Compare best income protection insurance Background

Compare best income protection insurance

If you’re looking to take out income protection insurance, the table below shows some of the highest-rated policies on Canstar’s database, based on our annual Direct Income Protection Star Ratings and Awards.

Group Manager, Research & Ratings
Former Senior Finance Journalist
Fact checked

Instantly compare 8 Canstar expert rated policies based on the inputs below


Sort results Sort By
down-arrow
  • Star Rating - lowest first
  • Star Rating - highest first
  • Max. monthly benefit - lowest first
  • Max. monthly benefit - highest first
  • Online application - lowest first
  • Online application - highest first
  • Max. benefit period - lowest first
  • Max. benefit period - highest first
Budget Direct | Budget Direct Premium Life Direct
Budget Direct logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$30,000 Glossary
tickcross
5 years Glossary
RACWA | RAC My Protection Plan - Cover issued by NobleOak
RACWA logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$30,000 Glossary
tickcross
To age 65 Glossary
AAMI | Comprehensive Income Cover
AAMI logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$10,000 Glossary
tickcross
5 years Glossary
InsuranceLine | Income Protection
InsuranceLine logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$10,000 Glossary
tickcross
5 years Glossary
SUNCORP | Income Protect Plus
SUNCORP logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$10,000 Glossary
tickcross
5 years Glossary
Teachers Mutual Bank | Ezicover Income Protection
Teachers Mutual Bank logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
$12,000 Glossary
tickcross
5 years Glossary

Showing 10 of 11 results

check Included
cross Not included
circle Optional
na Not applicable
dash Data not captured
canstar-rating-icon Canstar rating

Unsure of a term in the above table? View glossary

The initial results in the table above are sorted by Star Rating (High-Low) , then Provider Name (Alphabetical) . Additional filters may have been applied, see top of table for details.

Best income protection insurance

How often have you thought about how you might cope, pay the bills, should you lose your income through illness or injury?

Income protection insurance is one thing that could help if you find you can’t work due to sickness or injury for an extended period of time.

You can use the table at the top of this page to compare income protection insurance policies to help you find the one that best fits your needs. The table features Canstar’s expert Star Rating for each product, as well as coverage details. See our methodology to find out more about how these ratings are worked out.

You can use the filters to adjust the table to show policies that match your personal situation, such as age bracket and type of occupation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Income Protection Insurance

Income protection insurance can pay you a monthly benefit, which the Australian Government’s website Moneysmart says is usually up to 90% of your pre-tax income for the first six months. After that, it usually pays up to 70% of your normal salary.

The payments will usually be based on your earnings over the 12 months prior to the illness or injury that leads you to lodge a claim.

In practice, the percentage payment of your normal earnings can vary between providers, as can definitions of what level of injury or illness is required for you to make a claim, so it pays to shop around to see which would offer the best cover to suit your needs.

When looking to take out any new income protection insurance you should check to see what waiting period may apply. You’ll likely need to serve this period before you can make a claim if you’re not able to work.

The waiting period can be varied depending on how much you’re prepared to pay for premiums.

Moneysmart says you might also want to check to see if you already have any income protection insurance through your super.

Canstar’s Direct Income Protection Award and Star Ratings can help you if you’re comparing your options when you shop around.

Finding the right income protection insurance policy for you should be more than just looking for the cheapest premiums. There are several features and benefits you may want to consider when seeking a policy that suits your needs and circumstances.

Canstar Research uses a unique, sophisticated ratings methodology to assess the direct income protection policies on our database, based on both the features included and cost of the policy.

Canstar’s Research Team assesses each eligible policy across 80 different consumer profiles, taking into account a range of age groups and occupational categories, as well as gender and smoking status.

In each profile, products are given a Star Rating based on a combination of price (monthly premiums) – on one high and one low sum insured amount – and other features such as the initial policy options, payment options, available cover, claims process, customer support and the policy termination process.

Latest in income protection insurance

Canstar Star Ratings and Awards

Looking for an award-winning product or to switch providers or brands? Canstar rates products based on price and features in our Star Ratings and Awards. Our expert Research team shares insights about which products offer 5-Star value and which providers offer outstanding value overall. We also reveal which providers have the most satisfied customers in our dedicated Customer Satisfaction Awards.

Canstar's Life Insurance Awards

About our finance experts

Michael Lund, Former Senior Finance Journalist

Michael Lund
Michael is an award-winning journalist with more than three decades of experience reporting on a range of subjects, including general news, lifestyle, local government, science and technology. As a senior finance journalist at Canstar, Michael has written more than 100 articles covering superannuation, savings, wealth, life insurance, home loans and more. His work has been referenced by a number of other finance publications, including Yahoo Finance and The Motley Fool. Michael started in the UK working for a number of local and evening newspapers, including as a local government reporter. He then moved to the BBC and worked in radio before taking up the position of bi-media local government correspondent for the West of England, based in Bristol. In 1998 Michael moved to Australia and worked for Queensland’s The Sunday Mail before joining the ABC in Brisbane. There, he worked as a reporter and producer in a number of areas in radio and television, including for ABC TV’s popular Australian Story. After a stint as a tutor and lecturer in journalism at Queensland University of Technology, Michael returned to News Corp as a feature writer for The Courier-Mail. An interest in online journalism saw Michael join The Conversation first as a science and technology editor and later as a commissioning editor, working across all areas of coverage including with The Conversation’s New Zealand team. Michael has been lucky enough to win a few awards for his work, including a Queensland Media Award and a highly commended in the Walkleys. In 2021 he was part of a team that was a finalist in the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Science Journalism. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and applied physics (Manchester Metropolitan University) and a Masters of Science in pure mathematics (Liverpool University). You can connect with Michael on LinkedIn. View Michael’s articles.

Joshua Sale, Group Manager, Research & Ratings

Joshua Sale

As Canstar’s Ratings Manager, Josh Sale is responsible for the methodology and delivery of Canstar’s Life Insurance Star Ratings and Awards. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, Josh has worked behind the scenes for the last five years to develop Star Ratings and Awards that help connect consumers with the right credit card for them.

Josh is passionate about helping consumers get hands-on with their finances. Josh has been interviewed by media outlets such as the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine.

You can follow Josh on LinkedIn, and Canstar on Twitter and Facebook.


Thanks for visiting Canstar, Australia’s biggest financial comparison site*

Important information

For those that love the detail

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.

Canstar may earn a fee from its Online Partners for referrals from its website tables, and from sponsorship or promotion of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and sponsorship or promotion may vary between providers, website position, and revenue model. Sponsorship/promotion fees may be higher than referral fees. If a product is sponsored or promoted, it’s an ad and it is clearly marked as such. An ad might appear in different places on our website, such as in comparison tables and articles. Ads may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product's rating, price or other attributes. The location of an ad doesn’t indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. Payment of fees for ads does not influence our Star Ratings. See How We Get Paid to find out more.

The Life Insurance Star Ratings were awarded in June 2023 and data in the table is current as at that date, updated from time to time to reflect product changes notified to us by product issuers. The results don’t include every provider in the market and we may not compare all features relevant to you. You can find a description of the initial sort order below the table. You can use the sort buttons at the top of each column to re-order the display. Learn more about our Life Insurance Star Rating Methodology. The rating shown is only one factor to take into account when considering products.

The products and Star Ratings in the table might not match your exact inputs in the selector. Sometimes the methodology uses profiles with categories or bands (e.g. income, loan amount or monthly spend), but sometimes a single methodology, without any categories or bands, is applied. The results will show the products that most closely match your selection, based on our profiles. If you are unsure about any terms used in the comparison table please refer to the glossary.

What is a Target Market Determination?

A Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) is a document that explains which people particular financial products may be suitable for (the target market) and sets out any conditions around how financial products can be distributed to consumers.

Why do product issuers provide Target Market Determinations?

From 5 October 2021, TMDs are compulsory for most financial products.

Issuers and distributors of financial products must take reasonable steps that are likely to result in financial products reaching consumers in the target market defined by the product issuer.

We recommend that you consider the TMD before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD.

Any advice on this page is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this general financial advice is right for your personal circumstances. You may need financial advice from a qualified adviser. Canstar is not providing a recommendation for your individual circumstances. If you decide to apply for an insurance policy, you will deal directly with the provider, not with Canstar.   It’s important you check product information directly with the provider. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the PDS and TMD. For more information, read our Detailed Disclosure.

If you are seeking to replace an insurance policy, you should consider your personal circumstances, including continuing the existing cover until the replacement policy is issued and cover confirmed. Your current policy may have different features to products currently on the market. Please consider what features are right for you when comparing insurance products and refer to the provider for further details on a policy.

Companies listed in the table, or in ads, may use or be used by another company to arrange, issue, distribute or sell its insurance policies to customers. For more information on the issuer of the policy, please read the Product Disclosure Statement.

By clicking on the number next to the phone icon, you will leave the Canstar website and be connected with the call centre of the Online Partner’s brand that you have selected. You will be subject to that referral partner's brand privacy policy and terms of use. You agree that Canstar Referral Terms apply to this referral.