life, income protection, and critical illness insurance cover in place before running into some serious issues. Critical illness and income protection insurance is as important as life insurance for protecting your family's finances.

👉 We insure our cars, houses, bicycles and even bags! Yet our life and health are the most precious things we have.

Easily one of the most important insurance purchases an individual or family can make in their lifetime, the decision to buy life, income protection, critical illness and private medical health insurance can be made much simpler with the help of FCA-authorised advisers. They are the specialists who do the searching and analysis helping people choose between various types of life insurance policies available in the market, including income protection, critical illness and other types of policies most suitable to the client's individual circumstances.

It certainly won't do any harm if you speak with one of our experienced FCA-authorised insurance partner experts who are passionate about advising people on financial matters related to life insurance and are keen to provide you with a free consultation.

You can discuss with them in detail what affordable life, income protection, critical illness or private medical health insurance plan for the necessary peace of mind they would recommend! WeCovr works with some of the best advisers in the market.

By tapping the button below, you can book a free call with them in less than 30 seconds right now:

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Life, income protection, and/or critical illness insurance are safety nets, very important at a difficult time. If anything happened to you before your cover ends, your life or critical illness insurance would pay a lump sum to your family and/or you (if you took a critical illness or income protection cover) to help cover the losses. Being diagnosed with a critical illness can be devastating, and it won't help matters to be also worrying about how you would cope financially. With a life, income protection, or critical illness policy, you can choose how much cover you need, how you want the policy to pay out, and whether you want cover for both you and your partner. Income protection insurance pays you a regular income if you can't work because of sickness or disability and continues until you return to paid work or you retire. Also known as permanent health insurance, it is quite important for anyone who relies on a paycheck to cover their living costs, but it's particularly important if you're self-employed or own a small business, where your income might be a bit less stable.

Life, income protection, and critical illness insurance pay out millions to families every day. Your expert will explain to you that you need to be honest and open when applying for your insurance.

If you're single with no dependants then it may be that you don't need life assurance. However, if you were to become seriously ill and unable to work, you may benefit from a critical illness or income protection policy. They can help you keep up to date with your rent, bills, food, and other expenses.

It's free to use WeCovr to find life, income protection, and critical illness insurance - we never charge you for quotes. Critical illness, income protection, and life insurance is an investment that pays many times over for you and/or your loved ones.

Life, income protection, and critical illness insurance are important financial products that insurance companies take a lot of care and diligence, so speaking to real human beings ensures that they understand your requirements fully so that you can get the right cover.

All of our partners are carefully vetted and authorised by the FCA, which means they are held to the highest standards that the FCA expects from them and treat all customers fairly!

Our insurance partners give us a few pounds when you take out a policy with one of their experts.

The cost of life insurance depends on several factors, including your age, occupation, health status, and the level of coverage you choose. Your life insurance policy is tailored to your needs, and the cost can vary based on the sum assured, policy term, and other factors.

Some life insurance policies offer an option to add critical illness cover as a rider or as a separate policy. This provides a lump sum payment if you are diagnosed with a critical illness covered by your policy, offering financial support during a difficult time.

Yes, life insurance is available to self-employed individuals to provide financial protection for their loved ones in the event of their death. It ensures that your family can maintain their standard of living and cover expenses such as mortgage payments, bills, and education costs.

If you outlive your life insurance policy and it expires without a claim, you will not receive any payout. Term life insurance policies are designed to provide coverage for a specific period, and once that period ends, the policy terminates without any residual value. However, you can typically renew or purchase a new policy if you still need coverage.

Critical illness insurance provides a lump sum payment if you're diagnosed with a serious illness covered by your policy, offering financial support during a difficult time. It can help cover medical expenses, mortgage payments, and other financial obligations while you focus on recovery.

Critical illness insurance covers a range of serious illnesses and medical conditions specified in your policy, such as cancer, heart attack, stroke, and organ failure. The lump sum payment can be used to cover medical treatment, ongoing care, and living expenses during your recovery.

The cost of critical illness insurance varies depending on factors such as your age, health status, lifestyle, and the level of coverage you choose. Our experts can provide personalised quotes to help you find affordable coverage.

Yes, you can have critical illness insurance alongside your health insurance coverage. Critical illness insurance provides additional financial protection specifically for serious illnesses, complementing your health insurance benefits.

Critical illness insurance policies typically have exclusions for pre-existing conditions and certain medical conditions not covered by the policy. It's essential to review the terms and conditions of your policy to understand what is and isn't covered.

Some critical illness insurance policies may provide coverage for recurring illnesses, while others may not. It's crucial to review the policy terms and understand the specific conditions under which you can make additional claims for recurring illnesses. Your insurer can provide more details on their coverage for recurring critical illnesses.

Yes, you can customise your life insurance policy to suit your individual needs and circumstances. Options may include choosing the sum assured, policy term, premium payment frequency, and additional riders for enhanced coverage.

If you miss a premium payment for your life insurance policy, your coverage may lapse, and your policy could be terminated. However, many insurers offer a grace period during which you can make the payment to keep your policy active. It's essential to contact your insurer to discuss your options if you're unable to make a payment.

Yes, you can typically change the beneficiary of your life insurance policy at any time by completing a beneficiary change form provided by your insurer. It's essential to keep your beneficiary designation up to date to ensure that the proceeds are distributed according to your wishes.

Term life insurance provides cover for a fixed period, such as 10, 20 or 30 years, and pays out a lump sum if you die during that time. It’s often chosen to protect a mortgage or to provide financial support while dependants still rely on your income. Whole-of-life insurance is designed to last for the rest of your life and guarantees a payout whenever you die, as long as premiums are maintained. It’s usually more expensive than term insurance and is sometimes used to help with inheritance tax planning or to leave a guaranteed legacy.

Some term life insurance policies offer the option to convert to a whole life insurance policy without the need for a medical exam or new underwriting. This conversion feature allows you to maintain coverage beyond the term of your policy and provides lifelong protection.

Some life insurance policies offer accelerated death benefits or living benefits that allow you to access a portion of the death benefit if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness. This feature provides financial assistance to help cover medical expenses and other costs during your final months.

While having savings can provide a financial cushion during tough times, income protection insurance offers additional security by replacing a portion of your income if you're unable to work due to illness or disability. It ensures that you can maintain your standard of living and cover essential expenses even if your savings are depleted.

Yes, self-employed individuals can claim income protection insurance if they're unable to work due to illness or disability. Income protection provides a regular income stream to replace lost earnings, helping self-employed individuals cover their living expenses and business costs during periods of incapacity.

The waiting period, also known as the elimination period, is the length of time you must wait after becoming unable to work due to illness or disability before you can start receiving benefits from your income protection insurance policy. Waiting periods typically range from 30 to 90 days, but longer waiting periods may result in lower premiums.

Income protection insurance is designed to provide financial support if you're unable to work due to illness or disability, not for redundancy. However, some policies may offer optional redundancy cover or unemployment cover as an additional benefit, providing a lump sum or monthly payments if you're made redundant.

The tax treatment of income protection insurance benefits depends on whether the premiums were paid with pre-tax or after-tax dollars. Benefits from policies funded with after-tax dollars are typically tax-free, while benefits from policies funded with pre-tax dollars may be subject to income tax. It's essential to consult with a tax advisor to understand the tax implications of your income protection insurance benefits.

Income protection insurance provides a regular income stream if you're unable to work due to illness or disability, while critical illness insurance provides a lump sum payment if you're diagnosed with a covered critical illness, such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke. Critical illness insurance offers financial support to cover medical expenses, living costs, or other obligations during your recovery.

Income protection insurance policies typically have a waiting period (also known as an elimination period) during which you do not receive benefits. If you become unable to work before this waiting period ends, you will not receive any income protection benefits until the waiting period has elapsed. It's important to have sufficient savings or other financial resources to cover your expenses during this initial period.

Many income protection insurance policies allow you to increase your coverage amount if your income rises, without the need for additional underwriting or medical examinations. This feature, sometimes called a 'guaranteed insurability option,' ensures that your coverage keeps pace with your increasing income and financial obligations.

The maximum age to purchase critical illness insurance varies depending on the insurer and the specific policy. While some insurers may offer critical illness insurance up to age 70 or beyond, others may have lower age limits. It's essential to check with insurers to determine their age eligibility criteria for purchasing critical illness insurance.

Whether you can get critical illness insurance if you have pre-existing conditions depends on the insurer's underwriting guidelines and the specific medical conditions. Some insurers may offer coverage with exclusions for pre-existing conditions, while others may decline coverage altogether. It's essential to disclose any pre-existing conditions when applying for critical illness insurance and discuss your options with insurers.

While health insurance provides coverage for medical expenses, critical illness insurance offers financial protection for broader expenses associated with a serious illness, such as lost income, household bills, and lifestyle changes. Critical illness insurance complements health insurance by providing additional financial support during a challenging time, ensuring that you can focus on recovery without worrying about financial burdens.

If you don't make a claim on your critical illness insurance during the policy term, you won't receive a benefit payout. However, having critical illness insurance provides peace of mind knowing that you're financially protected if you're diagnosed with a covered critical illness during the policy term. It's a form of financial preparation for unexpected events and offers valuable protection for you and your family.

If you outlive your critical illness insurance policy and don't make a claim for a covered critical illness during the policy term, the coverage will expire, and you won't receive a benefit payout. Critical illness insurance provides financial protection for a specific period, typically until a specified age or policy term, and offers peace of mind knowing that you're prepared for the unexpected.

Yes, many insurers offer optional riders or add-ons that you can add to your critical illness insurance policy for enhanced coverage. Common riders may include waiver of premium, which waives future premium payments if you become disabled, or return of premium, which refunds a portion of your premiums if you don't make a claim during the policy term. It's essential to review available riders with insurers to customise your coverage to meet your specific needs.

To make a claim on your critical illness insurance policy, you'll need to notify your insurer of your diagnosis and submit a claim form along with any required medical documentation, such as medical reports, test results, and physician statements. Once your claim is reviewed and approved by the insurer, you'll receive the lump sum benefit payment, which you can use to cover medical expenses, living costs, or other financial needs during your recovery.

As we age, the likelihood of encountering health complications increases for us all. In the event that you develop a severe medical condition, critical illness protection can assist with the expenses of crucial bills – enabling you to concentrate on recuperation or adjusting to your new health circumstance.

The typical expense of a Critical Illness protection policy will fluctuate based on aspects such as your age and medical background. As per our investigation, you can secure a policy starting from as low as £8 (for a non-smoking 21-year-old individual).

The most prevalent critical illnesses in the UK are cancer, cardiac arrest, and cerebrovascular accident (stroke).

Cancer is one of the primary causes for critical illness insurance claims in the UK. Cancer constitutes over 80% of critical illness cover claims for females and about 45% of critical illness claims for males.


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Important Information

Since 2011, WeCovr has helped thousands of individuals, families, and businesses protect what matters most. We make it easy to get quotes for life insurance, critical illness cover, private medical insurance, and a wide range of other insurance types. We also provide embedded insurance solutions tailored for business partners and platforms.

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About WeCovr

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