General practice involves high personal income responsibility, significant professional commitments, and often limited safety nets. The right financial protection depends on your role, your circumstances, and your existing arrangements.
If illness or injury stops you working, your income may stop too — especially for locums without employer sick pay.
Locums, salaried GPs, and partners may all have different sick pay, contractual benefits, and financial obligations.
Most GPs have significant financial responsibilities that continue regardless of whether they can work.
Partners may still face business overheads, locum replacement costs, and partnership obligations during periods of absence.
Protecting your personal income is separate from protecting the practice. Both should be reviewed together.
Policies arranged early in your career may no longer match your current income, role, or family situation.
It's a question most GPs prefer not to think about — but understanding the answer is the starting point for good protection planning.
These questions don't have one-size-fits-all answers. The right protection depends on your role, your income structure, your family, your existing benefits, and what matters most to you.
Book a no-obligation protection review with a Wealth Genius adviser and find out what cover you have, where the gaps may be, and what options are available.
Book a review →Our GP protection guide covers income protection, locum cover, sick pay, and practice protection in detail.
Get the GP protection guide →Protection planning for GPs isn't one product — it's a combination of personal and practice-level arrangements that should work together. Here's a plain-English guide to the main areas.
If you're unable to work due to illness or injury, income protection can replace part of your income — typically until you recover, retire, or reach the end of the policy term.
Some GPs may have contractual or employer sick pay — but the amount, duration, and conditions can vary significantly depending on your employment status.
Locum cover is a practice-level arrangement that can help fund a replacement GP if a partner or key clinician is absent due to illness or injury.
GP partners may still face ongoing business costs — rent, staff, utilities, insurance — even if they're unable to work. Protection can sometimes help cover these overheads.
Life cover helps protect your family, mortgage, and financial dependants if you die. It may also be relevant for GP practices where business continuity is needed.
Pays a tax-free lump sum if you're diagnosed with a specified serious illness covered by the policy — such as certain cancers, heart attacks, or strokes.
GP partners may need to consider what happens to the practice if a partner dies or becomes seriously ill. The practice may need funding to manage ownership changes, buy out a partner's share, or ensure business continuity.
Partnership agreements should ideally align with financial protection arrangements. Legal advice and financial advice may both be required to ensure the right structures are in place. This is an area where early planning can prevent significant difficulties later.
Different GP roles create different financial exposures. This table is a general starting point —
the right protection always depends on individual circumstances.
| GP ROLE | MAIN RISK | SICK PAY / INCOME ISSUE | PROTECTION AREAS TO REVIEW | WHY ADVICE MATTERS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP Locum | No work, no income | Typically limited or no employer sick pay | Income protection, life cover, critical illness | High personal exposure; cover must match variable income |
| Salaried GP | Income drop after sick pay ends | May have employer sick pay, but limited duration | Income protection (gap cover), life cover, critical illness | Existing benefits may not be enough; should be reviewed |
| GP Partner | Personal income loss and practice obligations | Drawings may reduce; practice costs continue | Income protection, locum cover, practice expenses, partnership protection | Dual exposure — personal and business needs must align |
| GP Practice | Clinical capacity, financial disruption | May need to fund locum cover or redistribute work | Locum cover, keyman cover, partnership/shareholder protection | Partnership agreements and cover should be reviewed together |
These are the issues we see most often. None are unusual — but all are worth reviewing.
Assuming NHS or employer sick pay will be enough to cover all expenses long-term
Not reviewing cover after becoming a partner, going locum, or starting a family
Confusing income protection with critical illness cover — they serve different purposes
Having cover based on old income levels that no longer reflect current earnings
Forgetting about practice expenses or locum replacement costs as a partner
Not checking deferred periods or policy definitions — especially 'own occupation'
Letting policies become outdated without regular review
Only thinking about protection after a health issue has already arisen
We aim to be a long-term financial partner — not a one-off transaction. Our process is
designed to be thorough, clear, and tailored to your circumstances.
We start by understanding your GP role, income structure, and career stage.
We look at your existing cover, benefits, and any employer or NHS entitlements.
We map out your personal, family, and practice-level risks clearly.
We explain what's available in plain English — no jargon, no pressure.
We only recommend cover where it's suitable and affordable for you.
As your career and life change, we review and adjust your planning.
Protection planning is just one part of a broader financial picture. Wealth Genius supports GPs through career changes, partnership, family life, pensions, mortgages, investments, and retirement planning — helping you build a financial plan that evolves as your life does.
We understand the realities of general practice. We know that your career rarely follows a straight line, that your income structure may change, and that your responsibilities — both clinical and financial — are significant. That's why we focus on building lasting relationships with the GPs we work with.
Specialist support for GP locum insurance and practice-level cover, helping practices think about continuity if a GP or key team member is unable to work.
Specialist Chartered Surveyors for GP premises, including notional rent reviews, lease renewals, valuations and premises advice.
Yes — GP locums are particularly exposed because there is typically no employer sick pay and no guaranteed income if they are unable to work. Income protection can replace a proportion of lost earnings during illness or injury. The right policy will depend on how you work and how your income is structured.
It depends on your employment status. Salaried GPs may have contractual sick pay, but it is usually time-limited. GP partners typically draw income from their practice, which may reduce or stop during absence. Locums generally have no employer sick pay at all. NHS sick pay alone is rarely sufficient to cover all personal and practice expenses long-term.
Income protection pays a regular income if you are unable to work due to illness or injury — typically until you recover, retire, or the policy term ends. Critical illness cover pays a one-off lump sum if you are diagnosed with a specified condition such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke. They serve different purposes and many GPs benefit from having both.
Locum cover is a practice-level arrangement that helps fund the cost of hiring a replacement GP when a partner or key clinician is absent due to illness or injury. It is separate from personal income protection and is designed to protect the practice rather than the individual's personal income.
Practice expense cover helps GP partners meet ongoing business costs — such as rent, staff salaries, utilities, and insurance — even when they are unable to work. These costs continue regardless of whether a partner is present, and without cover, partners may need to fund them from personal savings.
Yes. GP partners have dual exposure — both personal income and practice obligations. If a partner is unable to work, their drawings may reduce while practice costs continue. They may also need locum cover, practice expense cover, and partnership protection. Salaried GPs typically need personal income protection but generally have fewer practice-level risks.
You should review your protection whenever your circumstances change — for example, when you change role (from salaried to locum or partner), when your income changes, when you start a family, take on a mortgage, or enter into a partnership agreement. A regular annual review is also advisable to ensure cover remains appropriate.
Possibly, yes. Many insurers will still offer cover with pre-existing conditions, though some conditions may be excluded or attract an additional premium. The terms available depend on the specific condition, its history, and the type of cover being arranged. A specialist adviser can approach relevant insurers and present your circumstances in the most favourable way.
The right level of cover depends on your income, outgoings, existing benefits, family responsibilities, and the type of protection you are arranging. A Wealth Genius adviser will help you work through what you actually need — rather than defaulting to a standard amount — so that your cover is both meaningful and affordable.
The content on this page is for general information purposes only and does not constitute personal financial advice. Your individual circumstances, health, income structure, and existing arrangements will all affect what protection is suitable for you. We strongly recommend speaking with a qualified financial adviser before arranging any cover.
This page is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information provided is intended to help GPs understand the types of financial protection that may be relevant to them, but should not be relied upon as a basis for making financial decisions.
The right protection depends on individual circumstances, including employment status, income, existing benefits, health, family situation, and affordability. Protection policies are subject to underwriting, eligibility, terms, conditions, exclusions, and premiums. Cover is not guaranteed and may be declined or offered with amended terms.
Tax treatment and NHS pension rules may change and depend on individual circumstances. GPs should seek personalised regulated financial advice before making any decisions about their financial protection.
Wealth Genius Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Quilter Financial Services Limited, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (https://register.fca.org.uk/s/). Registered in England and Wales. Company number 13240485 and registered address: Elfed House Oak Tree Court, Mulberry Drive, Cardiff Gate Business Park, Cardiff, CF23 8RS.
The guidance and/or information contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and is therefore targeted at customers based in the UK.
