Login

Your Unstoppable Future: The Growth Imperative

Your Unstoppable Future: The Growth Imperative 2025

As we approach 2025, with health statistics indicating that around 1 in 2 people in the UK will face a major illness like cancer in their lifetime, discover how true personal growth isn't about avoiding risk, but mastering it. This is how strategic financial protection – from Family Income Benefit and Income Protection safeguarding your earnings, to Life and Critical Illness Cover protecting your future, and specialised Personal Sick Pay for tradespeople, nurses, and electricians – combined with the rapid access and choice of Private Health Insurance, creates an unshakeable foundation for thriving, nurturing relationships, and ensuring a lasting legacy, turning potential adversity into unstoppable empowerment.

The Uncomfortable Truth: Facing the UK's Health Landscape in 2025

Let's begin with a sobering, yet essential, piece of information. According to projections from Cancer Research UK, a leading authority on the matter, 1 in 2 people in the UK born after 1960 will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime. This isn't a statistic designed to frighten; it's a call to awareness and, more importantly, to action. It’s a reflection of our longer lifespans and improved diagnostics, but it fundamentally reframes our understanding of risk.

Beyond cancer, the landscape includes other significant challenges:

  • Cardiovascular Disease: The British Heart Foundation reports that around 7.6 million people in the UK live with heart and circulatory diseases. These conditions are a major cause of disability and death, contributing to thousands of hospital admissions every single day.
  • Strokes: The Stroke Association highlights that there are over 100,000 strokes in the UK each year. That's one every five minutes. While many survive, the journey to recovery can be long and arduous, often impacting the ability to work and live independently.
  • Mental Health: Data from the NHS consistently shows that mental health conditions like anxiety and depression are a leading cause of sickness absence, affecting millions and having a profound impact on individual and family well-being.

For generations, the default approach to risk was avoidance. We were taught to play it safe, to steer clear of uncertainty. But in a world where significant health challenges are a statistical probability rather than a remote possibility, this mindset is no longer sufficient. True personal growth and resilience in the 21st century aren't born from avoiding risk, but from mastering it.

Mastering risk means acknowledging its existence and building a robust framework to mitigate its impact. It means creating a structure so strong that when adversity strikes—not if, but when—it doesn't shatter your life, your family's security, or your future aspirations. It becomes a challenge to be navigated, not a catastrophe that derails everything. This is the foundation of an unstoppable future.

The Financial Domino Effect of a Health Crisis

A serious illness is, first and foremost, a health battle. But almost immediately, it triggers a second, often overwhelming, financial battle. The two are intrinsically linked, and underestimating the financial fallout is a critical mistake. Imagine a line of dominoes; a health diagnosis is the first one to fall, and it can set off a chain reaction that destabilises your entire financial world.

The Initial Shock: Loss of Income For most people, their ability to earn an income is their single most valuable asset. A serious illness can abruptly halt this.

  • Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): The UK's safety net is modest. As of late 2024, it stands at just over £116 per week for up to 28 weeks. For most households, this is nowhere near enough to cover mortgage or rent, bills, and daily living costs.
  • Employee Benefits: While some employers offer generous sick pay schemes, these are often time-limited. A six-month full-pay policy might seem generous, but a cancer treatment plan or stroke recovery can easily extend far beyond this period.
  • Self-Employed Reality: For freelancers, contractors, and business owners, the impact is even more immediate. If you don't work, you don't get paid. There is no SSP safety net.

The Escalating Costs: The Hidden Expenses While the NHS provides exceptional care free at the point of use, a long-term illness brings a raft of additional, unexpected expenses:

  • Travel and Parking: Frequent trips to hospitals for consultations, treatments, and check-ups can lead to significant fuel and parking costs.
  • Home Adaptations: You might need to install a stairlift, adapt a bathroom, or purchase specialist equipment to live comfortably and safely at home.
  • Increased Bills: Spending more time at home often means higher utility bills.
  • Specialist Diets: Nutritional needs can change, requiring more expensive foods or supplements.
  • Childcare: If you or your partner are unable to manage childcare, you may need to pay for additional help.

The Long-Term Damage: Eroding Your Future When income drops and expenses rise, families are forced to make difficult choices.

  1. Draining Savings: Emergency funds, built for a rainy day, are quickly exhausted.
  2. Cashing in Investments: Long-term investments like ISAs or shares, earmarked for retirement or university fees, may have to be sold.
  3. Taking on Debt: Credit cards and loans become a last resort, creating a cycle of debt that can linger long after the health crisis has passed.

This financial strain adds immense stress at a time when all focus should be on recovery. It can strain relationships, impact mental health, and compromise the future you've worked so hard to build. This is the domino effect in action, and it's why a proactive protection strategy isn't a luxury—it's an absolute necessity.

Building Your Fortress: The Core Pillars of Financial Protection

To master risk, you need to build a financial fortress around yourself and your family. This fortress is constructed from several key pillars of protection, each designed to defend a different aspect of your financial life. It's not about having just one type of cover; it's about layering different policies to create comprehensive, unshakeable security.

Safeguarding Your Income: The First Line of Defence

If your income is your most valuable asset, protecting it is your first priority. This is where Income Protection and Personal Sick Pay come in.

Income Protection (IP) Often described by financial experts as the one policy every working adult should consider, Income Protection is your personal salary continuance plan.

  • What it does: It pays out a regular, tax-free monthly income if you are unable to work due to any illness or injury.
  • How much it pays: Typically, you can cover 50-70% of your gross monthly salary. This is designed to be enough to cover essential outgoings without disincentivising a return to work.
  • The 'Deferment Period': This is the waiting period between when you stop working and when the payments begin. It can range from 4 weeks to 12 months. The longer the deferment period you choose, the lower your monthly premium. You can align it with your employer's sick pay scheme or your emergency savings.
  • The 'Own Occupation' Definition: This is the gold standard. It means the policy will pay out if you are unable to do your specific job. Other definitions (like 'suited occupation' or 'any occupation') are less comprehensive, so it's vital to check this detail.

Personal Sick Pay This is a more specialised, often shorter-term form of income replacement, particularly suited to those in manual or higher-risk professions.

  • Who it's for: Tradespeople (electricians, plumbers, builders), nurses, drivers, and other hands-on professionals who face a higher risk of injury that could stop them from working. It's also a vital tool for gig economy workers and freelancers with fluctuating incomes.
  • How it differs from IP: Personal Sick Pay policies often have shorter deferment periods (sometimes from day one or day eight) and shorter payment periods (typically 12 or 24 months per claim). They are designed for immediate impact, providing a financial bridge for injuries and illnesses that might not be long-term but are immediately debilitating.
FeatureIncome Protection (IP)Personal Sick Pay
PurposeLong-term income replacement for any illness/injuryShort-to-medium term income replacement
Typical UserOffice workers, professionals, anyone with a salaryTradespeople, nurses, freelancers, riskier jobs
Payout DurationCan pay until retirement ageTypically 1, 2, or 5 years per claim
Deferment Period4 weeks to 12 months1 day to 8 weeks
Core StrengthComprehensive, long-term securityRapid payout for immediate financial gaps

Protecting Your Loved Ones: Your Legacy

While income protection secures your present, life insurance secures your family's future in your absence.

Life Insurance (or Life Protection) This is the most well-known form of protection. In its simplest form, it pays out a tax-free lump sum to your beneficiaries if you pass away during the policy term. This money can be used for anything, but it’s commonly used to:

  • Pay off a mortgage, ensuring your family keeps their home.
  • Replace your lost income to cover ongoing family expenses.
  • Provide for children's education costs.
  • Cover funeral expenses.

There are two main types: Term Life Insurance, which covers you for a fixed period (e.g., until your mortgage is paid off or your children are adults), and Whole of Life Insurance, which guarantees a payout whenever you die.

Family Income Benefit (FIB) This is a clever and often more budget-friendly alternative to a standard lump-sum life insurance policy. Instead of providing a single large payout, FIB pays your family a regular, tax-free monthly or annual income from the time of your death until the end of the policy term.

Why is this so effective for young families?

  • Budgeting: It replaces your lost monthly salary with a manageable monthly income, making it easier for your surviving partner to manage household finances without being overwhelmed by a huge lump sum.
  • Cost-Effective: Because the total potential payout decreases as the policy term progresses, FIB premiums are often significantly lower than for an equivalent lump-sum policy.
FeatureStandard Life InsuranceFamily Income Benefit (FIB)
Payout FormatOne-time, tax-free lump sumRegular, tax-free income (e.g., monthly)
Best ForClearing large debts like a mortgageReplacing a lost salary for day-to-day living
Financial ManagementRequires careful investment/management of a large sumSimple, manageable income stream for budgeting
CostGenerally higher premiums for a large sum insuredOften more affordable, especially for young families
Get Tailored Quote

Covering Major Health Crises: The Critical Illness Backstop

Critical Illness Cover (CIC) is designed to provide a financial cushion at the point of diagnosis, not death. It bridges the gap between falling ill and the longer-term support from Income Protection.

  • How it works: CIC pays out a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of a specific list of serious medical conditions defined in the policy.
  • Conditions Covered: The core conditions covered by most insurers include cancer, heart attack, and stroke, which make up the vast majority of claims. Comprehensive policies can cover 50, 100, or even more conditions, including multiple sclerosis, kidney failure, major organ transplant, and Parkinson's disease.
  • How the money can be used: The power of CIC is its flexibility. The lump sum can be used for anything you need to help you through the crisis:
    • Clear a mortgage or other debts to reduce monthly outgoings.
    • Pay for private medical treatment or specialist consultations.
    • Adapt your home to your new needs.
    • Allow your partner to take time off work to care for you.
    • Simply provide a financial buffer to allow you to focus 100% on your recovery without financial worry.

The key is to understand that CIC, IP, and Life Insurance work as a team. A diagnosis could trigger a CIC payout for immediate needs, while your IP policy kicks in a few months later to replace your ongoing salary. Your Life Insurance policy remains in the background, providing the ultimate safety net for your family.

The 'And' Strategy: Why Protection and Private Health Insurance are Better Together

Having a financial safety net is one half of the equation. The other half is getting the best possible medical care as quickly as possible. This is where the synergy between protection insurance and Private Health Insurance (PMI) creates a truly powerful strategy for mastering risk.

The NHS is a national treasure, but it is under immense pressure. As of 2025, waiting lists for diagnostics and elective procedures remain a significant challenge. NHS England data consistently shows millions of people waiting for treatment, with many waiting over 18 weeks. When faced with a serious health concern, waiting is the last thing you want to do.

The Power of Private Health Insurance (PMI) PMI is not a replacement for the NHS; it's a complementary service that works alongside it. Its primary benefits are speed and choice.

  • Rapid Access: PMI allows you to bypass lengthy waiting lists for specialist consultations, diagnostic scans (like MRI and CT), and surgery. Getting a diagnosis and starting a treatment plan weeks or months earlier can have a profound impact on outcomes.
  • Choice and Control: You get to choose the specialist consultant who treats you and the hospital where you are treated. This sense of control can be incredibly reassuring during a stressful time.
  • Enhanced Comfort: Treatment is often in a private hospital with a private room, offering a more comfortable and restful environment for recovery.
  • Access to a Wider Range of Treatments: Some policies offer access to breakthrough drugs or treatments that may not yet be available on the NHS due to funding decisions.

The Unstoppable Synergy Now, consider how these two elements work together:

  1. The Diagnosis: You find a lump or experience worrying symptoms. Your PMI plan allows you to see a specialist within days and have an MRI scan the same week. You get a swift, definitive diagnosis.
  2. The Treatment: Your PMI policy covers the cost of your surgery and subsequent therapy at a leading private hospital, starting almost immediately.
  3. The Financial Fallout: Your Critical Illness Cover pays out a lump sum upon diagnosis. You use this to pay off your car loan and credit card debt, instantly reducing your monthly stress.
  4. The Income Gap: You take six months off work to recover. After your 3-month employer sick pay ends, your Income Protection policy kicks in, paying you a tax-free monthly income that covers your mortgage and bills.

In this scenario, you have removed both the medical and financial stress from the equation. The health crisis is still a challenge, but it is not a catastrophe. You have the best medical care and complete financial peace of mind. This is what turning potential adversity into unstoppable empowerment looks like. At WeCovr, we specialise in helping clients understand this synergy, finding them a tailored package of protection and PMI that fits their life perfectly.

The Business Owner's Blueprint: Protecting Your Enterprise and Yourself

For company directors, self-employed professionals, and business owners, the line between personal and professional risk is often blurred. A health crisis doesn't just affect your family; it can threaten the very survival of the business you've poured your life into. Fortunately, there are specialised, tax-efficient protection solutions designed for this very purpose.

Key Person Insurance Imagine your business's most vital employee—a top salesperson, a genius coder, or perhaps even yourself. What would happen to your profits and operations if they were suddenly unable to work due to critical illness or death? Key Person Insurance is designed to protect the business itself.

  • How it works: The business takes out and pays for a policy on the life of a key individual. If that person becomes critically ill or passes away, the policy pays a lump sum directly to the business.
  • How the funds are used: This money provides a crucial cash injection to help the business weather the storm—it can be used to recruit and train a replacement, cover lost profits, or reassure lenders and investors.

Relevant Life Cover This is a highly tax-efficient way for a limited company to provide life insurance for its employees, including directors.

  • The benefit: The company pays the premiums, which are typically treated as an allowable business expense. It is not considered a P11D benefit-in-kind, meaning there's no extra income tax for the employee or National Insurance for the employer or employee. It's a valuable death-in-service-style benefit for small businesses that don't have a full group scheme.

Executive Income Protection This works just like personal income protection, but it's paid for by the business on behalf of a director or employee.

  • The tax advantage: Premiums are usually an allowable business expense, making it a tax-efficient way to provide a vital benefit. The payout goes to the business, which then pays it to the employee via PAYE, ensuring their income continues.

Gift Inter Vivos (IHT Protection) A more niche but crucial product for business owners planning their estate. If you gift significant assets (like company shares) to your children, there could be a large Inheritance Tax (IHT) bill if you pass away within seven years. A Gift Inter Vivos policy is a special type of life insurance designed to pay out a lump sum to cover this specific tax liability, ensuring your gift is received in full.

Business ProtectionWhat It ProtectsWho PaysWho BenefitsKey Feature
Key PersonThe business's profitabilityThe businessThe businessCash injection to survive loss of key staff
Relevant Life CoverThe employee's familyThe businessEmployee's familyHighly tax-efficient death-in-service benefit
Executive IPThe employee's incomeThe businessThe employee (via business)Tax-deductible premiums for the company
Gift Inter VivosThe value of a gifted assetThe person making the giftThe recipient of the giftCovers Inheritance Tax on gifts made <7 years before death

Proactive Well-being: The Other Side of the Risk Mastery Coin

Mastering risk isn't just about financial firewalls; it's also about proactively reducing the likelihood of a claim in the first place. Building a resilient body and mind is the ultimate form of protection. True personal growth involves taking ownership of your health through daily habits.

Fuel Your Body Intelligently Your diet is the cornerstone of your health. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods. The Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and healthy fats like olive oil, is consistently linked to a lower risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions. Small changes, like swapping a processed snack for a piece of fruit, can have a cumulative positive effect.

Move Your Body Daily The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (like brisk walking or cycling) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity (like running or tennis) a week, plus strength exercises on two or more days. Movement isn't just for weight management; it boosts your immune system, strengthens your heart, and is a powerful tool for improving mental health.

Prioritise Rest and Recovery Sleep is not a luxury; it's a critical biological function. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. During sleep, your body repairs cells, consolidates memories, and regulates hormones. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Nurture Your Mental Resilience Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Practice stress-management techniques like mindfulness or meditation. Nurture your social connections with friends and family. Don't be afraid to seek professional help if you are struggling.

At WeCovr, we believe in a holistic approach to well-being. We understand that insurance and a healthy lifestyle are two sides of the same coin. That’s why, in addition to finding you the right insurance, we provide our clients with complimentary access to CalorieHero, our AI-powered nutrition app. It's a simple, effective tool to help you take control of your health one meal at a time, reinforcing our commitment to your long-term prosperity.

The Path to Empowerment: How to Build Your Personalised Protection Plan

Feeling empowered to act is the final step. Here is a simple, four-step process to build your personal protection portfolio.

Step 1: Audit Your Life Get a clear picture of your financial world. Use a simple spreadsheet to list:

  • Your monthly income and your partner's income.
  • Your essential monthly outgoings (mortgage/rent, bills, food, transport).
  • Your debts (credit cards, loans, car finance).
  • Your dependents and their future needs (children's education).
  • Your existing savings and investments.

Step 2: Understand Your Workplace Benefits Request a statement of your employee benefits. Find out exactly what sick pay, death-in-service, and health cover you have. Critically, ask yourself: is it enough? Employer schemes are a great starting point, but they are rarely sufficient to provide total security.

Step 3: Define Your 'Why' This is the most important step. What are you truly protecting?

  • "I want to ensure my partner and children can stay in our family home, no matter what." (This points towards Life Insurance and CIC to cover the mortgage).
  • "I want to know that our bills will be paid if I can't work for a year." (This points towards Income Protection).
  • "As a self-employed electrician, I need cover from day one if I break my arm." (This points towards Personal Sick Pay).

Step 4: Seek Expert Guidance You wouldn't perform surgery on yourself, so why try to navigate the complexities of insurance alone? The definitions, terms, and options can be overwhelming. An expert broker adds immense value. Navigating the options can be complex. This is where expert guidance is invaluable. At WeCovr, we specialise in comparing plans from all the UK's leading insurers to build a portfolio that is perfectly tailored to your unique circumstances, 'why', and budget. We do the hard work so you can have complete confidence in your cover.

Conclusion: From Risk to Resilience, Your Unstoppable Journey Starts Now

The world of 2025 and beyond presents us with a clear choice. We can either live in apprehension of the risks highlighted by statistics, or we can look them squarely in the eye and choose to become architects of our own security.

True growth lies in this choice. It is the shift from a passive hope that things will be okay to the active creation of a plan that ensures they will be. Strategic financial protection and health insurance are not mere expenses on a bank statement. They are profound investments in your most valuable assets: your health, your family's well-being, your peace of mind, and your capacity to pursue your goals without fear.

By combining proactive wellness with a robust, multi-layered insurance fortress, you transform vulnerability into resilience. You turn potential adversity into a manageable event. You create an unshakeable foundation that allows you to live more freely, love more deeply, and build a lasting legacy. Your unstoppable future begins the moment you decide to master risk, and that journey starts today.


Is life insurance expensive?

The cost of life insurance varies significantly based on your age, health, lifestyle (e.g., whether you smoke), the amount of cover you need, and the length of the policy. However, it is often far more affordable than people assume. For a healthy non-smoker in their 30s, a substantial level of term life insurance can often be secured for less than the price of a few cups of coffee per week. Family Income Benefit can be an even more cost-effective option. The key is that the peace of mind it provides is invaluable.

Do I need Income Protection if I have savings?

While having savings is an excellent financial habit, it's important to consider how long they would last if your income stopped completely. A long-term illness could prevent you from working for years, or even until retirement. Savings that seem substantial can be depleted surprisingly quickly when used to cover all living costs. Income Protection is designed to protect your savings by providing a replacement income stream, allowing you to use your savings for their intended purpose, like retirement or your children's future, rather than just survival.

What's the difference between Critical Illness Cover and Private Health Insurance?

This is a common point of confusion. They serve two very different but complementary purposes. Private Health Insurance (PMI) pays for the cost of your private medical treatment—the consultations, scans, and procedures. Critical Illness Cover (CIC) pays a tax-free lump sum directly to you upon diagnosis of a specified serious illness. You can use this money for anything you want, such as covering lost income, adapting your home, or paying off debts. They work best together: PMI gets you treated quickly, and CIC deals with the financial consequences of the illness.

Can I get cover if I have a pre-existing medical condition?

Yes, it is often still possible to get cover. You must be completely honest about any pre-existing conditions during your application. The insurer will then assess the risk. Depending on the condition, they might offer you cover on standard terms, charge a higher premium, or place an "exclusion" on the policy, meaning you would not be able to claim for that specific condition or related conditions. An experienced broker can be invaluable here, as they know which insurers are more likely to offer favourable terms for specific medical histories.

As a freelancer, what's the most important cover for me?

For most freelancers, contractors, and self-employed individuals, Income Protection is arguably the most critical policy. As you have no employer sick pay to fall back on, your income stops the moment you do. An Income Protection policy ensures your personal bills continue to be paid if any illness or injury prevents you from working. Depending on your trade, a short-term Personal Sick Pay policy could also be very useful for more immediate cover. Life and Critical Illness cover are also vital for protecting your family and assets, like your home.

Why should I use a broker like WeCovr instead of going direct to an insurer?

Using an expert independent broker like WeCovr offers several key advantages. Firstly, we compare the market for you, saving you time and giving you access to a wide range of products from all major UK insurers, not just one. Secondly, we provide expert advice, helping you understand the complex policy details (like 'own occupation' definitions) to ensure you get the right cover, not just the cheapest. Finally, we assist you with the application process and can even offer support if you need to make a claim, acting as your advocate. Going direct means you are on your own to navigate this complex landscape.

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:

Our Group Is Proud To Have Issued 800,000+ Policies!

We've established collaboration agreements with leading insurance groups to create tailored coverage
Working with leading UK insurers
Allianz Logo
Ageas Logo
Covea Logo
AIG Logo
Zurich Logo
BUPA Logo
Aviva Logo
Axa Logo
Vitality Logo
Exeter Logo
WPA Logo
National Friendly Logo
General & Medical Logo
Legal & General Logo
ARAG Logo
Scottish Widows Logo
Metlife Logo
HSBC Logo
Guardian Logo
Royal London Logo
Cigna Logo
NIG Logo
CanadaLife Logo
TMHCC Logo

How It Works

1. Complete a brief form
Complete a brief form
2. Our experts analyse your information and find you best quotes
Experts discuss your quotes
3. Enjoy your protection!
Enjoy your protection

Any questions?

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.


Learn more


...

Who Are WeCovr?

WeCovr is an insurance specialist for people valuing their peace of mind and a great service.

👍 WeCovr will help you get your private medical insurance, life insurance, critical illness insurance and others in no time thanks to our wonderful super-friendly experts ready to assist you every step of the way.

Just a quick and simple form and an easy conversation with one of our experts and your valuable insurance policy is in place for that needed peace of mind!

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.

Political And Credit Risks Ltd is a registered company in England and Wales. Company Number: 07691072. Data Protection Register Number: ZA207579. Registered Office: 22-45 Old Castle Street, London, E1 7NY. WeCovr is a trading style of Political And Credit Risks Ltd. Political And Credit Risks Ltd is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is on the Financial Services Register under number 735613.

About WeCovr

WeCovr is your trusted partner for comprehensive insurance solutions. We help families and individuals find the right protection for their needs.