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1. How will this insurance help you?

This insurance has been designed to overcome the consequences of unemployment or disability and to provide the following unique benefits:

• You do not need to have a mortgage to be insured under this insurance. However, being totally flexible it can cover a monthly mortgage payment, or rent, loans, household bills or any other purpose you require.
  
• Highly competitive premiums payable monthly by direct debit.
  
• Up to £1,000 per month of tax free benefit.
  
• Benefits are payable for up to 12 months after an excess period of only 30 days.
  
• Unemployment only cover, or disability only cover, or both combined.
  
• The self-employed, directors and proprietors of businesses are covered if their business ceases to trade.
  
• No premium loading on the basis of age, gender or occupation.
  

2. Am I eligible for cover?

Cover is available to all UK residents who are not aware of impending unemployment and who are aged between 18 and 60 inclusive, in paid work for an average of 16 hours or more per week and:

• are on a permanent contract of employment or,
  
• are on a fixed term contract (see below) or,
  
• are self-employed or,
  
• are a director who is salaried and employed on a permanent basis and have no control over their own unemployment or,
  
• are a partner who is salaried and employed on a permanent basis and under a contract of service and have no control over their unemployment or,
  
• are a trainee with a permanent contract of employment
  

At the commencement of insurance you must have been in continuous employment for the previous six months (twelve months if self-employed).

3. What unemployment cover will I have if I am on a fixed term contract?

• If you have been continuously employed on a contract of at least 12 months duration with the same employer that has been renewed at least once or a contract with the same employer for a continuous period of at least 24 months, you will be treated as being in permanent employment.
  
• If you do not meet this criteria, you will not be covered for non renewal of your contract and benefit will not be payable beyond the date your contract would have terminated had you remained working for the original intended period of the contract. If at the commencement date of this insurance, you do not meet this criteria but you subsequently do meet the criteria, you will be treated as being permanently employed if a claim occurs after the criteria has been met.
  

4. When can you make a claim under this insurance?

You can make a claim under this insurance at any time during the period of insurance providing you notify us as soon as reasonably possible. However, there is a period of 120 days immediately following the insurance commencement date during which any occurrence or notification of impending unemployment will not be insured. This is known as the initial exclusion period.

5. What are the major policy exclusions?

Unemployment exclusions:

• which you knew to be impending on the date of application,
  
• occurring within 120 days of the commencement date of cover,
  
• following voluntary redundancy,
  
• which results from industrial action in which you are involved, or your misconduct, or you voluntary leaving your employment or tendering your resignation,
  
• which is a normal or seasonal occurrence in your occupation,
  

Disability exclusions:

• arising from any physical or mental defect, infirmity, recurring disease or chronic or continuing disease for which you have received treatment or advice, during the 12 months immediately preceeding the commencement date of insurance or which you were aware at the commencement date of insurance,
  
• arising from any psychiatric illness or mental or nervous disorder including anxiety, depression, stress and stress related conditions unless diagnosed by a consultant,
  
• arising from any surgery which is not medically necessary to sustain or maintain your quality or life and which is undertaken solely at your request
  
• arising directly or indirectly from normal pregnancy and childbirth related conditions.
  
• disability caused by any back complaint or associated condition unless there is specialist medical evidence made available to us.
  

General exclusions:

• arising from war, invasion, act of foreign enemy hostilities (whether war be declared or not) civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power,
  
• where a claim is a result of attempted suicide or willful exposure to danger (except in an attempt to save human life),
  
• where a claim is a result of intentional self-inflicted injury or the influence or effect of intoxicating liquor or drugs (other than drugs taken under medical supervision and not for the treatment of drug addiction).
  

6. How long are claim benefits paid for?

You will receive up to a maximum of 12 monthly benefit payments for any separate unemployment or disability claim under this insurance. Full details of how a claim is treated are shown in the policy wording should a claim change from a disability claim to an unemployment claim or vice versa or should you return to work for a short period of time and then need to claim again shortly afterwards.

7. When do you receive your first benefit payment?

Subject to the provisions of sections 4 and 5 above, you will need to be continuously unemployed or disabled for a period of 30 consecutive days before you are able to claim benefit under this insurance. Thereafter payments will continue monthly in arrears until the earliest of the following events:

• the last consecutive day that you remain unemployed or disabled,
  
• the date you cease to provide evidence that you remain continuously unemployed or disabled,
  
• the date on which you have received maximum benefit payments for any separate period of claim,
  
• the termination date of this insurance.
  

8. How much cover can you have?

The amount of cover you select is known as the monthly benefit. The maximum monthly benefit available is £1,000 or 50% of gross monthly income* whichever is the lower, less any other form of income and benefit from any similar policy but excluding state benefits.

*Gross monthly income means monthly salary plus the average of any overtime, commission and/or bonus payments received in the 12 months prior to the insurance start date. Should you need to claim under this policy your gross salary for the 12 months prior to the claim will be confirmed with your employer.

9. What are the costs of cover?

The costs of cover are expressed as a rate per £100 of monthly benefit and include insurance premium tax.

To calculate your monthly premium, simply click here for an instant quote.

10. Complaints procedure

We always try to provide a first-class standard of service. However, if you have a complaint, you should contact the intermediary who arranged this insurance for you.

If they cannot sort the matter out, please write to the Head of Customer Care of AXA General Insurance Limited. His address is: Civic Drive, Ipswich, IP1 2AN. Tel: 01473 205926, Fax: 01473 205101, or email: customercare@axa-insurance.co.uk.

If you are still not satisfied, you can refer your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

The FOS is an independent body that arbitrates on complaints after we have provided you with written confirmation that our internal complaints procedure has been exhausted:
Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9SR. Tel: 0845 080 1800 Fax: 020 7964 1001

Referral to the FOS will not affect your right to take legal action against us.

11. Arranging cover under this insurance

This insurance is underwritten by AXA General Insurance Limited who are members of The General Insurance Standards Council.

AXA General Insurance Limited Personal Communication Centre will provide you with a premium quotation for the cover you require and answer any queries that you may have.

Address: PO Box 147, Civic Drive, Ipswich, IP1 1RP

Tel: 0870 333 0956

Email: biba.incomeprotection@axa-insurance.co.uk