Client and Example Scenarios: Complex Protection Cases
We help UK clients with complex protection needs every week. These scenarios reflect the kinds of cases we work on, from life insurance with anxiety and previous declines, to high BMI, diabetes, cancer history, hazardous occupations, and income protection for self-employed people.
Most scenarios on this page are based on real situations we help clients with. All personal details, names, employers, specific locations, and identifying information have been changed or removed. Any illustration that is not a real client is clearly labelled as an example scenario. Client confidentiality is something we take seriously in everything we do.
Details changed for confidentiality
Declined Twice Online, Accepted at Standard Rates
History of anxiety and antidepressants triggered automatic online declines.
Outcome: We approached specialist insurers with full context. The client secured £300,000 of life cover at standard rates with no exclusions. They had assumed they were permanently uninsurable.
Read the case study →Details changed for confidentiality
No Sick Pay, No Safety Net, Until Now
A sole trader with variable income assumed income protection wasn't available or affordable.
Outcome: We established an insurable income from two years of accounts and arranged own occupation income protection with a three-month deferred period at a premium that worked within their budget.
Read the case study →Example scenario, not a real client
What Would Happen to the Business If a Key Person Couldn't Work?
A two-director limited company had no protection in place for either director. A serious illness would have left the business unable to operate.
Outcome: Key person cover, owned and paid for by the business, would pay it a lump sum if either director died or was diagnosed with a covered serious illness. Separately, relevant life cover paid for by the company could protect each director's own family.
Read the case study →Details changed for confidentiality
High-Risk Job, Still Got Full Cover
A client working in a hazardous occupation had been told by a comparison site that cover wasn't available at standard rates.
Outcome: We identified insurers who specialise in non-standard occupations and secured life cover with an agreed occupational loading that was significantly lower than the client had expected. Income protection was also arranged on an own occupation basis.
Read the case study →Details changed for confidentiality
Told Premiums Would Be Unaffordable, They Weren't
A client with a high BMI had received quotes through a comparison site that felt prohibitively expensive.
Outcome: By approaching the market differently and identifying insurers with a more favourable view of the client's overall health profile, we secured life cover at a premium meaningfully lower than the comparison site quotes. The client also had no other health complications, which we were able to present clearly.
Read the case study →Details changed for confidentiality
Type 2 Diabetes, Cover Secured with Clear Terms
A client with Type 2 diabetes was unsure whether life insurance was available and worried about being declined if they applied.
Outcome: We reviewed their full health profile, including HbA1c levels, medication, and how well-managed the condition was, and approached insurers known to take a considered view of diabetes cases. Cover was secured with a modest premium loading that the client felt was fair and manageable.
Read the case study →Details changed for confidentiality
In Remission, and Now Fully Covered
A client who had completed cancer treatment several years earlier assumed life insurance was no longer accessible to them.
Outcome: We identified specialist insurers who assess post-cancer applications in detail. Using a pre-application enquiry to protect the client's record, we secured a life insurance policy at a premium that reflected the time elapsed since treatment and the positive prognosis. The client now has full cover in place for their mortgage and family.
Read the case study →Details changed for confidentiality
Extreme Sports as a Hobby, Cover Still Arranged
A client who participated in a hazardous sport as a regular hobby had been quoted extremely high premiums or faced exclusions related to the activity.
Outcome: We explored the full market, including specialist insurers who assess hazardous hobbies more granularly. By providing detailed information about the nature and frequency of the activity, we secured cover that included the hobby, at a loading the client considered reasonable given their passion for the sport.
Read the case study →Details changed for confidentiality
ADHD Diagnosis, Standard Rates Achieved
A client with an ADHD diagnosis was concerned that it would significantly affect their ability to get life insurance or result in a mental health exclusion.
Outcome: We approached insurers who assess ADHD on a case-by-case basis, presenting the client's stable profile and the fact that the condition was well-managed. Cover was offered at standard rates with no mental health exclusion applied.
Read the case study →Questions About Complex Protection Cases
Are these real cases?+
Most scenarios on this page are based on real situations we have helped clients navigate, with all personal details changed to protect confidentiality. Any illustration that is not a real client is clearly labelled as an example scenario.
What if my situation is even more complex than these?+
These scenarios represent a selection of the cases we work with. We regularly help clients with combinations of conditions, multiple previous declines, highly unusual occupations, and circumstances that don't fit neatly into any standard category. If you're not sure whether your situation is something we can help with, the best thing to do is have a conversation, there's no obligation and we'll always give you an honest view of what's possible.
How do you approach insurers for complex cases?+
For complex cases, we typically use a pre-application enquiry process, approaching insurers informally before any formal application is submitted. This protects your record, avoids formal declines, and allows us to establish realistic expectations before proceeding. We only submit formal applications when we have a high degree of confidence in the likely outcome.
Does a complex medical history mean I'll always pay more?+
Not necessarily. Many clients with complex histories secure cover at standard rates once their full picture is properly presented. Even where a premium loading applies, it is often significantly lower than clients expect, and much lower than what comparison sites quote, because those systems aren't designed to assess nuance.
Let's See What Cover You Actually Need.
A 15-minute call, no pressure and no obligation. If you were introduced by a mortgage broker, we will keep them in the loop.