Income Protection for Nurses: When the Union Scheme Isn’t an Option

If you’re a nurse in Ireland thinking about income protection, the first question we usually ask isn’t about prices or cover levels.

It’s a simple one: have you checked what’s available through your union?

For many public sector nurses, union group schemes are a sensible starting point. They’re familiar, easy to access, and often come with features that are hard to replicate in an individual policy. We’re not in the business of pretending otherwise.

That said, personal income protection does make sense for some nurses.

Usually, only in specific situations.

This page is about those situations.

Why union income protection schemes work well for many nurses

Union salary protection schemes exist for a reason.

They’re built around large numbers of people in similar roles, which gives them some genuine advantages.

In many cases, contributions are taken from your payslip before tax, which means tax relief is applied automatically.

Schemes may also include additional benefits such as serious illness cover or death-in-service protection, along with the comfort of knowing colleagues are on the same scheme.

For nurses in permanent public sector roles with no health issues, that combination can work very well.

When personal income protection may be worth considering

There are two broad situations where we regularly see personal income protection make sense for nurses.

The first is where someone works outside the standard public sector setup. This can include nurses in private hospitals, clinics, agency work, aesthetic practices, or specialist roles where union schemes don’t apply or don’t reflect how income is actually earned.

The second is where a nurse would like to join a union scheme but can’t, often because of medical disclosures or previous health issues. Group schemes can be strict, and exclusions or declines are more common than people expect.

In those cases, a personal policy may be the only realistic option.

What happens if a claim runs long term

This is one of the least understood differences between union schemes and personal income protection, and it only really shows up if a claim lasts a long time.

Under many union salary protection schemes, once a claim reaches two years, the insurer assumes you could take an early retirement pension.

Because of that, they start paying you less, even if you never actually take the pension.

Here’s a simple example:

If your income protection benefit is €3,000 a month and the scheme assumes you could take an early pension of €1,200 a month, your income protection payment is reduced to €1,800 a month. That reduction applies whether you take the pension or not.

A personal income protection policy doesn’t work that way.

It only looks at money you are actually receiving.

Using the same example, if you haven’t taken the pension, the insurer continues to pay the full €3,000 a month. The payment is only reduced if you later start receiving pension income.

Why this matters for younger nurses

This difference tends to matter most for younger nurses. Being unable to work for a long period doesn’t automatically mean you see yourself as finished or retired.

Many people are still in treatment, still recovering, or simply not ready to make a permanent decision about the rest of their working life. Taking an early or ill-health pension is often irreversible and usually means accepting a lower income for life.

For someone in their 30s or 40s, that can feel far too final. They may want time, flexibility, and the option to return to work if their health improves, rather than being treated as retired before they feel ready.

How we approach this with nurses

When a nurse contacts us about income protection, we don’t start with quotes.

We start by understanding where you work, how you’re paid, and whether a union scheme is available or suitable.

If the union scheme looks like the best option, we’ll say that.

If personal cover makes sense, we’ll explain why and how to approach it properly, without triggering problems later.

The aim isn’t to sell a policy.

It’s to make sure you don’t apply in a way that limits your options unnecessarily.

Next step

If you’re a nurse working in the private sector, or if you’ve been declined or restricted by a union scheme because of health issues, you can talk to us before applying for personal income protection.

No pressure. No obligation. Just a clear steer on whether personal cover is worth pursuing in your situation.

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Thanks for reading

Nick