Accident, sickness and unemployment (ASU)

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ASU is similar to income protection but only provides benefit for a limited period – normally 12 months. As the name suggests, as well as covering for accident and sickness, it also provides cover for unemployment if the policyholder is made redundant.

A common form of this type of insurance is Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance (MPPI) which usually covers mortgage payments for a maximum of 12 or 24 months in the case of accident, sickness or redundancy. There is usually a waiting period before payments are made of either 30 or 60 days.

Can you take out an ASU policy if you have HIV?

Again, no. If someone has tested positive for HIV, they won’t be able to get an ASU policy.

ASU policies taken out before an HIV-positive diagnosis

If an ASU policy was taken out before the policyholder contracted HIV, they will be covered but only if they caught the virus through certain types of employment, through blood transfusion or through physical assault. If someone has an existing policy it’s important to check the conditions and exclusions to find out whether HIV is covered.

This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.