Why would I want income protection insurance I asked my wife? I said to her “I’m not ill and have a high level of fitness and I don’t work in a dangerous environment!” Sure I can remember my grandpa who shoveled coal into a blazing gasworks system and he did this in the days when there were no work safe rules but in these modern times with all the safety nets in place I found it difficult to pay out income protection insurance each month forever.

However I forgotten ‘Murphy’s law’ – if it can happen it will happen. A strange saying but it encapsulates the idea that the unexpected is many times just waiting around the corner. For me I had not taken into account my great love of basketball. I played it every week at a fairly high standard (local A grade) and against some big guys. There came a night when I ricocheted off a massive center player about 7 foot and weighing in at 17 stone. I came down on my ankle and tore just about every ligament in my foot and leg.

For nearly 4 months I was unable to work and while there was a sick pay allowance of three weeks that was soon eaten up. After that we were pretty well on our own getting a very small government handout. With a non-working wife and three kids I began to understand the stupidity of my reasoning about income protection insurance. My job as traveler was high pay and with good commissions – this all disappeared overnight.

My income had paid our way with three small children and their growing needs, a high mortgage repay and a luxury car repay. My wife enjoyed the benefits of fitness clubs and other social outlets and I had my special outlets too that all cost money.

Four months might not sound much but in that time we lost our house and our car. In time I was able to work on my job again and was lucky not to lose it however it was about three years of hard living before we could get back on track again.

I had made the mistake of many young men who are married with responsibilities. I had not asked the questions about what could go wrong. This is not a negative question it’s simply looking at best scenario and worst scenario. Up to my accident at basketball I had only ever considered best scenario.

And so like a good commander in field of battle the question of what can go wrong and how I would handle any losses that might be incurred must be asked. It all seems so obvious now and I had learned a hard lesson and survived but I often think what if I had incurred some more long term or even permanent disability what would have happened to my family I am now perhaps the greatest advocate of income protection insurance you will meet because I now know what can go wrong.