The tool will report the likely definition used by insurers based on four key aspects of the individual’s job.
After inputting their occupation, amount of time spent undertaking manual work, business mileage and number of overseas business trips, the tool returns a likely occupation risk class, incapacity definition and suggests insurers that are likely to offer occupation cover.
Drewberry says that the purpose of the tool was not to replace an adviser but to help educate consumers on one of the key areas for consideration.
Insurers have come under pressure from industry professions, media sources and the Financial Ombudsman Service to reform or even remove the ‘activities of daily living’ definition as an option for consumers.
In order to make a valid claim, a policyholder would need to be unable to perform a set number of tasks from a small list of “daily activities” such as being able to walk or climb stairs.
Tom Conner, head of protection at Drewberry Income Protection, said: "When the “own occupation” definition of incapacity is used income protection is an extremely valuable product and should be the foundation of every working adults financial protection.
"However it can be very difficult to claim from a policy with an activities definition of incapacity and unfortunately too many people are taking out these policies without really knowing what they are covered for until they go to claim.
"The purpose of income protection is to pay out if someone is unable to work due to illness or injury but this really isn't the case when the activities definition is used. To a lesser extent this is also the case for policies using the suited occupation definition.
“We are firmly behind the industry movement against the use of ’activities of daily living’ and believe anything less than an own occupation incapacity definition causes confusion and can really hurt consumer confidence in the product."
