Key Person Insurance

When a key person in a business dies it can have a devastating financial effect. You can help safeguard your business against the death, terminal or critical illness of a key person with key person protection.

What is Key Person Protection?

Put simply, Key Person Protection (also known as key man insurance or key person insurance) is a business insuring itself against the financial loss it would suffer if a key person in their business died or were diagnosed with a specified critical illness if chosen, during the length of the policy. It also pays out if the key person is terminally ill.

How does Key Person Protection Work?

Key Person Protection is a life assurance or life assurance and critical illness cover policy taken out to cover the life of a key person within your business. The policy is owned and paid for by the employer, so any pay out is payable to the employer. 

Why do I need Key Person Protection?

The loss of a key person in your business could have a severe impact. The business could suffer badly, with sales and profits falling and increased workloads for the remaining staff.

Key Person Protection is designed to pay out a lump sum on the death of the insured key person, during the length of the policy. It is paid as a lump sum and could significantly help the business to recover. The proceeds can be used to help replace lost profit or finding and hiring a replacement. 

What is the tax situation?

If a term plan has been affected, then HMRC may allow the company to obtain tax relief on the contributions if:

• There is an employer/employee relationship between the life assured and plan owner.
• The plan is to meet loss of profits only.
• The plan’s term is no more than 5 years.
• The proceeds of any plan that has obtained tax relief on the contributions will be taxable as a trading receipt.

We advise businesses taking out any form of key person insurance to speak to their local Inspector of Taxes to clarify their individual tax situation.

Get in touch to find out how we can help the key people in your business.