POLICE INSURANCE - INCOME SICKNESS PROTECTION

POLICE OFFICERS - INCOME PROTECTION INSURANCE - SICKPAY COVER

Being a Policeman can be both a mentally & physically demanding career. Given that Police Officers spend alot of their time looking after other people sometimes in dangerous situations or accidents, nobody wants to think about being off work themselves having an accident or illness - but unfortunately many Police staff do suffer from some form of illness or injury during their careers. 

If you are a Police Officer, you will access to employer sponsored sick pay arrangements, although, you may have more limited benefit entitlements than you think.
 

Most people in the Police profession cannot get by on limited government benefits. If you are off with any longer term illness - you will need to make arrangements for yourself.

What is a Long Term Sickness Payment for Police Staff ?

Sick pay for employed Policemen generally provide some sick pay entitlements based on length of service up to a maximum of 6 months’ full pay / then 6 months’ half pay for those with so many years service or more. The discretion to extend this will depend on local trust policy - check out your own benefits. The amount is dependant on salary levels & time served.

PHI Income Protection for a Police Officer - Broker Advice

PHI Income Protection Insurance ~ Policemen ~ Typical Key Features 

• Designed to pay out Income to cover lost salary/wages not lump sum on accident or sickness if you cannot work as a doctor
• Usually has a waiting or deferred / waiting period from 1/4/8/13/26/52 weeks 
• PHI benefits are currently paid out tax free on claim until you return to work or plan end date
• Income Protection PHI wage cover can usually run upto age 65/70 for 
• Income Insurance Benefits may be level or inflation linked 
• Medical evidence is required to underwrite before any terms offered
• Premiums may be none-reviewable, annually/5 yearly reviewable or age costed
• Budget PHI salary cover may run upto age 65/70 but payout for only 12/24/60 months upon any claim
• Cover may be based on maximum of say 50% to 65% of your gross earnings
• Waiver of Premium (where the Insurer waives/protects & covers your premiums after a deferred period of 4/8/13/26 weeks due to sickness or accident) so you do not have to pay them in claim

Government benefits are very similar to unemployment insurance ie; probably insufficient and so people would probably see a very substantial drop in their income if they were out of work, even for more than a few months because of illness or disability. 

How does Income Protection Insurance for Police Officers work ?

If you can't work because of illness or disability, an income protection plan (also called permanent health insurance or phi ) aims to pays out a tax-free income.

"PHI Income Insurance" tries to put you back into the same situation you were in before you were ill. But it does not allow you to be better off sick than well. So the maximum amount of income you can replace is the after-tax earnings you have lost, less an adjustment for any Uk State benefits you can possibly claim. 

If you are employed this means that dependant on the Insurer - 50%/70% of your gross income but then paid out tax free. If self employed then this is usually based on last 12 months annual net profits. Note that the old PHI Insurance rules used to be based on 75% of income but then taxable (so beware of swopping these old plans without advice). 

However, some employers arrange group income insurance protection for their employees as a perk of their job, which can pay out an long term sickpay income after the statutory sick period. So check what you are entitled to.

Tell me more about Income Insurance (PHI) for Police Staff

PHI Sickpay Insurance For Policemen - Underwriting & Health Issues 

You pay a monthly premium throughout the term of the "Income Insurance" policy. Cost depends mainly on:

# Your age - at the time you start the policy. Older people are more likely to suffer an illness, so pay more.
# Your sex - gender no longer affects rates wef 1/2013 via income providers.
# Your health - at the time you start the policy. If you have existing health problems you might be refused cover or have to pay more.
# Your Occupation - some jobs are more risky eg; your job role in the Police maybe higher risk, so likely than others to contribute towards illness or accident. 
# Hobbies and lifestyle - for example, rock climbing is high risk, so you'll pay more.
# Smoker Status - for example, smoking makes you more likely to make a claim, so you'll pay more than a none smoker.
# Waiting period - once you claim, there is a delay before payments start. You can choose how long this is - for example, from 4/8/13/26/52 weeks up to 104 weeks usually dependant upon occupation. The longer the waiting period, the less you pay. 

If your health is poor or your lifestyle is considered risky, you may be refused PHI cover or have to pay more than normal.

Income Insurance for Police Officers - Own Occupation Basis  ?

Check whether you already have protection in place in case you get incapacitated, and for how long that protection would last. For example your employer may have an Income Insurance scheme in place you can benefit from, or you may have a payment protection insurance that covers your mortgage.

Check whether the policy reduces what it pays out if you receive state benefits or claims monies under any other insurance policy. 

Normally the best terms are simply if you can't do your normal job "own Occupation" as a Police Officer

Some income protection policies only pay out if you can't do any work, but you would have to be seriously incapacitated for you not to be able to work at all. Others cover being unable to do any work for which are "Suited Tasks" similar to being a policeman.

Most PHI policies would pay out until your reach age 65 or when you have chosen the cover to end.
Check how different occupations are treated. Different Uk Income Protection Providers put the same job in different risk categories. Does the cover increase in line with inflation?

Why not have Critical Illness Life Insurance Cover for Policemen - instead of Income Insurance ?

Critical illness cover (CIC) - pays out a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with a life-threatening condition for example some forms of cancer, heart attack, stroke, diabetes etc; as specified and listed in the policy - is a possible cheaper and simpler alternative to Income Insurance.

But there are lots of common situations when CIC would not pay out - for example, if you had back problems or maybe a stress-related illness. Additionally, not all occurrences of the critical illnesses listed are covered, for example some lesser forms / early stages of cancer maybe not covered. Ideally you should have both plans if your budget allows this. For more information on this & costs talk to a professional broker here.

Is Police Income Protection Insurance the same as Accident & Sickness Cover ?

Accident, Sickness &/or Unemployment insurance (ASU), can also be referred to confusingly as Income Protection, if doing research online, although it is a different product. ASU cover will provide you with an income to meet your outgoings if you are off work sick, have an accident or are made redundant. It pays out a monthly benefit to cover your mortgage/loan and other related costs but for a limited period.

You may choose the amount of benefit you would like to receive - although there are some limits on the maximum amount. The premium will be a percentage of the amount of monthly benefit you would like to receive. NOTE: Benefits are usually payable for a maximum of 12 or 24 months - unlike Income Insurance PHI which may pay up to when you retire usually age 65.

Some policies will also allow you to choose whether you want to receive benefits for accident and sickness only, unemployment only or all three. Most policies will also have a 'deferment period' usually 30 days. This is the period of time you will have to wait after losing your source of income until you may claim the policy benefit.

Income PHI Protection Quotes for Policemen

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