So far in 2020, Income Protection comprises 33% of all LifeSearch claims. This series shines a light on the stories behind the claims, and what might have happened without IP …
 
For more info and FAQs, see our dedicated Income Protection page.

“We weren’t expecting that”

A self-employed scaffolder with a badly broken foot needed to claim on his IP. A nasty injury, it was due to keep him sidelined for months.

The incident

The claims team naturally assumed it was an on-the-job injury - a fall from scaffolding or a ladder perhaps. 
 
But in fact the customer left his handbrake off in his car. As he saw it rolling away, he chased after it and tried to lunge into the driver’s seat. He missed. 

The car ran over his foot, breaking every bone as it did.

The claim

Because it was an accident, and because it was an obvious break, the claims process was very straightforward.
 
First payment was made at the end of the customer’s four-week deferment period.

The alternative ending

In this case, Income Protection was a blessing. As a self-employed person who can’t earn if they’re not mobile, without IP the customer faced months of no income.
 
In this case no income means exactly that. No income.
 
The self-employed aren’t entitled to Statutory Sick Pay, so he wouldn’t even have received his £95-odd SSP to keep him going.
 
With Income Protection, the customer doesn’t have to pile into his savings, get into debt, or scale back on his lifestyle. 

Crucially, he doesn’t have to risk his longer term mobility by going back to work before he’s fully healed.