National Friendly has launched a short-term income protection product.

The new product, Mortgage Protect, has been designed to protect customers’ mortgage payments if illness or injury prevents them from working.

It is available alongside an active mortgage or remortgage application and has no health or lifestyle questions at application.

In addition, it requires no upfront medical or financial underwriting.

The mutual’s new product provides a monthly benefit linked to customers’ mortgage payments and allows them to choose from a range of deferred and claim periods, making it an easy and straightforward application process.

Once the mortgage term has concluded, cover continues on a 70% of earnings basis until the policy concludes at age 68.

Mortgage Protect is available to customers aged 18 to 60 at outset, while premiums are reviewable every three years.

National Friendly chief executive Graham Singleton says: “Mortgage Protect has been designed to make that protection conversation easier. With no health or lifestyle questions at application and a benefit built around the customer’s mortgage payment, it gives advisers another practical way to help more clients put valuable cover in place.”

“For customers, that means greater financial resilience when they may need it most. For advisers, it means a more complete mortgage service and another opportunity to help close the protection gap.”