‘Never Been a More Important Time’ to Think About Group Income Protection

How Times Have Changed

Employer Income Protection in its most traditional form – disability insurance providing a replacement income until retirement – has a reputation for being expensive and therefore affordable for only a select few employers.

Yet things have changed considerably over time and it’s no longer bought only by larger employers who can afford to insure an employee’s replacement income until retirement.

Insurers such as Ellipse now offer limited payment periods that provide replacement income to employees for a specified amount of time. These Income Protection policies will typically pay out for 2, 3, 4 or 5 years, which significantly reduces the cost of cover compared to having a policy that pays out until retirement.

And although by doing this the employee only receives a replacement income for a smaller period of time, considering state benefits aren’t what they used to be, surely some benefit is better than none?

What’s more, you could argue that it’s also a better fit with employees’ typical career moves and length of service, as they are no longer staying in one business until retirement.

How Much Does Group Income Protection Cost?

As well as introducing the benefit payment period, there are other features of the product that can reduce the cost for employers, as the below example shows.

If we look at a quote for a traditional level of income protection benefit, for example 75% of salary, 2.5% escalation, 28 week deferred period and payments continuing to retirement age, for a company of 14 employees that would set the employer back £7,566 annually.

Yet, if we look at a basic benefit quote, for example 50% of salary, no escalation, 28 week deferred period and payments only continuing for three years, it would cost the same employer just £1,307 per year.

Chris Morgan
Chief Marketing Officer at Ellipse

What Are the Benefits of Income Protection?

When you think group income protection, do you think it’s simply an employee benefit? If so, then you should think again.

Insurers now offer free services included within the product that provide value to employers and the business too. Group income protection now also makes good business sense in a number of different ways.

Many products now come with an employee assistance programme that, alongside support for employees, also helps managers deal with a range of business issues, from absence management to people matters. For smaller businesses especially, having such a resource on-hand can be more than useful.

Group Income Protection Helps with Absence Management

It doesn’t stop there. Most insurers now support employers dealing with the early stage of an absence which often includes funding for treatments that the employee may need to help them return to work. This comes as employees, employers and insurers all want the same thing: to return an employee to work as soon as they are fit and well enough.

Including early medical assistance, and services such as case management (providing tailored, appropriate support and rehabilitation to absent employees) ultimately benefits employers and businesses as well as the employee. In turn, as long-term absences are reduced, so are claims, making Group Income Protection even more cost effective for employers.

Ellipse Sick Pay Complete Cover

Ellipse includes access to an online absence management system within its Sick Pay Complete product. This allows employers to manage and record absence in their business, from holidays to doctor appointments and sickness absence.

This provides employers with a useful business tool from day one. Alongside this every day value, it also allows Ellipse to proactively assist in certain circumstances, for example, when the employee reaches 4 weeks off work.

This is just one example of how Group Income Protection products are now becoming more proactive in returning employees to work as soon as possible.

Group Income Protection in a Nutshell…

Income Protection is no longer a benefit that’s only fit for larger employers. With the introduction of limited payment periods, employers are able to specify how long they want employees to receive a replacement income. This allows them to find cover at a cost that’s within their employee benefits budget.

What’s more, it’s not simply an employee benefit anymore – it’s a business benefit, too. With Income Protection products now offering immediate business benefits such as employee assistance programmes, early intervention and rehabilitation, employers can benefit almost instantly from a product that is traditionally viewed as only providing a benefit to the employee.

So now that Group Income Protection no longer looks like your granddad’s go to footwear on holiday, maybe it’s time the product was a little more understood and loved once again.