Replace Your Income If You Can't Work
Income Protection
Provides monthly payments (typically 75% of your income) if you're unable to work due to illness or injury. Essential for self-employed and single-income families.
Why Income Protection Is the Most Important Insurance You Can Buy
Your ability to earn an income is your most valuable financial asset. Everything else — your mortgage, your lifestyle, your family's security — depends on it. Income protection insurance replaces your income if illness or injury prevents you from working. In New Zealand, ACC covers workplace and accidental injuries, but it does not cover illness. If you develop cancer, have a heart attack, suffer a mental health episode, or any non-accident condition that stops you working — ACC won't pay. Income protection is the only safety net for illness-related inability to work.
What We Cover
Our income protection advice covers all available benefit structures in the NZ market.
Cover Types
Who Is This For?
Why Exclusive Insurance Services?
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What Insurers Typically Need
Information an insurer may require
Underwriters generally ask for the following when quoting or renewing this class of risk. Being ready with accurate information usually improves outcomes on price and wording.
Age, gender, smoking status and occupation
Detailed job duties — income protection is priced by occupation risk class
Income structure: PAYE, self-employed, dividends, and consistency over 2–3 years
Existing group / employer-sponsored income cover and any ACC top-up
Personal medical history, current medications and prior time off work
Preferred benefit structure: agreed value vs indemnity, wait period, benefit period
When Something Happens
Claims considerations
We help manage the claims process from notification through to settlement, coordinating with you, the insurer and other parties involved and advocating for your interests throughout. Things that commonly affect a claim in this area:
Wait periods and benefit periods are separate levers — check both at claim time and understand which the current claim is running against.
Retain evidence of income at the time of application (agreed value) or claim (indemnity) — the definition determines what evidence is required.
Return-to-work and partial-benefit provisions can extend benefits during phased rehabilitation; use them rather than a binary "off work / at work" position.
Full disclosure of medications and prior conditions at underwriting is the single biggest driver of a claim being paid without dispute.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between ACC and income protection?
ACC covers accidental injury only. Income protection covers illness AND injury. If you can't work due to cancer, heart disease, mental health, or any non-accident condition, ACC won't pay. Income protection is the only cover for illness-related inability to work.
How much income protection do I need?
Income protection typically replaces up to 75% of your pre-tax income. We calculate the benefit amount based on your actual expenses — mortgage, living costs, and financial obligations — to ensure the benefit is enough to maintain your lifestyle.
What is the difference between agreed value and indemnity?
Agreed value locks in your benefit amount at application, regardless of your income at claim time. Indemnity bases the benefit on your actual income at the time of claim. Self-employed people generally prefer agreed value for certainty.
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About this page
Reviewed by Adi Sehgal
Verified adviserDirector & Principal Adviser
This page is general information about the class of cover. Actual cover, terms, premiums, limits, exclusions and eligibility vary by insurer, policy wording, underwriting decision and individual client circumstances. Nothing on this page constitutes personalised financial advice.