Comprehensive self-employed income protection insurance
our policies also cover employed individuals and contractors
Quick Quote
dg mutual offers a transparent and simple approach. If you would like us to contact you to provide an income protection insurance quotation, please fill in the form here.
On receipt of these details, a member of staff will be in touch during working hours (Mon-Fri).
We are not a comparison site. We specialise in income protection insurance for the self-employed and employed.
When you fill in this form your details will not be passed to a third party, our Society is committed to you.
Established 1927
We are a mutual friendly society established in 1927 to help our members and share our profits with them.
Here for you
In the last nine years over 99% of all claims paid and over 70% new claims paid within a week.
Benefit
- Up to £1,200 benefit tax-free per week
- Benefit payable from day one or with a deferred period of 4, 8, 13, 26, or 52 weeks (12 months).
- The option of a tax free lump sum upon retirement
- Cover to a maximum age of 65
Contact us
Phone: 0121 452 1066
Email: info@dgmutual.co.uk
We are dg mutual
Established in 1927, dg mutual is an expert mutual insurer specialising in self-employed income protection insurance. Our policies are also designed to cover employed people and contractors.
If you are concerned about how you would pay your bills and manage your finances should you suddenly become unable to work due to illness or injury, dg mutual offers a range of policies that can be tailored to your needs.
Our members are employed,
self-employed or contractors
We are experts in protecting your income
Income Protection Insurance works by paying you a replacement income, giving you peace of mind should you sustain a loss of income through not being able to work by becoming ill or injured.
Helpful Information
Income protection can provide peace of mind if illness or injury stops you from working. Here we explain the advantages of income protection and who can benefit from it.
Is income protection insurance right for you?
There are many instances where you could benefit from an Income Protection plan from dg mutual:
- Self-employed people whose regular income is entirely dependent on them working
- Employed people with short term sick pay from their place of employment
- People who either own or rent their home and need to protect either their mortgage or rental payments
- People who have regular outgoings each month, which may include credit card payments, loans, council tax and other financial commitments and living costs.
- Those with family responsibilities
Contact us to discuss the type of insurance and level of cover that you need.
Benefits of a policy from dg mutual
- Benefit payable from day 1, or 4, 8, 13, 26 and 52 weeks of illness or injury
- No Occupational Premium Loadings
- No Smoker Premium Loadings
- Constant or reducing benefit
(Reducing benefit is available for Day One cover only) - Escalating benefit option – payable after 52 weeks of claim. Benefit will escalate by 3% and will continue to increase at that rate for every year the claim is valid
- The option of a tax-free lump sum at end of policy
(Free from UK personal income tax and capital gains tax under current legislation) - Cover to a maximum age of 65
Commuted Member
Should you choose to retire, become employed or cease your membership, there is an option to remain with dg mutual and become a Commuted Member.
Although you will no longer be entitled to income protection (i.e. the sickness benefit), the investment element of your policy can remain in place.
Many of our members choose to remain with the Society and either continue to contribute at a reduced rate or maintain their policy with no further contributions.
As a commuted member, you would be entitled to annual interest on the amount in your capital account and to an annual bond apportionment of £6.80 per bond along with the interest on the balance in the capital account, as at the 31st December each year.
The interest rate is 4% and can be reviewed by our Board of Directors at any time.
You may remain a commuted member of the Society for as long as you wish. When you decide to terminate your policy, you would be entitled to the lump sum in your capital account plus the terminal bonus applicable at that time.
Why do I need Income Protection Insurance?
Client Testimonials
“My recent claim made January 2022 went very smoothly. After a telephone call the information was sent out to me quickly. After filling in the relevant information the claim was settled. I was very happy with how the claim was dealt and how easy it was”.
Dental Hygienist
“My thoughts on the whole claim process are unreservedly positive. The whole process is dealt with in a very professional and efficient manner from beginning to end and am extremely happy with the experience.”
Dentist
“Yes generally all positive and hassle free claim that was responded and actioned promptly by yourselves, really can’t say anything negative, very much appreciated, hope that is helpful.”
Doctor
Dr Barrington
“I am very happy with the level of service from dg mutual. I appreciate that it is not possible to submit documentation online and have appreciated the swift responses to queries from DG which has been very helpful in knowing how the claim is progressing. I hope this is helpful”
Osteopath
M Mehta
Start protecting your income now
dg mutual – experts in income protection
FAQ
What is income protection insurance?
Income Protection insurance is a policy that protects against any loss of income you may sustain, should you become unable to work due to illness or injury.
It works by providing a replacement regular weekly tax free income for as long and as often as you need us too, ensuring financial support during your time off work.
Quite simply, self-employed Income Protection Insurance provides you with peace of mind that you will be financially covered whenever you cannot work due to illness or injury.
Who we are?
We are DG Mutual, experts in Income Protection insurance for both employed and self-employed professionals.
What am I covered for?
No matter what the nature of your incapacity, however minor, serious, short lived or permanent, you will be covered.
The conditions covered range from minor self-limiting injuries or illnesses (such as viral infections, colds or flu) up to conditions that could stop you working indefinitely (such as cancer, Multiple Sclerosis or chronic back problems).
Our long term Income Protection policy pays you a weekly income for as long as you are unable to work due to illness or injury. There is no limit to the length of any claim, therefore we can pay you up to a maximum age of 65, if needed.
Who can apply to join?
You can apply for cover if you meet these criteria:
- You live in the UK
- Are between 16 and 55 years old
- Are in paid employment
- Do not work in heavy manual labour
If I am unwell or injured, when will you pay out?
You can arrange for cover to start from your first day of illness if needed, or you can choose to receive benefits after a waiting period of 4, 8, 13, 26, or 52 weeks of continuous incapacity. The choice is yours.
If you are self-employed or would not be entitled to any sick pay from your employer, you can opt for cover that begins on your very first day of illness with no waiting period.
If you do not require cover from the very first day of illness – for example you may receive some sick pay from your employer or have adequate savings, you have the option to take one of our deferred policies instead. Our deferred policies start paying sickness benefit once you have been off work for a specific number of weeks.
We have deferred policies that range between 4 to 52 weeks so that we can accommodate your specific needs.
How do I work out how much cover I require?
When considering income protection, it is important to consider how much you earn and determine what portion of your salary needs safeguarding to cover essential expenses like bills, rent, or mortgage payments, in case of illness or an accident that might prevent you from working.
Our Income Protection policy allows you to protect up to a maximum of 66% of your taxable income. The minimum amount of benefit we can provide is £60.00 per week and the maximum is £1,200.00 per week. Our policies are long term and can be written to a maximum age of 65.
If you are self-employed, would you need the weekly benefit to start from the first day you are unable to work or do you have some savings that you would be able to draw on to keep you afloat for a few weeks?
If you are employed, you will need to check whether you are entitled to any sick pay from your employer. If you are, you should apply for our deferred scheme.
On the deferred scheme, members need to be unable to work due to illness for a specified period before they can claim. Depending on how much sick pay you are entitled to, you can apply for benefit starting after either 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks of incapacity.
We will develop a personalised policy to suit your specific financial situation and requirements.
What is the definition of disability/incapacity?
In the event of any claim, our definition of disability is that you are unable to perform the essential duties of your own occupation and are not carrying out any other occupation for profit or reward.
This definition remains the same throughout the duration of the claim, no matter how long the claim lasts.
How do I apply to join?
To apply to join you will need to complete a membership application form.
You can apply directly for cover by clicking the ‘apply now’ button and completing the online form. Alternatively, you can click either the ‘quick quote’ or ‘get in touch’ button and we can send you an application form for you to complete and return.
We are happy to accept completed application forms by either email to mail@dgmutual.co.uk or by post to DG Mutual, Unit 4 Park Farm Barns, Chester Road, Stonebridge, Warwickshire CV7 7TL.
If you have any questions, require any additional quotations or need any help completing the application form, please do not hesitate to contact us, we are always happy to help.
How do I make a claim?
Being able to claim benefit when they are ill is the main reason why our members join. We treat all members fairly by making the claims process straightforward.
When you join you will receive a set of claim forms, so if you are ill, you do not have to wait for us to send you one. If you need more forms later, just let us know, and we will send them right away.
The claim form is only two pages long, with one section for you to fill out and another to be completed by your General Practitioner.
You can submit your completed forms by email or by post, whichever is more convenient for you.
How does the policy work?
You pay a monthly subscription for your chosen type of cover and retirement age.
How much of my income can be covered?
You may apply for benefit up to 66% of your pre-tax income up to a maximum of £1,200 per week, less any other continuing income or insurances.
What happens when I make a claim?
We hope you will never need to make a claim. However, we fully appreciate that being ill can be a very stressful time. That is why we process all claims as quickly as possible.
When we receive your claim form, our dedicated claims team will start working on it right away. They take pride in their efficient handling of all claims.
How do I know that you will pay my claim?
For the past 14 years, we have paid at least 99% of all claims submitted. In the last 5 years, we have paid 95% of new claims within 10 working days of receipt, with 75% of them settled within 5 days. Knowing that you will not have to wait long to receive benefit and that your financial circumstances are being taken care of is one less thing for you to worry about.
Most importantly, we define disability as being unable to perform the essential duties of your ‘own occupation’. Therefore, as long as you are not following any other occupation for profit or reward, you can rest assured if you become unable to work in your current occupation, we would not insist that you could perform the duties of a lower status occupation, such as a car park attendant for example, to avoid us paying your benefit.
As long as you are unable to work due to illness or incapacity, we will honour our obligations upon receipt of your claim.
Do my subscriptions increase with age?
We offer two types of premium products: a fixed premium product and an increasing premium product.
- With the fixed premium product, your premiums will remain the same for the entire duration of cover.
- With the increasing premium product, premiums rise at pre-set age intervals.
Please note: premiums are generally more expensive at the start for the fixed premium option.
Can I increase or change my cover?
Yes, our policy is fully flexible and we understand that people’s needs can change over time. Therefore, you can increase your cover until the age of 55. Additionally, any changes which do not increase your cover can be made at any time during the policy period.
Can I take a payment break?
All our members can take advantage of a Payment Holiday if they need to take a break from their work for reasons like childcare or a work sabbatical, or if they experience temporary cash-flow issues. This option is available for up to 36 months and, once your situation changes, you can easily reactivate your cover.
Additionally, members can also choose to temporarily reduce their level of cover if they face short-term financial difficulties. When things get back on track, you can increase your cover back to the original level.
Will my subscriptions change if I claim?
The number of claims you make will not change the cost of your subscription.
How much medical evidence is required at both application and claim stages?
Both the application and claim forms contain questions that you must answer. We may contact your doctors for additional information or ask you to have a medical examination, at our expense.
When will benefit not be paid?
We will not pay claims arising from:
- Drug or alcohol misuse
- Disorderly conduct
- Wilful self-inflicted injury
- Sterilisation other than on medical grounds
- Any surgery or treatment not deemed to be necessary on health grounds
- Involvement in war, invasion, riot or usurped power
- Flying other than as a fare paying passenger on a recognised air route
- AIDS arising from infection by any HIV virus or an AIDS related condition due to any HIV virus
- Hazardous pursuits