Built to look after you during a time of unexpected income change caused by injury or illness, so you can forget your worries and go back to being the very Best you possible.
What is Accident & Sickness Insurance?
Accident & sickness insurance is a personal individual insurance policy linked specifically to you, your health, and your income. Like all insurance, it covers you against the unknown, which can honestly be the scariest thing the world has to offer. By providing you with a financial safety net just in case the worst happened and you fell ill or had an accident that kept you out of work, an accident & sickness insurance policy can make sure that both your lifestyle and mental wellbeing don’t suffer as a result of any of these possibilities.
This kind of insurance is only available to people who are working full time – whether that means they’re employed by someone else, or self-employed. If you’re working and earning a taxable income, then you can purchase accident & sickness income protection.
It’ll provide protection for injuries, illnesses, and accidents that haven’t already happened; otherwise known as ‘pre-existing medical conditions’. The amount you can cover is linked to the amount that you earn, and if you ever needed to claim, your insurer will pay you a percentage of that income for a period of time chosen by you.
The best time to think about buying yourself an accident & sickness income protection insurance policy is when you take on a new commitment or outgoing, for example a mortgage, renting a new property, starting a new job, getting married, or having children. But that’s not the only time to think about it! Honestly, there’s no bad time to take out a policy like this, just like there’s no bad time to go to a spa or take a refreshing nap; the kind of peace that an accident & sickness policy can give you is nothing short
Why Accident & Sickness Insurance?
Have you ever broken a bone, torn a muscle, or suffered a minor – or even major! – injury because of an accident? Or have you ever fallen ill – with a serious condition or a minor problem – and ended up laid up in bed for a while?
Chances are, the answer to at least one of those questions is ‘yes’, because everyone gets sick or injured at some point in their lives. It’s an unfortunate fact of the world. When this happened to you, did it result in you having to take time off work? Or even losing out on your income?
If so, then an accident and sickness income protection policy could and would have helped you. An insurance policy for everyone that depends on a monthly or weekly income to survive (which is most of us!), this type of policy will pay you if you’re forced to take time away from work because of accident or sickness until the day that you can go back. It helps you pay your bills, put food on the table, and keep a roof over your head when the worst happens, which is really when we all need help the most.
And if you’re not getting help from this insurance, what are your other options? Borrowing money from friends or family? Take out a loan or credit card to tide you over? Rely on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to keep you going? Getting yourself into debt is never an option worth considering when it comes to these kinds of situations because it often makes things so much worse in the long run. And with SSP levelling out at just £109.40 a week (as of 2023), is it really a feasible option to keep you going? How long could you live on that; not even £450 a month?
That’s what our range of accident & sickness insurance policies are here for; to give you that much-needed breathing space to keep your life on track while you recover from an accident or sickness.
If you’re interested in protecting your peace of mind so that you can be the very Best you possible, get in touch with the team at Best Insurance today and we can talk to you about how accident & sickness insurance might be able to help you.
Benefits of Our Insurance
Maintain Your Lifestyle During Recovery
- Covers essential expenses like rent, food, and bills.
- Lets you focus fully on health and recovery without financial pressure.
Freedom from Debt and Financial Stress
- Helps avoid loans, credit card debt, or borrowing from friends and family.
- Shields you from financial strain during tough times.
Affordable and Flexible Coverage Options
- Flexible plans tailored to your income and budget.
- Protection without burdening your monthly finances.
Key Features
Claim periods & policy terms
You can usually claim for up to 6 or 12 months, depending on the income protection policy. Policies typically exclude pre-existing conditions, substance use, self-harm, and voluntary unemployment. If you have complex health needs, a tailored policy may be best
Monthly tax-free payouts
If you need to claim on your insurance policy, you’ll receive up to £2,500 a month (or 65% of your income), completely tax-free.
Excess periods
This is the waiting time between claiming and getting paid. Most people choose a 30-day excess period, but the choice is yours.
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Claim Your Insurance
To file an insurance claim, contact your claim administrator immediately using the details in your policy. They’ll guide you through the process, including forms and required documents. Claims typically take around 30 days; if delayed, follow up with your insurer. For excessive delays or unfair denials, escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Speak to a specialist
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- Monday to Friday
Several factors can affect how much your income protection insurance costs, including:
If you want an accurate estimate for what an income protection policy tailored to you might cost, it’s worth contacting a broker directly. You can give Best Insurance a call on 0330 330 9465 to get a quote today!
Comparisons
| Accident & Sickness Insurance | Long-Term Accident & Sickness Insurance | Income Protection Insurance | Unemployment Protection Insurance | |
| Monthly payout (up to 65% of income) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum payout duration | 12 or 24 months | 24 months (full term if IP) | 12, 24, 60 months or full term | 12 months |
| Covers accidents | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Covers sicknesses | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Covers unemployment or redundancy | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Waiting period options | 30/60 | N/A | N/A | 60/90 |
| Excess period options | 30/60 | Day One, 1 Week, 4, 8, 13, 26, 52, 104 Weeks | Day One, 1 Week, 4, 8, 13, 26, 52, 104 Weeks | 30/60 |
| Initial Exclusion Period | N/A | N/A | N/A | 90/120/150 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Your income protection insurance policy covers your income if you’re too sick or injured to work or if you’ve been made involuntarily unemployed. You agree on an amount you’d like to be paid if this happens — called a ‘benefit’ or ‘benefit amount’ — and if you find yourself unable to work, you make a claim. Your benefit will cover whatever you need it to cover, whether that’s your mortgage payments, your rent, your bills, or even your groceries.
If you successfully make a claim on your income protection insurance policy, you’ll be paid out the benefit amount you selected when you first purchased cover. This will usually be up to either 65% of your income or £2,500.
Yes, income protection insurance is worth the investment, even if you are in the UK. With an income protection insurance policy in your back pocket, you won’t have to rely on your savings, state benefits like Universal Credit (which often aren’t enough to live off of for long), or handouts from loved ones to keep your head above water in the event that you couldn’t work. Think of it like paying into your rainy-day fund; one day, you’ll need it.
What is Accident & Sickness insurance?
Accident & sickness insurance is a type of insurance designed to cover you against work absence because of an accident you’ve sustained injuries from or a sickness that has left you unable to work. Most accident & sickness policies will cover up to 65% of your pre-absence income (to a cap of £2,500) for the total length of your absence from work.
A Best Insurance Accident & Sickness insurance policy will typically pay you 65% of your usual income every month that you’re away from work, as long as you can provide proof that your continued absence has been caused by an injury or illness. Most policies will provide this service for up to either 6 or 12 months, but you can get longer-term policies (usually referred to as ‘Long-Term Accident & Sickness’ or ‘LTAS’ policies) depending on your needs and most of them will pay you until your retirement age.
What are the benefits of having Accident & Sickness insurance?
The biggest benefit of having accident & sickness insurance is the actual benefit payment, which is paid out to you (tax-free!) for every month that you’re off work because of an accident or sickness. This benefit is generally 65% of your total pre-absence work income up to a cap of £2,500 (though if you’re a high-earner, it might be worth getting multiple policies to cover more).
Other than that, the most obvious benefit of accident & sickness insurance is the peace of mind it offers. Secure in the knowledge that your outgoings – whether that’s mortgage payments, rent installments, bills, or even your weekly grocery shop! – will be covered even if you can’t work for a while, you can get on with your day-to-day life without worrying about what you’d do if the worst happened.
Who needs Accident & Sickness insurance?
Accident & sickness insurance is designed for anyone who works more than 16 hours a week. Some insurers may place restrictions on contract workers or self-employed. Everyone is open to the pitfalls of financial instability. If you’ve just undergone a major life change – like starting a family or getting married – or if you’ve started a new career, accident & sickness insurance is a smart idea because it’ll make sure you can stay afloat in your new circumstances without too much difficulty, even if the worst should happen. If you’re not sure what you’d do if you missed out on your usual monthly income for any reason, it might be worth considering investing in an accident & sickness insurance policy.
What is the difference between Accident & Sickness insurance and Income Protection insurance?
While accident & sickness insurance covers your income against work absence due to an injury or illness, income protection insurance adds on protection against unexpected unemployment that’s not your fault, such as redundancy. Some income protection insurance policies (ours included!) also offer carer cover baked into the policy, so that if you have to leave the workforce to become a carer for an immediate family member, your finances aren’t left in the lurch.
Do I need Accident & Sickness insurance if I get Statutory Sick Pay?
Even if you get Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), accident & sickness insurance is a good idea. As of May 2025, SSP is typically £118.75 a week – that’s just £475 a month! Would you be able to live off of just £475 a month? Could you use that money to cover your rent or mortgage payments, your usual household bills, and your day-to-day expenses? Accident & sickness insurance can offer you up to £2,500 a month in addition to your SSP payments, which means you won’t have to struggle while you’re away from work.
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