Friends Provident is to include housepersons benefit and career break cover in its individual and executive income protection plans.
Housepersons benefit will apply to unemployed customers and those who work up to 16 hours a week on a part-time basis, and will pay out on incapacity subject to a maximum of £200 per week.
Jim Murdoch, communications manager at Friends Provident, said: "Following research with our salesforce and IFAs, these changes reflect the different employment patterns that operate today.
"There are many women who, after having children, only return to work on a part-time basis, but they still need cover.
Career break cover has been introduced for similar reasons, allowing customers to transfer to housepersons cover when taking a career break, for example when having children. Assuming the career break does not last for more than five years, customers can revert to their previous scheme on returning to work without further underwriting.
The maximum insurable benefits have been increased from a maximum of £1,500 per week to £2,400 on individual plans in an attempt to reflect changes in earnings.
Benefits on executive plans have been increased from £1,730 to £2,400, while cover for national insurance and pension contributions have increased to £350 and £550 per week respectively. Benefits in kind cover has also been added subject to a value of £20,000 per year.
Rehabilitation benefits used to top-up salary where customers return to work on a part-time basis have also been adjusted to last for 104 weeks instead of 52.
