Accident, sickness and unemployment
Covers accidents, short illnesses, redundancy and involuntary unemployment. Excludes pre-existing conditions.
Income protection insurance
Compare income protection insurance quotes.
What is income protection insurance?
Income protection is a type of insurance that pays a regular monthly income if you are unable to work due to illness or injury. Some policies also cover redundancy.
Income protection typically replaces between 50% and 70% of your income.
Payments begin after a chosen ‘deferred period,’ (such as six months), and then will pay out a monthly amount until you return to work or you reach the maximum time limit specified in your policy. For short-term income protection insurance, this time limit is usually 12 to 24 months. For longer-term income protection, it can be until you retire.
Income protection is available to employed and self-employed people. It can be especially important to self-employed individuals as they won’t normally receive employer sick pay.
What can I cover with income protection?
When you buy income protection through MoneySuperMarket, you can choose to cover accidents and illnesses, redundancy, or both.
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Accident and sickness
Covers accidents, short and/or long-term illnesses. Excludes pre-existing conditions and most back and stress-related conditions.
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Unemployment
Covers losing your job due to unexpected involuntary redundancy. Does not cover being fired, voluntary redundancy or redundancy you could reasonably have expected.
Income protection FAQs
Is income protection the same as accident, sickness and unemployment (ASU) cover?
Accident, sickness and unemployment (ASU) insurance is a type of income insurance. ASU typically provides short-term cover to replace some of your income if you are temporarily unable to work because of illness or injury. Depending on the policy, ASU may also include protection against redundancy.
Other types of income protection policies are designed to pay a regular income if you can’t work on a longer-term basis. While ASU policies typically pay out for up to 12 or 24 months, these income protection policies continue to pay out for much longer. They also tend to be more expensive than ASU policies.
Does income protection insurance cover redundancy?
It depends on the policy. Traditional income protection insurance does not include unemployment or redundancy. It only pays out if you’re unable to work due to illness or injury.
By contrast, unemployment cover is generally offered as part of accident, sickness and unemployment (ASU) cover. These types of policies usually cover involuntary redundancy, and typically pay benefits for a limited period, such as up to 12 months.
Is income protection the same as payment protection insurance (PPI)?
No. If you’re unable to work, payment protection insurance (PPI) policies are designed to cover a single debt, such as a personal loan, from one lender. They will pay you for a set period of time, but are usually short-term. PPI is not as comprehensive as income protection, and has been largely withdrawn following the mis-selling scandal.
How does income protection work?
Income protection pays out a regular sum of money if you’re unable to work. Here’s how it usually works:
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Apply for income protection
When applying for a new policy, you’ll need to give personal and financial details about your health, job, income and lifestyle. You can then compare insurers, cover levels and prices to find the right one for you.
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Choose your level of cover
You can decide how much of your income you want to protect, how long you’d like payments to last, and how long you’re willing to wait before your policy starts paying (known as the ‘deferred period’).
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Start a claim
If you’re unable to work because of a reason covered by your policy, you need to submit a claim. To do this, contact your insurer. If your claim is approved (and your ‘deferred period’ has ended), they will arrange for regular monthly payments to be made to you.
Is income protection insurance worth it?
Income protection may be worth thinking about if you rely on your income to cover essential bills and would struggle financially if you couldn’t work due to illness or injury.
It could be particularly useful if:
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You have dependants
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You have a mortgage, rent or other debts to repay
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You’re the main earner in the household
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You don’t have sick pay (or if your employer doesn’t offer generous sick pay)
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You don’t have sufficient savings to cover several months’ worth of essential expenses
How much is income protection?
The cost of income protection can vary according to a number of factors, including your cover type, occupation and state of health. Prices of £40-£60 a month are typical.
Income Bee
Accident, Sickness and Unemployment Insurance
Great for
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Can cover monthly income up to 65% or £2,000, whichever is lesser
But be aware that
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30 days waiting period for claims
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120 days initial unemployment exclusion period
What factors influence the price I pay for income protection insurance?
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Your salary
As the monthly amount you get is usually based on your earnings, having a higher salary usually means that your policy will be more expensive
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Your occupation
Jobs that are more physically demanding, or which carry a higher risk of illness or injury, are typically more expensive to insure because you are more likely to make a claim
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Health and medical history
Having pre-existing medical conditions can make income protection policies more expensive. Always answer your insurer’s questions honestly, and never withhold information, as this could invalidate a future claim
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Level of cover
The more of your income you choose to protect, the higher your premium will be. In other words, opting for a greater percentage will increase the cost of your policy
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Your deferred period
Opting for a longer ‘deferred period,’ the length of time before the cover kicks in, can help save you money. However, it also means that you will need to be able to financially support yourself for longer while you aren’t working
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Pay-out term
Policies that pay benefits for longer, especially those that pay out until retirement age, are more expensive than those that have a limit on the length of each claim
What are the different types of income protection insurance cover?
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‘Own occupation’ cover
This means you can claim on your income protection policy if a medical condition prevents you from working in your specific job (even if you could work in a different role). Your medical condition doesn’t need to be debilitating. This is the easiest type of policy to claim on.
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‘Suited occupation’ cover
You can only claim if an injury or illness prevents you from working in your own occupation, or any similar occupation that matches your qualifications, even if that role has a lower salary than yours.
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‘Any occupation’ cover
You can only claim if your medical problems prevent you from working altogether. Your insurer would have to decide that you are unable to work in any occupation to approve your claim. This type of cover is generally the hardest to claim on.
Our expert says…
The number of individuals who are unable to work because of long-term sickness has risen to around 2.8 million people of working age, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. This is the highest level on record and highlights the growing financial impact that ill health can have on households.
Many of us may overestimate the amount of help we’d get from the State if we get signed off work long term, as Statutory Sick Pay is just £123.25 a week. For many people, this is not enough to cover all expenses.
Lucas Mansilla Life & Health Insurance Expert
Why should I compare income protection insurance quotes with MoneySuperMarket?
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Save time
MoneySuperMarket makes it easy to compare income protection policies from a range of providers in one place. We help you quickly and efficiently compare cover, prices and features, saving you both time and effort.
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Find a great deal
By comparing prices and features, MoneySuperMarket helps you find an income protection policy that suits your needs and budget.
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Compare with confidence
We’ll show you the key information you need to know about each policy, including cover, premiums and benefits, helping you make an informed decision before you buy.
Compare income protection cover from 24^ top UK insurers
We do the hard work for you, comparing deals from the biggest providers in the UK so you can get the right cover
What are the alternatives to income protection insurance?
Income protection isn’t the only way to protect yourself financially if you’re unable to work. Depending on your circumstances, you might want to consider these alternatives:
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Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance (MPPI)
Covers some or all of your monthly mortgage payments if you are off work due to illness or injury. Some policies also cover redundancy.
MPPI is based on your mortgage rather than your income, and is usually paid for up to 12 months.
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Critical illness cover
Pays a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with a condition covered by the policy, such as heart attack, stroke or cancer. You can decide how to use the money, such as paying bills or reducing debts.
Unlike income protection, critical illness cover doesn’t pay an ongoing monthly income.
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Life insurance
While this insurance doesn’t replace your income while you’re alive, it pays a lump sum if you die during the policy term, helping your family cover living costs, debts or a mortgage.
You can combine life insurance with critical illness cover for extra protection.
Income protection insurance related guides and tips
Will income protection cover me if I lose my job?
It depends on which type of income protection insurance you have and why you lost your job.
Standard income protection insurance typically only covers you if you’re unable to work because of illness or injury. If you want cover for involuntary redundancy, you need to look at an ‘accident, sickness and unemployment’ (ASU) policy.
However, this type of unemployment cover won’t usually pay out if you resign, are dismissed for poor performance or misconduct, or if you lose your job due to industrial action. It also won't pay out for voluntary redundancy or a redundancy you could have reasonably expected (for example, if your company has financial troubles and has already done several waves of redundancies.)
Does income protection cover mortgage payments?
Yes it can. If you choose enough cover, your income protection payments can help cover your mortgage as well as other basic living costs while you’re unable to work.
If you are looking for a product that covers only your mortgage repayments, you could consider ‘mortgage payment protection insurance’ (MPPI) instead. This type of policy is usually cheaper than income protection, but doesn’t include cover for your day-to-day expenses.
Does income protection cover the self-employed?
Yes. You can take out income protection if you are self-employed, with cover usually based on your average earnings, as opposed to a salary.
But note that if you’re self-employed, you generally can’t claim for unemployment or redundancy – as you can’t be forcibly made redundant.
Income protection is designed to cover you if you’re unable to work because of illness or injury.
How long will income protection cover me if I’m out of work?
This depends on your policy. Income protection can pay out for a set period, such as two or five years, or until you return to work, until you retire – or until your policy ends. (Note that the longer the benefit period, the more expensive your premiums are likely to be).
By contrast, ASU insurance usually only pays benefits for a limited period, typically up to 12 or 24 months per claim.
Make sure you read your policy terms carefully to find out if any claim duration limits apply to your income protection insurance.
Will the benefits offered by my income protection change with salary?
Yes. If your salary changes, you may be able to increase or reduce your level of cover so it better reflects your current earnings. If your income falls, you should let your insurer know, as your cover and premiums may need to be adjusted.
Always check your policy terms carefully, as the rules vary between insurers.
Does my sick pay – or the state benefits I get – affect my income protection claims?
Potentially, yes. Some income protection policies take any employer sick pay – or state benefits you receive – into account, when calculating your payout. This helps ensure you don’t receive more than the percentage of your income your policy is designed to replace.
Always check your policy Ts and Cs.
What exclusions should I look out for when comparing income protection policies?
Common exclusions include pre-existing conditions, injuries caused by risky activities, alcohol misuse, self-inflicted injuries, and some mental health conditions. Always read the policy terms carefully before purchasing any income protection policy.
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One of the best ways to get the lowest prices and best deals is to compare quotes from different companies. We do the work for you, comparing quotes side-by-side and giving you all the information you need so you can choose the right deal for your needs and your wallet.
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No, not every company can be included in our service. This is because some companies don’t want their products included on comparison sites, and some decide that they would rather not pay a fee. There are also a few smaller providers who can struggle to cope with the volume of customers that can find their products if they appear on MoneySuperMarket.
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Is income protection insurance eligible for SuperSaveClub and rewards?
No, at this time income protection insurance is not an eligible product for unlocking our SuperSaveClub rewards. It is also not included in our Price Promise.
Reviewed on 31 Jul 2026 by
YouGov Survey 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025. Net Recommend score derived from “Which of the following online service websites would you recommend to a friend or colleague, or tell them to avoid?” Base: Current Customers of (MoneySuperMarket n=18,382, Compare the Market n=16,802, Go.Compare n=10,162, Confused.com n=8,229, Uswitch n=528).
Source: UK Government, 2026. 'Keep Britain Working: Final report' https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keep-britain-working-review-final-report/keep-britain-working-final-report
Accurate as of July 2026.
