Key takeaways
- Income protection insurance provides a monthly wage if you suddenly need to take time off work because of sickness or injury.
- Income protection is ideal for self-employed individuals or those who run a small business, as they may not have access to sick or annual leave.
- Most income protection policies have a waiting period ranging from 14 days and two years.
Income protection insurance — your support when life throws you a curveball
Life is never linear and many of us often find ourselves in situations we never saw coming. Income protection insurance can give you one less thing to worry about.
Income protection pays a monthly wage if you need to take time off work due to a sudden accident or illness. Most insurers will pay up to 70% of your pre-tax income. They'll also set a maximum benefit, usually around $10,000 monthly.
The payouts from income protection can help you meet regular expenses, such as your mortgage or rent and groceries. It can also maintain your family's lifestyle while you focus on your recovery.
You can compare a range of income protection insurance policies below to find the right fit for your circumstances.
Compare income protection policies
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How we picked theseFinder Score - Income Protection
Income Protection is a little complicated and a lot overwhelming. That's why we made the Finder Score, to make it easier to compare Life Insurance products against each other. Our experts analysed over 12 products and gave each one a score rank out of 10.
But a higher score doesn't always mean a product is better for you. Your situation is unique, so your policy choice will be too. Don't think of Finder Score as the final word, but as a good place to start your life insurance comparison.
How much income protection insurance do I need?
Determining how much income protection insurance you need can be tricky. After all, you want to properly financially safeguard yourself and your loved ones, so they can continue to live a comfortable lifestyle.
One of the best places to start when considering how much cover you need is to draft a budget of all your monthly expenses. This will paint a clear picture of how much you'd need to stay on top of expenses. You may also want to consider adding a little bit extra to add to your super.
That said, it's also worth investigating whether you already have some form of income protection through your super.
What to consider in an income protection policy
When comparing income protection policies, there are a few key features that can make a big difference in how useful the insurance is for you, including:
- Waiting periods. The waiting period is how long you must be unable to work before benefits start being paid. Shorter waiting periods (14 or 30 days) mean you'll get paid sooner but premiums are usually higher. Longer waiting periods (60 or 90 days) can significantly reduce your cost but you'll need enough savings or sick leave to cover the gap before benefits start.
- Benefit amount. Income protection typically pays a percentage of your income. Most policies cover up to 70% of your pre-tax salary, but some can go up to 75% or slightly higher depending on the provider.
- Benefit period. This is how long the insurer will pay you if you can't work. Short benefit periods between 1–5 years cost less but may not provide long-term support, meanwhile, longer benefit periods can be more expensive but offer broader protection.
- Premium type. Income protection premium types are either stepped or level. Stepped premiums start cheaper but increase as you age and level premiums are higher upfront but more stable over time.
How to find the best income protection policy in Australia
Choosing the right income protection policy is a big decision, as having the right cover by your side can make all the difference. That's why Finder conducts an annual analysis into the best performing products in the market across income protection policies.
Our experts looked at 7 key features across 21 insurers to determine which policies had top of the range cover and provided exceptional value to customers.
For 2026, NobleOak received a Finder Award for Best Income Protection. The insurer offers an impressive maximum monthly benefit while keeping prices affordable for customers.
We also passed out 2 Highly Commended Awards to TAL and Suncorp for its policies, making both a worthy contender for Aussies seeking cover.
FAQs
Sources
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