Joe Bloggs
32, employed, wife and one young child, no real safety net outside the job
Snapshot
| Age | 32 |
| Family | Married, one child aged 4 |
| Job | Project manager, employed full-time |
| Gross income | £45,000 (Joe) + £18,000 (wife, part-time) |
| Home | £325,000, mortgage £225,000 over 28 years |
| Mortgage payment | £1,150 per month |
| Savings | £6,000, about 1.5 months of expenses |
What Joe Bloggs has today
- Statutory sick pay only after 5 days. SSP capped at £123.25 per week from April 2026, max 28 weeks.
- Death-in-service through employer pays 2x salary, equal to £90,000.
- No critical illness cover through work.
- No income protection through work.
The gap
- If Joe dies, his family loses around £35,000-£40,000 of net annual income plus needs to clear a £225,000 mortgage. Death-in-service covers just £90,000 of that.
- If Joe is seriously ill but survives (cancer, heart attack, stroke), there is no lump-sum payout. The mortgage falls behind from month two on SSP alone.
- If Joe cannot work long-term (back injury, depression, MS), it is 28 weeks of SSP then zero. The household is in crisis well inside year one.
- His wife's part-time income alone will not service the mortgage.
Recommended cover, built in three tiers
| Tier | What it includes | Indicative /month |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Life cover £250,000, decreasing term to match the mortgage over 28 years. Plus £10,000 funeral plan, whole-of-life. | £18-22 |
| Enhanced | Adds Income Protection paying £2,200 per month if Joe cannot work, with an 8-week waiting period to match SSP, ceasing at age 65. | £55-65 |
| Comprehensive | Adds Critical Illness Cover paying a £75,000 lump sum on diagnosis of major covered conditions. | £80-95 |
Cumulative build. Each tier adds to the previous, not a flat choice. These are example structures. Your adviser will tailor cover to your budget, health, family and mortgage needs. Premiums indicative for a non-smoker in good health, subject to medical underwriting.
The case
Joe sees protection as something to do later, when he is older. The numbers say the opposite.
At 32, healthy and non-smoking, every month of delay is a wasted cheap year. A £250,000 life policy costs around £18-22 per month at 32. The same policy at 42 costs £35-45 per month. Same product, double the price, for ten years of unnecessary exposure.
His real risk is not dying. Healthy 32-year-olds rarely die. His real risk is being too ill to work for 6, 12, 24 months. That is what income protection is for, and that is what most employer benefits do not cover.
Common questions
Can't afford it right now.
Basic tier is £18-22 per month. Less than one takeaway a week, less than a Sky subscription.
I've got death in service.
Only while you are with this employer. It stops the day you change jobs. And £90,000 will not clear a £225,000 mortgage.
What if I never claim?
That is the goal. The peace of mind is the product. The payout is the failsafe, not the win.
I'm young and healthy.
Exactly why it is so cheap right now. Lock the cover in before that is no longer true.
Major Money Matters Ltd is an appointed representative of Sesame Ltd.
Your situation will be different
Every scenario on this site is illustrative. Your actual cover depends on your income, family, mortgage, health and goals. The only way to know what fits is to talk to an adviser.
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