Coronavirus: Will I Be Covered By Income Protection Insurance?

The UK is facing one of the biggest health crisis ever due to the fast and dangerous spread of the coronavirus, also called Covid-19.

The increase of confirmed cases and deaths and the fact that people can not go at work put a lot of UK jobs at risk?

Many questions arise: will I get paid at the end of the month? Can I get income protection insurance? Can I claim for any other financial benefit? Will I have a salary protection?

Can I be covered by income protection insurance if I catch COVID-19?

Income protection policy is an insurance that covers you if you are unable to work due to illness, injury or unemployment. You will pay a monthly premium in order to be protected by income protection insurance, usually it is a really small percentage of your salary. It is supposed to pay part of your lost earnings. There are two types of income protection, one protects you longer than the other one, it is what we called the waiting period. This means that you must wait a certain amount of time between the day you have stoppe working and the possibility to make a claim.

In the case of income protection and coronavirus, we can strongly assume that you will receive a monthly benefit that is equivalent to a portion of your salary.

A very few insurers have answered to this question of knowing if claiming income protection if you catch COVID-19 was possible.

Will Royal London income protection insure my loss of income due to coronavirus?

Yes. Royal London income protection covers pandemic or the contraction of a virus in a foreign country. So, Royal London income protection covers coronavirus infection.

Income protection is restricted to certains part of the word. To be able to be protected by Royal London income protection for coronavirus, you must have a confirmation by your GP that you have to self isolate. If you have to self isolate, Royal London claim team will find solutions for you to get paid for income protection.

Will Liverpool victoria income protection insure my loss of income due to coronavirus?

Yes, Liverpool Victoria covers income protection if you are infected by coronavirus, even for coronavirus diagnosis. Liverpool Victoria income protection can cover self isolation if it is medically advised.

Will British Friendly income protection insure my loss of income due to coronavirus?

Yes, British friendly income protection will continue to cover all existing members that have covid-19 symptoms or are have been diagnosed with coronavirus. British Friendly can also cover income protection if you are self isolated.

But, anyone who apply for income protection after march 14 will see its application refused.

Will Holloway friendly income protection insure my loss of income due to coronavirus?

Yes, Holloway Friendly income protection will continue to cover existing members. But after march 17, all contracts will have coronavirus exclusion.

If existing members claim income protection because they are tested positif, their claim will be received. But, all members that are being self isolated because of government rules or under medical advice, their claim will not be received. Holloway Friendly are receiving also claims of existing members who are self isolating because they tested positive to coronavirus.

Will Shepherds friendly income protection insure my loss of income due to coronavirus?

Yes, Shepherds friendly income protection will continue to cover existing members if they catch covid-19. But after march 19, all contracts will have coronavirus exclusion.

Will Aviva income protection insure my loss of income due to coronavirus?

Aviva outcome protection will cover people with coronavirus who can't work during this crisis.

But, Aviva announced that they won't accept any other reason to cover customer with income protection. You won't be protected by income protection in case of quarantine if you have to stay home.

This table below recapitulates coronavirus exclusions for every insurers.

Insurers	Income protection claim coronavirus	Exclusion date to apply to income protection
	Covers pandemic or the contraction of a virus in a foreign country. Get confirmation from the customer’s GP is mandatory	Not stated
	Yes you can claim to Liverpool Victoria income protection if you have coronavirus.	No exclusion date to apply to income protection
	You can claim to British Friendly income protection, but you must be an existing member.	14th march
	Exclusion for new applicants to income protection	14th march
	Yes but exclusion for new applicants to income protection	19th march
	Vitality covers members who are unable to work during quarantine. Also available to new members.	No exclusion
	The Exeter income protection in case of coronavirus: not covered if you just subscribed to income protection Not covered in the first 12 months after policy start date, for any coronavirus symptoms ( respiratory illness etc).	16th march
	AIG income protection due to coronavirus will be covered.	Not stated

Can I still apply for income protection insurance in time of coronavirus?

Given the quite recent outcome of this epidemic, lot of interrogations are arisen. Some insurers have even stop offering income protection, because it is too soon to say if the insured persons will be really insured against this epidemic.

The idea is to protect the consumer if he buys something that cannot finally protect him.

A few insurers are still accepting applications for income protection, but others insurers don't:

Insurers	I am a new member, can I still apply to income protection?	I am an existing member, can I claim income protection for coronavirus now?
	Yes you can still apply to Vitality income protection	Yes
	You can still apply for income protection. More informations are coming about terms and conditions.	Yes
	British Friendly is not accepting new applications to income protection	Yes
	The Exeter is not accepting new applications to income protection after 16th March 2020.	Not covered in the first 12 months after policy start date for any coronavirus symptoms

Am I covered by income protection in case of quarantine due to coronavirus?

But a few insurers have clarified their position about containment and self isolation due to coronavirus contamination:

Insurance providers	I am covered by income protection if I am in containment due to coronavirus
	Any claim submitted after 16 march won’t be considered. If you have income protection, you submitted a claim before march 16, your claim will be considered only if your self isolation is medically advised
	Liverpool Victoria decided to give support to people self isolated claiming income protection and to people medically advised
	You can be covered for self isolation resulting with loss of earning due to this situation
	Vitality income protection if you are quarantined and you are unable to work
	British Friendly will support people who are self isolating, but they must not be new applicants. They must have a policy at British Friendly since before March 14th.

Can you claim benefits if you have coronavirus?

If your stay at home and to self isolate due to coronavirus, you can claim benefits, means that you can apply for universal credit. You must be sure to be elegible to benefit from claim benefits. In normal time, you need to book an interview at your local jobcentre.

People who are already receiving benefits do not have to come to a job centre during a period of 3 months. Job centre are open but only receives people who can't use phone or online devices.

If you have coronavirus symptoms, call universal credit helpline.

Can you apply to universal credits if you have to stay at home during coronavirus period?

Yes, you can apply online if you are elegible. You are supposed to get your first payment 5 weeks after apply to universal credits.

The government took measures so that, if you are infected by coronavirus, you will be able to apply for universal credits and you will receive a month in advance. The 7 waitings days required for ESA no longer apply on this situations. If you have coronavirus or you are required to stay home, you can benefit from universal credits from day one.

If I am self-employed, can I claim Universal credit during coronavirus crisis?

If you are self employed, you can claim Universal credit. You need to proof that self employment:

• is your main activity

• and that you get regular work, you must also have proof of activity such as invoices, receipts. . If you can proof this,