Zurich Income Protection Showcase Page
Zurich Intermediary Website
Main showcase
Critical Illness showcase
Children’s Critical Illness showcase
Accelerate showcase
Protection Guru has worked with Zurich to create a concise objective analysis of their Income Protection products.
FLUCTUATING INCOMES
RETURN TO WORK
PROTECTION FOR CUSTOMERS NOT WORKING
MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
IP ENHANCED
REHABILITATION
Zurich in their own words
Zurich Income Protection is part of the personal menu and provides customers with a monthly income if they’re unable to work due to illness or injury that leads to a loss of gross income. Comprehensive cover is provided as standard with the ability to add Income Protection Enhanced, Zurich Accelerate or Multi-Fracture Cover for an additional cost enabling you to meet even more customer needs.
The product includes a wide range of features and benefits designed to provide greater security and certainty at the point of claim. It’s available on either a full-term benefit period or 2-yr limited term benefit period.
A wide range of contractual changes options are also included allowing customers to adjust the policy during the term to reflect changes in their personal circumstances.
Alongside a wide range of benefits, Zurich offer rehabilitation services through a range of third parties plus their team of in-house nurses.
Zurich income protection
Within their sales support material Zurich has grouped features and benefits together which meet a wider customer need. Their material goes beyond explanations of benefits and draws out who each benefit could be suitable for, helping to educate and ensure advisers can focus on the features that will provide the most value to each individual customer.
How Zurich helps customers who want cover that protects against fluctuating incomes
Maximum benefit Guarantee
Included which covers 10% over insurance at point of claim if due to a fluctuation in income during the policy term, or where salary increases haven’t kept up with the increasing rate chosen on the policy.
Minimum benefit Guarantee
Those who don’t qualify for the Maximum Benefit Guarantee can benefit from this, which pays the lower of the monthly benefit or £1.5k (£3k for doctors, surgeons and dentists).
How Zurich helps customers who want support to get better and return to work
Return to work Package
Zurich’s Return to Work Package provides income top ups where a phased return on lower hours is required or if the claimant needs to start a new job that pays less.
Zurich will Link Claims, and waive the deferred period, if the customer needs to claim again for the same or a related condition within 12 months. Zurich can also link periods where the customer is unable to work which don’t reach the end of the deferred period, meaning they don’t have to start the deferred period again each time.
How Zurich helps customers who still need cover in place when they’re not working
Four features included which could support customers who fall ill during a period where they aren’t working:
Sabbatical cover
Suitable for those taking up to 12 months off at a time, without affecting their cover. If premiums are maintained and your customer becomes ill or injured on sabbatical leave, any claim is assessed against their pre-sabbatical job and income. Not available for self-employed customers.
Maternity, Paternity and Adoption cover
If on maternity, paternity, or adoption leave, any claim for an illness or injury occurring during this time will be assessed against your customer’s job and income before they took leave.
Own occupation guarantee
If your customer becomes unable to work due to illness or injury between jobs and left their last job less than three months ago, their claim will be assessed against their previous job and income.
House person benefit
For those unable to meet the Sabbatical Cover, Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Benefit or Own Occupation Guarantee criteria, your customer may still be able to claim the lower of either their monthly benefit or £1,500.
Medical Professionals
Sick pay matching is included for doctors, surgeons, dentists, nurses and midwives who work for the NHS or where their employer has adopted the NHS sick pay structure. 50% of the monthly benefit is paid when sick pay halves and 100% when it stops.
Doctors, surgeons and dentists also benefit from an Enhanced Minimum Benefit Guarantee of £3k.
Whilst Zurich’s Sabbatical Cover isn’t exclusive to medical professionals and is available for all employed roles, it’s a valuable feature for medical professionals who may want to take sabbaticals of up to 12 months at a time and maintain their cover and own occupation status.
Income assessment at claim
Zurich specifically state they can base a customer’s income on their employment contract if they fall ill in the first year of a new job. As most provides state they’ll use the customer’s last 12 months earnings (which could include a period where they earned different amounts), Zurich’s approach gives greater certainty both to those who’ve started a new job in the last 12 months and are buying their policy, or when a GIO (which Zurich call ‘Milestone Benefit’) is exercised following a salary increase.
Income Protection Enhanced
Previously known as ‘Select’, Zurich have introduced fixed payments and improved coverage to better meet customer needs in their optional Enhanced cover. For customers who choose Increasing Cover the premium and benefit levels under Enhanced (if chosen) always remain fixed.
Trauma Benefit
Fixed £25k following diagnosis of one of 7 traumatic conditions. Brain Injury definition added during their recent refresh.
Funeral Benefit
Fixed £10k in the event of death.
Hospital Stay Benefit
£150 per night payable from the 7th night for up to 90 nights. Cover extended to claims during and after the deferred period has ended during their recent refresh.
Rehabilitation and early waiver
Zurich work with a number of external rehabilitation providers to support claimants in their recovery and return to work. External suppliers are also complemented by their in-house team of specialist nurses. You can find more information on who Zurich work with on their website – Rehabilitation | Zurich for intermediaries.
When Zurich are notified of a claim, if your customer agrees to any steps their claims assessor recommends, Zurich will waive their premiums from the date of claim notification.
Menu capabilities
Recent updates place Zurich strongly in the market increasing the appeal of what was an already attractive menu solution. With a strong Income Protection product, three different variants of Critical Illness, three variants of Children’s Cover (including their unique Pregnancy and Early Childhood Cover), Accelerate and Multi Fracture cover, Zurich could soon become the provider of choice for many who have previously chosen other providers where they deemed Income Protection the primary and lead benefit in their menu package.
DOCTORS COMMENTS
As medical and occupational health professionals, our doctor’s panel recognises that a strong income protection plan can significantly reduce the pressure on patients by allowing them to focus on recovery instead of finances. Zurich’s solution is particularly adaptable, taking into account variable incomes and ensuring people remain covered even when they transition in and out of work.
By providing return-to-work support such as phased reintroductions and linked claims, the policy not only promotes a safer, steadier rehabilitation but also minimises the risk of setbacks. For clients who take leave or temporarily step away from employment—such as sabbaticals, parental leave, or career breaks—the cover remains effective, helping protect against any sudden drop in earnings if illness or injury occurs.
Medical professionals also benefit from tailored features, including enhanced minimum guarantees and the recognition of NHS sick pay structures, which can make an enormous difference in preserving peace of mind. With additional offerings like access to rehabilitation specialists, the policy creates a holistic safety net that supports both physical and mental well-being.
Protection Guru has worked with Zurich to create a concise objective analysis of their product range. Zurich have had input to the design of this page and contributed to the cost of the construction and maintenance, however Protection Guru have maintained editorial control over the content to ensure objectivity.