Protecting yourself and your family…
So what are we trying to protect ourselves against? Most of us will already have some form of insurance, possibly of their car or their home, but protection here means covering the “what ifs” in life.
“What if” I die, my partner dies, I have a long-term illness or an accident or I lose my job? Protection will take away the money worries of these problems. The most common types of protection plans are
Life assurance – this will provide a cash lump sum on your death. It is possible to have an investment element linked to it.
Critical Illness – advances in medical science mean that illnesses can be now diagnosed earlier and treated more successfully. There is, therefore, a greater chance that we will survive a major illness such as cancer, a heart attack or stroke, but these illnesses often have a serious long-term effect on our lives. Critical illness cover, therefore, pays out a lump sum if you suffer from one of these or many other illnesses, or if you become totally and permanently disabled, for example as the result of an accident.
Not all forms of heart attack, cancer and stroke are covered by a critical illness policy.
Mortgage protection – this product is used in conjunction with repayment mortgages. It pays a lump sum if you die, or if you are diagnosed with a critical illness if you have chosen that option. The sum insured reduces in line with the amount you owe on your repayment mortgage.
Income Protection (also known as Permanent Health Insurance) – although some employers will pay sick pay for a short period if you are unable to work because of illness or disability, at the end of that period your income will stop. Income protection is designed to continue to pay you a monthly tax-free income.
Accident, Sickness and Unemployment – this plan will pay you, for a limited time, a tax-free monthly income which is designed to cover your monthly mortgage payment if you are unable to work because of an accident, falling sick or becoming unemployed.
For Accident sickness & unemployment insurance we offer products from a selected panel of providers.
Private Medical Insurance – this will pay for the cost of private medical care as an alternative to using the NHS.