Practical preparation · General information, assessed individually
Start with the income gap
Income protection can replace part of your income when illness or injury prevents you working, subject to the policy. A deferred period is the agreed wait before payments begin.
- Obtain your employer’s actual sick-pay terms, if applicable.
- List essential household spending.
- Separate accessible savings from money already committed elsewhere.
Map the months before payment
Create a simple timeline showing what money would be available if you could not work. Use it to discuss an appropriate waiting period with your adviser.
- Record when full pay reduces or stops.
- Show how quickly the available cash reserve would be used.
- Include the household commitments you would want the cover to support.
Compare the policy as a whole
The waiting period is only one part of the policy. Check the incapacity definition, benefit amount, claim-payment duration, exclusions and premium basis.
- Ask the adviser to explain how the definition relates to your work.
- Answer application questions accurately and completely.
- Review the cover when your job, mortgage or family circumstances change.
Bring to the first conversation
- Sick-pay terms and any existing cover
- Essential monthly spending
- Accessible emergency savings
- Occupation details and questions about policy terms
Start with an outline. Send sensitive documents only through the secure route agreed with Jack.
Your questions, answered
Is income protection the same as critical illness cover?
No. Income protection provides regular payments for qualifying inability to work; critical illness cover generally pays a lump sum for a specified covered condition. The policy definitions matter.
Link to this answerShould I simply choose the longest waiting period?
Choose it alongside the household budget and the resources available while waiting. A lower premium is not useful if the arrangement leaves an unaffordable gap.
Link to this answerSources & further reading
Sources checked 12 October 2026. Preparation prompts are editorial checklists; follow the linked original for its scope and updates.
Prepared for Jack Cousins’s website · 12 October 2026. About Jack · How site content is prepared. Insurer terms, underwriting and individual circumstances determine the cover available. This guide is general information, not a personal recommendation.