Scottish Widows Income Protection Review [2025]

Q: Do Scottish Widows sell income protection?

Yes, Scottish Widows sell income protection . Income protection is a policy type that can pay out a percentage of your income should you fall ill/injured and become unable to work. You’ll receive monthly payments that can help towards your rent/ mortgage , bills and daily living costs. It’s a relatively new offering, having been launched in 2024. Through their income protection product Scottish Widows aim to provide simple, flexible and affordable cover, but is it the right option for you? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about Scottish Widows income protection.

Q: What other policies do Scottish Widows offer?

Scottish Widows also offer: Life insurance – life insurance pays out a lump sum if you pass away during the policy term. Your loved ones can use the money to cover the mortgage, living costs and to help pay for your funeral. Critical illness cover – critical illness cover can be added to your life insurance policy for an additional cost or, through Scottish Widows, you can take out a standalone critical illness cover policy.

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Scottish Widows income protection review

Do Scottish Widows sell income protection?
Who are Scottish Widows?
What do Scottish Widows income protection reviews say?
What Scottish Widows income protection options are there?
How much cover can I take out through Scottish Widows?
How much is Scottish Widows income protection?
What is the Scottish Widows income protection phone number?
Do Scottish Widows pay out?
Does a Scottish Widows income protection plan come with additional benefits?
What other policies to Scottish Widows offer?

Scottish Widows income protection [key features]

You must be a UK resident aged 18 – 59 to apply for Scottish Widows income protection
You must be working an average of 16 hours per week to take out a policy
Scottish Widows offer level and increasing term policies
The minimum policy term is 5 years and the maximum term will depend on your occupation
Policies come with an own occupation definition of incapacity (this means you can make a claim if you’re unable to do your own job)
Scottish Widows income protection is rated 5 stars on independent review site, Defaqto

Do Scottish Widows sell income protection?

Yes, Scottish Widows sell income protection.

Income protection is a policy type that can pay out a percentage of your income should you fall ill/injured and become unable to work. You’ll receive monthly payments that can help towards your rent/mortgage, bills and daily living costs.

It’s a relatively new offering, having been launched in 2024. Through their income protection product Scottish Widows aim to provide simple, flexible and affordable cover, but is it the right option for you?

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about Scottish Widows income protection.

Reassured can help you compare Scottish Widows income protection through our advised service.

Our advised team can help you compare income protection quotes from the whole of the market to find the best available deal.

Quotes are fee-free and start from 20p a day.

Compare Scottish Widows Income Protection Quotes »

Who are Scottish Widows?

Scottish Widows are a household name, you’ll likely know them for their iconic TV adverts.

The company started life in 1815 as Scotland’s first life assurance society. Their aim was to provide financial support for widows and their families after the Napoleonic wars.

Today, they’re still providing financial protection for individuals and families through a range of insurance products (including life insurance and income protection).

In 2009, Scottish Widows became part of the Lloyds banking group. This means if you buy an income protection or life insurance policy through Lloyds Bank, your cover will be provided by Scottish Widows.

What do Scottish Widows income protection reviews say?

Scottish Widows income protection is rated well, having received a 5-star Defaqto rating.

Defaqto are an independent review site with a team of experts that rate and review financial services based on quality and the features a policy provides. 5 stars is the highest rating on Defaqto.

Customers also rate Scottish Widows well on Trustpilot, with a 4.5 (Excellent) rating. This rating is based on all the services Scottish Widows provide, not just their income protection.

Review site	Rating
	4.5 stars ‘Excellent’
	5 stars

What Scottish Widows income protection policy options are there?

The following income protection options are available through Scottish Widows:

Income protection cover – 2 years

With this option your claims period can be a maximum of 24 months.

You’ll be covered for a set term or up to a certain age and you can make multiple claims throughout the policy lifetime, each lasting for a maximum of 24 months.

Income protection cover – full term

With this option your claim could last for the remainder of the policy term if your illness/injury is long-term.

Your policy will last for a set term or up to a certain age, your claims period can last for as long as it takes you to recover up until the policy term comes to an end.

You then have the option of:

Level cover

With this option your cover amount will remain the same throughout the policy term and your premiums will remain the same.

Increasing cover

With this option, your cover amount will increase usually in line with RPI (Retail Price Index) up to a minimum increase of 2% and a maximum increase of 10% each year. This helps to protect your cover amount from inflation.

Your premiums will also increase by 1.5 times the percentage your cover amount increases by. For example, if your cover amount increases by 2%, your premiums would increase by 3%.

If you want to benefit from increasing cover you’ll need to choose this option at the point of application, it can’t be added to your policy later on.

How much cover can I take out through Scottish Widows?

If you choose level cover, the maximum monthly pay out amount is £20,000. Whereas, with increasing cover, the maximum monthly pay out amount is £12,000.

The exact amount you can take out will depend on your earnings (both your normal monthly income plus any other income you receive).

You’ll be covered for up to 60% of your annual earned income up to £70,000 and 45% of any income above £70,000.

How much income protection insurance do you need?

Enter the fields which apply to you to calculate the level of income protection cover you might require to help cover key costs.

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How much is Scottish Widows income protection?

The price you pay for Scottish Widows income protection will depend on your personal circumstances.

During the application process they’ll take the following information into account:

Age
Occupation
Smoking status
Medical history
Lifestyle

If anything is flagged as being ‘high-risk’ on your application (for example a pre-existing medical condition, smoking or a job that involves a level of risk) you’ll likely be charged more for a policy or could be refused cover.

Your policy factors can also impact how much you pay for cover, this includes:

Type of cover (level or increasing)
Policy term (how long your cover lasts for)
Payment period (long term or short term)
Cover amount (the amount that’s paid out to you)
Deferred period (the time you must wait in between making a claim and the policy paying out)

Below are some example quotes for Scottish Widows income protection. Quotes are based on a non-smoker, in good health, with a low-risk job and an annual income of £30,000 for a level term policy that lasts until age 65, with a 3-month deferred period.

Age	Price per month (short term)	Price per month (long term)
25	£8.57	£19.00
30	£9.60	£22.07
35	£11.43	£27.16
40	£13.86	£32.85
45	£17.21	£39.66
50	£24.60	£49.00

As you can see from the table, the price difference between a short term and long-term policy can be quite significant and prices can also rise as you get older.

This is why it’s important to compare your options to ensure you’re getting a policy that meets your needs and fits within your budget.

At Reassured, our advised team can help you compare quotes from the whole of the market including leading UK insurers and smaller specialists.

Get your free quotes today.

Compare Whole of Market Quotes » Find the Best Deal

What is the Scottish Widows income protection phone number?

The contact number you need will depend on what type of policy you have and when you bought your policy.

You can find a full breakdown of what number to call, depending on your policy, on the Scottish Widows website.

Alternatively, you can write to Scottish Widows at:

Scottish Widows
PO Box 24171
69 Morrison Street
Edinburgh
EH3 1HL

If contacting Scottish Widows via post, you’ll need to include your name, policy number, preferred contact details and address in your letter.

There are also various other ways you can contact Scottish Widows, or manage your policy, such as via their app or using their virtual assistant.

Do Scottish Widows pay out?

Yes, for six years in a row, Scottish Widows have paid out 98% of all protection claims^[1].

As their income protection offering was only brought to the market last year, there aren’t any claims statistics specifically for income protection yet.

However, their overall statistics give an indication that they have a good track record of paying out.

Does a Scottish Widows income protection plan come with additional benefits?

Yes, Scottish Widows income protection policies come with the following additional benefits:

12 months of Disney+ - When you purchase a policy directly through Scottish Widows, you’ll receive 12 months of Disney+ (a standard account with ads) free of charge. Your subscription will start after you’ve made your first premium payment.
Clinic in a pocket - Receive 24/7 worldwide medical support with unlimited GP consultations and free repeat prescriptions. This service is provided by Square Health.
RedArc – Get advice and support from a specialised nurse if you’re struggling due to poor health or trauma.
Hospital cover – Scottish Widows will pay out a lump sum if you spend six or more consecutive nights in hospital (up to a maximum of 90 nights).
Fracture cover – Scottish Widows will pay out a lump sum for bone fractures that are covered by your policy.

What other policies do Scottish Widows offer?

Scottish Widows also offer:

Life insurance – life insurance pays out a lump sum if you pass away during the policy term. Your loved ones can use the money to cover the mortgage, living costs and to help pay for your funeral.
Critical illness cover – critical illness cover can be added to your life insurance policy for an additional cost or, through Scottish Widows, you can take out a standalone critical illness cover policy.

Scottish Widows life insurance and life insurance with critical illness cover are available through Reassured. We can help you compare their options with other leading UK insurers to help you find a great deal.

Why not read our complete Scottish Widows life insurance review for more information on this product.