A self-employed photographer had built an established business working on commercial campaigns. Trading as a sole trader, the client relied on being able to carry out shoots and complete creative projects to generate income. Their skills and time were central to the work clients commissioned.
Despite that reliance on their ability to work, the client had no existing income protection. A prolonged absence through illness or injury could reduce or stop earnings while personal bills and commitments connected with the business continued.
Equipment finance and studio costs were particular concerns. The client wanted financial support that could help them meet ongoing commitments during an absence and reduce the pressure created by losing earned income. The requirement was to protect part of that income if health prevented them from working.
Onozzi arranged an income protection policy for the client’s circumstances as a self-employed photographer. The policy was intended to replace a proportion of income if illness or injury prevented them from working, subject to its terms and a valid claim.
The arrangement also included access to rehabilitation support, virtual GP access and wellbeing services alongside the regular financial benefit.
The basis of the arrangement was the close connection between the client’s personal capacity to work and the income the business produced. For a sole trader carrying out commissioned work, being unable to undertake assignments can directly affect earnings.
The protection requirement therefore centred on income during an absence. The client’s concern extended to ongoing commitments as well as everyday living costs, particularly the finance attached to professional equipment and the costs associated with studio operations.
We structured the cover around a regular benefit that could contribute towards essential living costs and continuing financial commitments. This reflected the fact that an interruption to earnings would not remove the expenses associated with maintaining the client’s household or working life.
The rehabilitation, virtual GP and wellbeing services formed a supporting part of the arrangement, offering access to help with health and recovery while the income benefit remained central to the client’s need.
The client moved from having no income protection to having a policy arranged to support them if illness or injury prevented them from working. That created a source of financial support following a valid claim, subject to the agreed policy terms.
The practical benefit was a means of contributing towards ongoing bills during a period when the client could not generate their usual earnings. It could also reduce the financial pressure associated with an absence from commissioned work.
For a business built around one person’s ability to deliver, the arrangement addressed a direct vulnerability. The client had protection intended to help maintain financial stability during illness or injury, alongside access to services that could support their recovery.
