Accident, Sickness and Unemployment cover - past, present and future

Significant shifts in usage and design

clock • 6 min read

Ian Sawyer, commercial director at Assured Futures, takes a closer look at the changing face of Accident, Sickness and Unemployment (ASU) cover and asks what role it could play in the future protection landscape.

The first fire, accident and life insurance companies were set up in the UK in the 1700s. In an industry with a 300-year heritage, it is tempting to assume little changes. However, while the concept of insurance goes back centuries, how and why customers want and need it has evolved hugely as has the shape of those products and how they are viewed. Even products with much shorter histories like Accident, Sickness and Unemployment (ASU) cover have seen significant shifts in their usage and design, even across just this century. ASU is a form of income protection that pays a tax-free propo...

To continue reading this article...

Join COVER for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, key trend analysis and industry insights.
  • Stay on top of the latest developments around health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion and the cost of living crisis.
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletter.
  • Members only access to monthly programme 'The COVER Review'
  • Be the first to hear about our CPD accredited events and awards programmes.

Join now

 

Already a Cover member?

Login

More on Individual Protection

Unpaid carers spend four working days per week supporting elderly relatives

Unpaid carers spend four working days per week supporting elderly relatives

10 hours per week spent on bureaucratic tasks

Jaskeet Briah
clock 08 April 2026 • 2 min read
Probate cases taking nearly two years rise by 131%

Probate cases taking nearly two years rise by 131%

Increased risk of interest accruing on IHT

Jaskeet Briah
clock 07 April 2026 • 2 min read
CII releases vulnerable client management report

CII releases vulnerable client management report

Supporting firms expand potential client base

Isabel Baxter
clock 07 April 2026 • 2 min read