What can stop a designer working
Design looks safe on paper, and the risk of a workplace accident is low. The problems that do stop designers tend to build slowly: wrist and elbow pain from hours on a mouse and stylus, neck and back trouble, migraines and eye strain. Stress and burnout matter too, with tight deadlines and clients who want changes overnight.
Any of these can leave you unable to work at a screen for weeks or months, which for a designer means no income at all.
Designers also tend to sit for long stretches, eat at the desk and skip breaks when a deadline looms. Insurers ask everyone about weight, smoking and alcohol, so those habits feed into price as much as your job title does.
Employed, freelance or running a studio
If you work in-house, look at your contract. Some agencies pay full salary for a few months, others only statutory sick pay. Income protection can start when that support runs out.
Employed designers who leave for freelance work lose any group cover on their last day. Setting up a personal policy before you hand in your notice means you are never without protection, and you apply while your income is easy to prove.
Freelancers are paid per project, and a cancelled project rarely comes back. Insurers use your taxable profit, averaged over recent tax returns. If you trade through your own limited company, salary and dividends count, and the company can sometimes pay for executive income protection.
- Employed: check sick pay length before choosing a waiting period
- Freelance: keep your last few years of tax calculations ready
- Company director: ask us about cover paid for by your business
Occupation class works in your favour
Insurers rank jobs by how often people in them claim and for how long. Office and studio work generally sits in a lower class, which means a lower price and easier access to own occupation cover. That definition pays if you cannot work as a graphic designer, even if you could do some other job.
Tell the insurer if you also do anything physical, such as installing signage or fitting exhibition stands. It could move you into a different class.
Motion designers, UX designers and art directors are often grouped with graphic designers. If your title is unusual, describe what you do day to day, and we will make sure the insurer understands it.
Waiting periods and life insurance for designers
Freelancers who keep a few months of savings can choose a longer deferred period and pay less. Those on generous sick pay can match the wait to when their pay drops.
Life cover pays a lump sum if you die during the policy. Designers buying a first home often pair a mortgage-length policy with income protection. In-house staff may have death in service already, but it usually ends if you leave that employer.
How Hi Tomorrow helps
We compare insurers on price and on the detail that matters to you, including how they treat mental health claims and what they need from freelancers at claim time. We help you answer medical questions accurately, including any history of RSI or stress, so your cover stands up when you need it.