Specialist life and health insurance intermediary Assured Futures has announced a partnership with comparison site comparethemarket.com to provide unemployment cover.

Unemployment cover was pulled by all providers last spring due to the pandemic and Assured Futures has now relaunched a new comparison of Accident, Sickness and Unemployment (ASU) insurance available to quote and buy directly through the comparison service.

Assured Futures is working with four ASU providers – National Assurance, Paymentcare, Income Bee and Income Secure – to offer one year ASU cover via a panel, using a new and improved underwriting process.

Ian Sawyer, commercial director at Assured Futures said: “Due to the outbreak of coronavirus, unemployment insurance was pulled from the market. Our new ASU comparison brings together a panel of four specialist providers to offer income protection not only in the event of an accident or sickness, but also forced redundancy, something we know has been missed from the market and will be in high demand going forward as people continue to live with job uncertainty as a result of the pandemic.

“Many people have an increased and ongoing fear of being made redundant, meaning that products that offer unemployment protection have never been more important. It is therefore crucial that ASU is brought back to the market, and we are pleased to be one of the first to do so.”

Assured Futures’ ASU cover will be available digitally via comparethemarket.com or advised through Assured Futures’ telephony services.

Mubina Pirmohamed, senior product manager at comparethemarket.com, added: “The pandemic has had a negative impact on many people’s financial security and it has been an additional source of concern in relation to managing incomings and outgoings.

“Furlough has protected some people but it’s important that people protect themselves where possible to ensure that future impacts on income can be easily managed.

“We are delighted to be in a position where we can help people compare unemployment cover again which will cover them against redundancy, accident and sickness. This will provide reassurance to people who want protection against the unexpected, as well as peace of mind.”