As an industry we’ve come to know that it’s not just physical issues that need to be considered when underwriting an Income Protection plan; openness about mental health has come on in leaps and bounds, and we’re all getting familiar with the statistics. Recent figures show that one in six of us are experiencing a common mental health issue in any given week¹.

Where a client has experienced mental health problems it doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t get cover. If it’s led to time off work within the last two to three years, IP providers are more likely to apply an exclusion, rather than a full decline. However LV= has gone further, and is the only provider currently offering ‘automatic reviewable exclusion’ periods, at point of sale and without the need for additional medical evidence. That’s really important for cases of mental health (which are a leading reason for IP claims and represent around half of our reviewable exclusions²).

This means that, if your client has a history of mental health problems, but has no further issues after taking out their policy, LV= can in some cases, if your client requests it, remove that exclusion after one, two or three years.

So modern IP is proving far more than just a financial safety net, with tailor-made protection available for more people, and holistic support at the big ‘moments of truth’ at claim, as well as for those mental bumps in the road of life.

To find out more about Income Protection from LV= contact your LV= Account Manager, call 0800 032 4219 or visit LV.com/Adviser.

1 – MIND (based on figures in England)

2 – LV= Sept-March 2019