Group life assurance is offered by 36% of employers a survey by Group Risk Development (GRiD) has found.
Of those employers surveyed, 31% offered group income protection in their staff benefits package and 29% offered group critical illness cover.
Meanwhile 12% of employers are more likely to increase their spending on employee benefits as the recession ends.
A third of employers also said they were likely to use the new Fit for Work Service to help staff with health conditions stay at or return to work.
The Group Risk Employer Research study surveyed 500 businesses and 1000 employees across the UK for GRiD.
If employees were off sick for six months or more, 23% said they would not be able to provide for their families, the research found.
Of those surveyed 14% would go to their employer for help, while 22% would sell possessions to help them keep going and 18% would borrow money from family.
Savings would provide for 23% of employees while 13% would have to cut back on their heating and gas.
Just 31% of employees would only be able to spend on food and fuel.
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for Group Risk Development (GRiD), said: "It is clear from these results that employers want the best for their staff. Employees who have coverage from income protection, which is usually part of a wider supportive benefits package provided by their workplace, will be in a far more robust position in the long-term."
Moxham said: "The priority for both employers and employees when facing long-term sick leave is to get the staff member back to work sooner rather than later, not least to avoid the development of a secondary illness such as anxiety or depression whilst away from the office. "
