Income protection: a salary when you cannot work

Income protection pays you a monthly amount if illness or injury stops you working. Insurers typically pay up to three quarters of your income, so a salary of R20 000 supports a benefit of about R15 000 a month. You choose how long to wait before it starts (7 days, one month or three months) and how long it pays (12 months, 24 months, or to age 65). Updated September 2026.

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Who it suits

Income protection suits anyone whose household depends on their pay, especially the self-employed and people whose employer offers no sick-pay beyond a few weeks. It is priced mainly on your occupation, so an electrician and an accountant earning the same salary pay different premiums. Most insurers on our panel cover people from 18 to 60 with a monthly income of at least R10 000 to R15 000, and the self-employed need to show income proof.

What the insurer will ask, and why

These are the questions on our form for income protection, with what the insurer does with each answer. Nothing here is optional guesswork: every question exists because a licensed insurer needs it to quote.

How are you employed?: Self-employed need proof of income; product availability differs.
Occupation: Occupation class is the primary rating factor for income products.
Monthly income before tax: Buyers set a minimum income (commonly R10 000 to R15 000).
Do you smoke?
Gender (as on your ID)
How much of your income to replace?
How long could you manage without income before the benefit starts?: Waiting period is a major premium lever.
How long should the benefit pay?
Do you have income protection or disability cover today?
In the last 5 years have you been treated for a serious condition? (optional)
Your date of birth: Age is the primary rating factor across every product.
Which province do you live in?: Regional risk and pricing tables.
Town or suburb (optional): Postal-code rating for short-term products; language and dialect hints for call centres.
What best describes your work situation?: Affordability and, for income products, insurability.
Do you have a bank account you can pay from by debit order?: Collection method.

Questions people ask

How does the waiting period affect the price?

A longer wait means a lower premium, because you carry the first weeks yourself. Choose the shortest period you could not manage without.

Is this the same as disability cover?

No. Disability cover usually pays a single lump sum for a permanent disability. Income protection pays monthly for temporary or long-term inability to work.

What if my employer already covers me?

Group cover often ends when you leave and may pay less than you need. Tell us on the form and the insurer will work around it.

Olvian is a marketing and lead-referral service. We are not a licensed financial services provider, we do not give advice, and we do not sell insurance.