Whether it’s your first home, your dream house or something in between, buying a property is a big decision. It can take months, sometimes a year, before you get the keys. Hours scrolling Rightmove and Zoopla, viewings, surveys, negotiating the price, getting the mortgage approved... you know the drill.
But amongst the excitement, the paperwork and the endless to-do lists, where does protecting your new home fit in?
The honest answer is as soon as possible. Ideally, once you’re thinking about buying or moving, rather than a few months after the keys are in your hand.
One reason is time. If you have a medical history, getting cover agreed can take longer than you’d expect, as the insurer may need more information. So the sooner we start talking, the sooner we can get things moving for your move.
None of us can guarantee our health. Imagine a serious illness left you unable to work for months. You’d naturally be thinking about your health first. But the next thoughts are usually about money. How would we pay the mortgage? What if the payments go up at the next review? What if I’m off work for longer than planned? What happens to the family if I don’t recover?
And it doesn’t stop with you. Could your partner cover the full mortgage on their own, as well as all the other bills? Who looks after the children while you’re unwell, and if that means your partner cutting their hours, what happens to the household income?
It doesn’t take long to see how quickly one person’s illness can change life for a whole family.
Ideally, you’d want to cover every possibility, so that if something happened, the financial impact would be far smaller. For a couple with a joint mortgage, we’d usually look at three things together:
Life insurance for both of you, so that if one of you died, the mortgage could be paid off
Critical illness cover for both of you, so that if one of you were diagnosed with a serious illness covered by the policy, a lump sum could help support you
Income protection, so that if you were signed off sick, a regular income could help with the mortgage and everyday bills
Each does a different job, and they work best together.
Take our earlier example. A serious diagnosis would mean time off work and a long recovery. With the right protection in place, income protection could provide a monthly income while you’re signed off, and a critical illness payout, if the condition is covered, could give you a lump sum. That might be used for things like private treatment, so you aren’t waiting on an NHS list. And if the worst did happen, life cover could help make sure the mortgage doesn’t fall on your family.
It wouldn’t remove every worry, but it could take a lot of the financial pressure off at a time when you need to focus on getting better.
You’ve put months into finding the right home. It’s worth a little time to make sure you can keep it if life doesn’t go to plan. The earlier we talk, the more options you’re likely to have.
If you’re self-employed, work with your hands, or just aren’t sure what cover you’ve really got in place - don’t go it alone.
Stand with a team that’s built to protect, support, and shield you from the storm - whatever life throws your way.
Because life doesn’t always go to plan, but your protection absolutely should.
Graham came to us for a second opinion on his protection. We uncovered a 17-year-old policy with unbeatable cover - one worth holding onto. Two years later, after a stroke, that legacy policy paid out £75,000 when he needed it most. The right advice. At the right time. For all the right reasons.
Twelve outdated policies. No Trusts. Then - stroke, fracture, and later, bereavement. Because Waddle restructured everything, payouts were fast, probate was bypassed, and the cover actually worked when it mattered most.
A teenage health scare, emergency surgery, and weeks in intensive care. With Waddle guiding the claim, £25,000 was paid quickly, extra support was accessed, and the family could focus on recovery - not bills.
We’ve got you.
Whether it’s a bump in the road or a full-blown storm, you’re not on your own. Making a claim with Waddle is simple, human, and hassle-free - because the last thing you need right now is paperwork stress or policy puzzles.
We just show up, sort it, and stand by you - like we said we would.
Already have protection in place? We believe your cover should grow with you. Our friendly Policy Check reviews what you have, highlights strengths and gaps, and gives honest, expert advice to keep your cover working its best for you.
