Friday Five Focus on Protection – 5 Questions in 5 Minutes – 17 Apr 2026

Friday Five Focus on Protection – 5 Questions in 5 Minutes Every Friday

What’s this all about?

Each week, we ask questions relating to one of these topics: Investments, Taxation, Pensions, Protection, or Regulation. This week, our Friday Five is relevant to Protection; this is useful as you prepare for the CII’s R05 exam. The challenge is for you to answer them in 5 minutes. Answers at the bottom of the page.

Questions

IMPORTANT! These questions relate to examinable tax year 2025/26, examinable by the CII until 31 August 2026.

1. Karim, a financial adviser, is in the process of arranging income protection policies for a number of his clients. It is likely that the highest premium will be charged to
   1. Derek, aged 45, with a deferred period of 13 weeks.
   2. Chloe, aged 52, with a deferred period of 26 weeks.
   3. Arthur, aged 47, with a deferred period of 8 weeks.
   4. Julia, aged 48, with a deferred period of 4 weeks.

2. Where an employer takes out group critical illness cover for their employees, a claim will usually only be paid where the employee survives for how many days after diagnosis?
   1. 10
   2. 14
   3. 21
   4. 30

3. Systemis Ltd pays the premiums for a group personal accident and sickness insurance for their employees. How is this treated in relation to the company’s taxation?
   1. There is no tax advantage for the company.
   2. They receive tax relief at 20% on the premiums paid.
   3. The cost is deducted from their tax liability.
   4. It is treated as an allowable business expense.

4. In what situation can policy splitting on divorce be beneficial?
   1. Where one of the divorcees is significantly older than the other.
   2. When the health of one has deteriorated since the policy was taken out.
   3. Where the income of one of the divorcees is significantly lower than the others.
   4. When the terms of a new policy would be more beneficial than the existing policy.

5. What form of benefit will Harry receive if he makes a claim on his care cash plan?
   1. A cash lump sum and income for a set period.
   2. A cash lump sum and/or income until he dies.
   3. A cash lump sum and/or income for a set period.
   4. A cash lump sum and income until he dies.

Answers

1. D; See R05 Study Text, Chp 6; Rationale: The applicant with the shortest deferred period is likely to pay the highest premium. In this question, that’s Julia.
2. D; See R05 Study Text, Chp 7; Rationale: For group critical illness cover, the survival period is typically 30 days.
3. D; See R05 Study Text, Chp 9; Rationale: The employer’s premiums are treated as an allowable business expense. This means they can be deducted from the employer’s profits before those profits are charged to tax.
4. B; See R05 Study Text, Chp 2; Rationale: Policy splitting – where a policy is literally divided between the two parties – can be beneficial, where the health of one party has deteriorated since the policy was taken out, meaning they may not be able to take out new cover either at all or at an affordable price.
5. C; See R05 Study Text, Chp 8; Rationale: The benefits from a care cash plan are usually a cash lump sum and/or an income payable for a set period of time.

Grab the resources you need!

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