Protection is an essential part of financial planning, yet it is often the area people leave until last. When you buy a property, you take on a long-term financial responsibility, and protection is what ensures that responsibility can still be met if life doesn’t go to plan. It creates a financial buffer that supports you and your family through illness, injury, loss of income or death, reducing the pressure at a time when stability matters most. The purpose of protection is simple: to ensure that you, your home and the people who rely on you remain secure, regardless of what happens.

Life insurance provides financial support for your family if you die during the policy term. The payout can cover the mortgage, living costs and ongoing commitments, giving your loved ones time, stability and space to adjust. This is particularly important if one person’s income carries most of the financial weight within the household. Without life insurance, the surviving family members may find themselves unable to maintain the property or keep up with essential expenses, which can add unnecessary emotional strain at an already difficult time.

Critical illness cover goes a step further by providing a lump sum if you are diagnosed with a serious medical condition. Conditions such as cancer, heart attacks and strokes can dramatically interrupt your life, your routine and your income. Critical illness cover allows you to prioritise your health without the added worry of finances. The payout can be used to fund specialist treatment, reduce your mortgage balance, modify your home or simply give you time away from work to focus on recovery. Because the financial impact of serious illness can last long after the medical treatment ends, this type of cover brings both practical and emotional protection.

Income protection focuses on keeping your monthly financial commitments stable if you are unable to work due to illness or injury. Many people underestimate how quickly finances become strained when income suddenly stops. Income protection provides a regular monthly income until you can return to work or until the end of your chosen benefit period. It is particularly valuable for self-employed individuals who do not have access to employer sick pay, or for anyone whose lifestyle, family responsibilities or mortgage commitments depend heavily on their income remaining consistent. It is designed to help you cover everyday costs and maintain your standard of living without draining savings or taking on debt.

Some people choose shorter-term protection such as mortgage payment protection, which provides a fixed period of financial support if you cannot work. Although not as comprehensive as long-term income protection, it offers a more affordable level of security for those who want reassurance specifically focused on mortgage payments.

Protection is highly personal. A single person with no dependants will need something very different from a couple with children, and a self-employed contractor will have different priorities from someone employed with benefits such as sick pay or death-in-service cover. The role of a good adviser is to translate your circumstances, responsibilities and goals into a protection plan that is proportionate, affordable and genuinely useful. This is not about buying every type of insurance, but about selecting the right safeguards to ensure financial stability in the situations that would impact you the most.

What makes protection so important is that it provides certainty in moments where life feels uncertain. It prevents short-term challenges from becoming long-term financial problems. It keeps families in their homes, keeps plans on track and ensures that unexpected events do not result in rushed decisions, forced property sales or financial hardship.

At Connect, protection advice is treated with the same attention and care as mortgage advice. Each client receives a conversation that explores their financial responsibilities, their comfort levels, their priorities and the outcomes they would want if something unexpected happened. The goal is to recommend cover that genuinely supports your home, your lifestyle and the people you care about, creating a level of security that sits confidently behind your mortgage and your long-term financial plans.