When researching income protection, customers often ask me this question:
Will the insurance company help me to get back to work if I have income protection insurance?
Ahh yes, a very good question indeed and an important one too for anyone that is looking to purchase the best income protection in Ireland.
And because I get this question so much, today I decided to write an article explaining to you the potential pros and cons of each income continuance provider when it comes to getting you back to work.
Some people fixate on the chances of their policy paying out, I think this is a waste of energy.
If you can’t work due to a medically recognised illness, your policy will payout.
On average a whopping 94% of all income protection claims were paid last year.
Yes, NINETY-FOUR.
Smart people are more interested in how their insurers can help them get back to work.
Work is a huge part of your life.
When it’s taken away, it can lead to all sorts of problems, from boredom to depression.
None of us would mind a few weeks off but long term, you’ll just want to get back to work as soon as possible
So let’s look at how the various insurers can help you get back to work.
But first, let’s be clear that although it’s in the insurer’s interest to get you back to work, they will never force you to go back if you’re not physically or mentally ready.
Let’s start with the biggest provider of income protection insurance in Ireland
Aviva believes your income protection policy should go beyond providing you with financial protection.
That’s why they include additional services in their policies to help you with your recovery.
Hopefully, you’ll never need these services but if you do, they are available.
They will cover also any expenses that may arise such as travel and accommodation so you can take advantage of the benefits without worrying about costs.
Maybe that’s why 9 out of 10 Aviva claimants would recommend them to friends and family (*independently researched by Ireach)
Your contact will
You’ll have the peace of mind that when you contact that person, they will have a complete understanding of your case.
Independent professionals will guide you through the claims procedure and discuss your rehabilitation options with you
The Care Pathway Service offers access to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)Â with professionally qualified and experienced therapists with a focus on returning to work. The cost of this programme is paid for by Aviva.
Aviva developed this programme in conjunction with Talent Fusion which are specialists in human resources and career transition.
The objective is to help you seek a new career or alternative employment if you can’t get back to your normal occupation.
Here’s how they helped Mark get a new job in marine biology:
If you return to work at a lower salary, Aviva will pay you the difference between your old and new salary depending on the amount of cover you bought initially.
If you return to work on a part-time basis, they will pay you the balance of your full benefit so you can maintain your standard of living.
A 36-year-old factory worker was out of work following a road traffic accident that left him in a wheelchair. Using the Aviva programme, he has now retrained as an accountant and has secured employment
A 38-year-old forklift driver had been out of work following an accident at work where he hurt his back. With support from Talent Fusion, he has retrained as a chef working in a college.
With Aviva income protection plans, you have access to Best Doctors.
You can use the service to get advice/opinion on any chronic or troubling ailments affecting your quality of life or for the condition/sickness which has given rise to your income protection claim.
Free Digital GP
You get the peace of mind of being able to speak to an experienced doctor to discuss any health concerns you have Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and on weekends from 9am to 12 noon.
Family Care Mental Health Support
Bereavement Support
Losing a loved one isn’t easy. So, it might help you to know there’s help on hand through bereavement counselling.
Aviva paid out €51 million (2022: €48 million) to 2,000 new and existing customers in 2023.
Of those claims submitted in 2023: 56% were from women, while men represented 44% of claimants.
Psychological issues remain the number one medical reason for claims on income protection policies at 33%.
The average length of time that customers are out of work is now seven and a half years.
The longest active claim in payment is 32 years, with the customer aged 29 when the claim commenced.
The company also paid €250,000 in early intervention and rehabilitation support to its income protection customers through the year, up from €200,000 in the prior year.
Helping Hand is an additional service offered with all Royal London policies and provided through its partners RedArc.
It gives one‑to‑one personal support from your own Nurse Adviser from RedArc who can help you and your family cope with being unable to work.
Whilst your medical team focus on your treatment, RedArc helps by providing ‘softer’ skills – a friendly listening ear, practical information, and much needed emotional support both for you and your family.
For example, managing stress around a return to work is one area Helping Hand can help.
RedArc nurses are trained to provide practical stress management advice. They can also support family members suffering the effects of stress and anxiety.
Helping Hand may also arrange specialist therapy to help speed up recovery, if appropriate
e.g.
It can be tough adjusting to full-time work after you have been off following a long‑term claim.
Following a claim of more than one year, you can get
This is a partial benefit payment that may be payable if you return to work on reduced earnings.
For example, if following a claim you need to return to work on a part-time basis or in a different role at a reduced salary you may be eligible for a proportionate income protection payment to help make up for some of those lost earnings.
This payment, if eligible, will continue either until your health improves sufficiently that you can return to full‑time work or you reach the expiry age on your policy.
If you receive income protection payments for 1 year or more and return to work, New Ireland will pay you
New Ireland provides access to professional support to help you return to work.
Similar to the other insurers, New Ireland also facilitate those who return to work on a part-time basis through their proportionate benefit.
New Ireland works closely with you to help you continue to carry out normal everyday activities, and ultimately return to work.
Other supports that may be available include counselling, physiotherapy and re-training all of which are designed to help you back on your feet and work again.
The LifeCare range of services come as standard on income protection plans and offers you the following, at zero extra cost:
If, you return to work part-time or to a lower-paid job, Irish Life will still pay part of the benefit if they are satisfied that you are still not able to do your normal job.
access to a team of rehabilitation nurses who will go to meet you in your home and help put a plan in place to get you back to work.
fund the costs of treatment with a local physiotherapist
help from a psychologist/counsellor arranged in conjunction with your own GP, or pay for you to attend a specialist doctor if it will help you avoid a long waiting list and get better faster.
Like the other providers – if you return to work on a reduced salary you may be eligible for a smaller payout.
You can increase your cover by the lower of €20,000 or 50% of your existing cover without having to answer health questions if something big happens
As a special one-off, you can also increase your cover by a maximum of €20,000 a year provided your salary has increased by 20% since your first started your plan.
Congratulations if you read the whole article…or even if you scrolled this far 😉
You now know more about income protection than 99% of the people in Ireland.
So what next?
If you’d like me to make a FREE income protection recommendation and send you some quotes, please complete this short questionnaire and I’ll be right back.
Thanks for reading
Nick
Editor’s note : We published this blog in 2017 and have regularly updated it.
As Ireland's leading life insurance broker, we specialise in comparing the rates and policies from the top five Irish life insurance providers and offering the very best value quotes to suit the individual needs of our clients. Our expertise lies in finding a suitable insurance plan for those with specific needs, be it a particular illness, occupation or claim history, we've got you covered in every sense!
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