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Anorak is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
We’re an independent online broker for life insurance, income protection and critical illness cover

Let’s start with the basics

What is income protection?
An insurance policy that pays a monthly amount if you can’t work for any medical reason. It replaces part of your missing income, so you can always cover the essentials.
Does it cover illness?
Yes – it covers you if you can’t work for any medical reason. If you’re signed off work by a medical professional, you’ll be able to claim on your policy.
Does it cover redundancy?
No – it doesn’t cover any loss of income that isn't caused by illness or injury. You can only claim if you’re signed off work by a medical professional.
How much does it cost?
It depends how much cover you buy, how quickly you need it to start paying out, and how much of a risk you are to insure (based on your age, health and lifestyle).
How do you claim?
Directly with your insurer, providing whatever documentation’s required (usually the relevant medical notes). It’s a good idea to claim as soon as you can after becoming unfit to work.
Will it pay out?
Yes, if you meet your insurer’s ‘definition of incapacity’ – in other words, their criteria for being unfit to work. You can read this definition in the policy documents before you buy.
what is it for

Income protection pays out monthly – so money’s coming in even if you can’t work

Being too ill to work doesn’t mean there won’t be bills to pay. Sick pay or savings might tide you over to start with – but beyond that is where income protection comes in. It can replace part of your missing income, so you have peace of mind that you’ll always be able to pay the bills. Here’s a few income protection features it’s useful to know:
Full-term cover
Pays out for as long as you need – until you go back to work, retire, or your policy ends. For complete peace of mind that you’d always have money coming in.
Short-term cover
Pays out for a maximum payment period (usually 1, 2 or 5 years). Cheaper than full-term cover, but bear in mind it stops paying after that time – even if you still can’t work.
The ‘waiting’ period
How long you wait before your policy starts paying out. The longer your waiting period, the cheaper your premiums (but you’d need to be able to tide yourself over in that time).

What do people claim for?

Income protection covers you for any medical reason if you’re signed off work by a healthcare professional. Common conditions claimed for include:
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Musculoskeletal injuries or conditions
Like broken bones or back pain
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Mental health conditions
Like stress, anxiety or depression
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Other serious illnesses
Like cancer, heart attack or stroke

Who needs income protection?

Most people. Because most of us would need a financial safety net if we were too ill to work.
Couples
Couples
As partners, you’re likely to have shared financial commitments. Income protection means you could keep up with bills and expenses if one of you couldn’t work.
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Parents
Parents
Bringing up children is expensive. Could your family cope without your income? Income protection is a way of making sure they could, even if you couldn’t work.
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Single parents
Single parents
If you were too ill to work, you’d want to know your children would continue to be provided for. Income protection is a way of doing just that.
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Self-employed
Self-employed
If you’re self-employed, you won’t have any employer sick pay – so it’s important to have an alternative plan in place for you and your loved ones.
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Homeowners
Homeowners
Having your home repossessed is a very real risk if you can’t keep up with your mortgage payments. Having income protection helps make sure you can.
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Renters
Renters
It’s often your biggest monthly outgoing, but you might not be able to pay the rent if you were too ill or injured to work. Income protection makes sure you could.
Learn more

Got it – but how much cover do I need?

We work it out for you

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Our quick assessment tells us all we need to know to recommend the right amount of cover based on your unique needs. We work with you to make sure you choose a sufficient level of cover – without paying more in premiums than you need to.
Get your cover calculation

What you get with Anorak

Independent advice
We’re unbiased experts – we work for you, not the insurer
Whole-market quotes
We scan all the major insurers to find the most suitable policies for you
Right cover for you
We help you get the right cover in place – no more, no less
Anorak is an independent online broker for life insurance, income protection and critical illness cover. Learn more about us.

Steps to buying income protection with us

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Have your cover needs calculated – properly
Get instant, online advice about your needs. Go with our recommendation or use it as a starting point.
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Get your quotes and choose an insurer
We’ll scan the whole market to find the most suitable policies for you and help you choose which to go with.
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Apply whenever you’re ready
Apply online, then our advisers will call you to double-check the details before passing it to the insurer.

Ready to take the first step?

We’ll save your progress so you can come back any time
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Help from an adviser – whenever you need it

Our team of advisers is here to help you get the right cover in place.

020 3514 6702 • Mon-Fri 9.30am-6pm

We help people get income protection right. That’s why they rate us.

Want to learn more about income protection?

Make a tea. Read our expert guides.

Let’s get your income protection sorted (properly).

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