Life doesn't always go to plan.
Plain-English UK guides to income protection, life insurance, critical illness and life's financial what-ifs.
Understand what happens when illness, injury or a major life change affects your income or household finances.
Browse by topic
Start with the question closest to your situation. Each guide answers it in the first paragraph, then explains the detail.
Income protection
What happens to your pay if illness or injury stops you working.
Life insurance
How life cover and workplace death-in-service benefits protect a household.
Critical illness
Lump-sum cover for serious illness, and how it differs from income cover.
Life events
Money checklists for moments that change everything, like a baby or a new home.
How these guides are written
Plain English
Every guide answers the question first, then explains the jargon so you can follow the detail.
Sourced and dated
Facts that change, like sick pay rates, link to GOV.UK or MoneyHelper, and every guide shows when it was last reviewed.
Education, not recommendations
What If Guides doesn't provide quotes, recommend individual providers or tell you what to buy. The guides explain how financial protection works, where terms can differ, and the questions worth understanding.
Read more about What If Guides
Need advice about your own circumstances?
General information can't take account of your individual circumstances. If you'd like personalised advice, you can speak to an adviser.
This link takes you to a separate website.
Pirashanth, who writes What If Guides, also works as a protection adviser. If you use this link you may be directed to Pirashanth's adviser page, and Pirashanth may benefit commercially if you become a client. What If Guides itself does not provide financial advice.