Sophie WrightWrightCFO
A personalised recommendation to restructure and enhance your critical illness protection through WrightCFO — making it tax-efficient, more comprehensive, and aligned with your role as a Fractional CFO.
Prepared by Broadbench · April 2026
Our Recommendation
Why We Are Recommending This
Sophie, as the founder of WrightCFO, your ability to lead your team of Fractional CFOs and maintain client relationships is the single most important asset in your business. If a serious illness were to prevent you from working — even temporarily — the impact would extend beyond your personal income to the operational continuity of WrightCFO itself.
You currently hold a critical illness plan with Aviva, but this is structured personally rather than through your company, and the cover levels may not reflect the true financial exposure that WrightCFO faces. Our recommendation is to replace this with a Vitality Business Serious Illness Cover 3X plan, structured through WrightCFO as a Key Person policy. This achieves three things: it enhances your opportunity to claim by covering 167 conditions across multiple severity tiers; it makes the cost tax-efficient by running through your company at the 19% CT rate; and it protects WrightCFO's ability to continue operating during any period of illness.
Company-funded serious illness cover complements, rather than replaces, personal protection — ensuring both your family's financial liquidity and your business's resilience are addressed.
Tax-Efficient Through WrightCFO
By structuring your critical illness cover through WrightCFO, the premiums become a legitimate business expense. At the 19% Corporation Tax rate, this immediately reduces the effective cost of your protection — money that would otherwise come from your post-tax personal income.
Enhanced Claim Opportunities
Your current Aviva plan covers a limited set of conditions at a single severity level. The Vitality Business SIC 3X plan covers 167 conditions across seven severity tiers, with the opportunity to claim up to three times — materially broadening the circumstances under which you would receive a payout.
Protecting WrightCFO's Operations
As the founder and driving force behind WrightCFO, a serious illness would not only affect your personal income but also the ability of your team of Fractional CFOs to operate effectively. Key Person cover ensures the business has the financial resilience to continue during your recovery.
Removing the Personal Cost
Your existing Aviva plan is funded from personal, post-tax income. By moving this through WrightCFO on a relevant life basis, you remove that personal cost entirely — the company pays the premium and claims Corporation Tax relief, while you receive significantly better cover.
Current Position
Your Existing Cover
We have reviewed your current protection arrangements. Below is a summary of what is in place and where the gaps exist. Our recommendation addresses both the structural inefficiency of your current plan and the absence of business-level protection.
Aviva Critical Illness
Your existing critical illness plan with Aviva is currently structured as a personal policy, funded from your post-tax income. While this provides a degree of protection, it is not running through WrightCFO and therefore does not benefit from Corporation Tax relief. The cover levels may also not reflect the true financial exposure of your business.
Key Person Cover
WrightCFO does not currently have Key Person serious illness cover in place. As the founder and principal operator, a serious illness affecting your ability to work would directly impact the company's revenue, client relationships, and the team of CFOs you manage. This represents a significant gap in your business protection.
Summary
Your current Aviva plan provides some critical illness protection, but it is not structured efficiently. By replacing it with a Vitality Business SIC 3X policy through WrightCFO, you remove the personal cost, gain Corporation Tax relief at 19%, and significantly enhance the breadth and depth of your cover — from a limited set of conditions to 167 conditions across seven severity tiers.
Business Serious Illness Cover
Vitality Business Serious Illness Cover — 3X
As the founder and principal operator of WrightCFO, a serious illness affecting your ability to work would have an immediate and material impact on the business. The Vitality Business SIC 3X plan provides the most comprehensive critical illness protection available on the market, covering 167 conditions across seven severity tiers — with the opportunity to claim up to three times your cover amount.
Tax-Efficient Through WrightCFO
Premiums are paid by WrightCFO and qualify for Corporation Tax relief at 19%. This means for every £100 in premium, the effective cost to the company is just £81 — a significant saving compared to funding the same cover from your personal, post-tax income.
Medical Research — Exclusion Note
Following the medical research conducted by Vitality, a Serious Illness Exclusion applies: Carcinoma in situ or cancer of the breast or ovary, its treatment and any complications thereof. All other conditions remain fully covered under the plan. This exclusion will be confirmed at application stage.
What Does 3X Cover Mean?
167 Conditions Covered
Business Serious Illness Cover 3X covers 167 conditions under the business guide, giving materially broader protection than a standard critical illness plan.
Up to Three Opportunities to Claim
With 3X cover, separate claims can be made up to three times the original cover amount, subject to the policy rules and condition definitions.
Severity-Based Payouts
3X pays across seven severity tiers, from 5% for earliest-stage conditions up to 100% for the most serious diagnoses, instead of waiting only for the worst-case presentation.
NHS Waiting List Benefit
For 24 covered surgical procedures, the plan can assess a claim when the insured is formally placed on an NHS waiting list, potentially creating funds before surgery takes place.
Severity-Based Payout Tiers
| Payout | Severity | Available On |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | Life-threatening | 1X, 2X, 3X |
| 75% | Severe | 1X, 2X, 3X |
| 50% | Moderate | 1X, 2X, 3X |
| 25% | Significant | 2X, 3X |
| 15% | Early-stage | 2X, 3X |
| 10% | Minor | 3X only |
| 5% | Earliest detection | 3X only |
NHS Waiting List Benefit
Payout Before Surgery — Not After
Vitality's Waiting List Benefit pays out as soon as you are placed on an NHS waiting list for one of 24 covered surgical conditions. You do not need to wait for the surgery itself — the benefit is designed to give you financial flexibility to fund private treatment, cover lost income, or manage household costs during what can be a lengthy wait.
Available on All Plans
1X, 2X, and 3X — 14 conditions
Available on 2X & 3X
6 additional conditions
Exclusive to 3X Plan
4 additional conditions — your recommended plan
NHS Waiting Lists — Current Context
As of February 2026, approximately 7.22 million people are on NHS waiting lists in England, with only 62.6% of patients being seen within 18 weeks — below the 65% target. For some surgical procedures, waits can exceed 12 months. The Waiting List Benefit provides financial support during this period, potentially allowing you to fund private treatment rather than waiting.
Conditions Relevant to a CFO
As a Fractional CFO and business founder, your work demands sustained cognitive function, visual acuity, cardiovascular stamina, and fine motor control. The following condition groups are particularly relevant to your role at WrightCFO — each one could directly affect your ability to deliver financial leadership to your clients.
Cognitive & Neurological
As a CFO, your cognitive ability is your most critical asset. Financial modelling, strategic decision-making, board presentations, and client advisory work all require sustained concentration, analytical reasoning, and clear communication. Any neurological condition affecting these functions would directly impact your ability to lead WrightCFO.
Scenario
If you suffered a stroke affecting executive function, you would be unable to produce financial forecasts, lead board meetings, or advise clients on strategic financial decisions. The 3X plan pays from 25% for minor stroke up to 100% for major stroke with lasting impairment.
Vision & Sensory
Your role demands sustained visual acuity — reviewing financial statements, analysing spreadsheets, reading contracts, and working across multiple screens. Even partial vision loss could prevent the detailed analytical work that WrightCFO's clients depend on.
Scenario
Macular degeneration affecting central vision would make it impossible to read financial reports, review P&L statements, or analyse cashflow models. Under 3X, significant visual impairment triggers a 50% payout, while total blindness pays 100%.
Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular events can cause lasting fatigue and inability to maintain the demanding schedule of running a CFO practice. Recovery typically takes months, during which WrightCFO's client engagements, team management, and business development would be severely disrupted.
Scenario
A heart attack requiring bypass surgery would mean 3–6 months of recovery. The SIC payout would provide WrightCFO with the funds to hire interim cover, maintain team salaries, and protect client relationships during your absence.
Dexterity & Musculoskeletal
Financial work requires sustained keyboard use — building models in Excel, drafting reports, and communicating with clients and your team. Conditions affecting hand function would prevent producing the deliverables that WrightCFO's clients rely on.
Scenario
Severe rheumatoid arthritis affecting both hands would make sustained keyboard work impossible — preventing you from building financial models, writing board reports, or managing client communications. This could trigger a TPD claim under 'Work Tasks'.
Cancer
Cancer accounts for 69.6% of all critical illness claims. The 3X plan covers cancer at every stage — from earliest detection (5%) to life-threatening (100%). This is particularly important given the breadth of conditions covered.
Scenario
An early-stage cancer requiring 6 months of chemotherapy would halt your ability to manage WrightCFO's operations and client engagements. A traditional CI policy might not pay out at early stages; the 3X plan pays from the earliest detection.
Mental Health & Cognitive
Severe neurological events affecting cognitive function are covered under the plan. Any condition impairing your ability to think analytically, communicate clearly, or exercise financial judgement would be catastrophic to your earning capacity and WrightCFO's operations.
Scenario
A severe head injury could leave you with impaired concentration or personality changes, making client-facing advisory work impossible. The 3X plan covers traumatic brain injury across multiple severity tiers, providing financial support proportionate to the impact.
Total Permanent Disability (TPD) — Detailed Definitions
The Vitality Business SIC plan includes three TPD definitions. Each provides a different route to claim depending on the nature and severity of your condition. For a CFO, the 'Own Occupation' definition is the most important — it assesses your ability to perform your specific role, not just any job.
Assessed on your ability to perform your own specific role. This is the gold standard of TPD definitions — you are covered if you cannot do your own job, not just any job.
How It Works in Practice
This definition looks at whether you can perform the material and substantial duties of your specific occupation. For you, that means: leading WrightCFO's strategic direction, providing fractional CFO services to clients, managing your team of CFOs, producing financial forecasts and board reports, and maintaining client relationships. If a condition prevents you from performing these duties — even if you could theoretically do a different, less demanding job — you qualify for a 100% payout.
Why This Matters for a CFO
This is critical for a CFO. Without 'Own Occupation' cover, an insurer could argue you could still work in a less demanding administrative role. Own Occupation means the assessment is based on your actual role as a Fractional CFO and business leader — not a hypothetical alternative.
Example Scenarios
A neurological condition affecting concentration — preventing complex financial modelling and strategic advisory work
A cardiovascular event causing chronic fatigue — preventing the demanding schedule of managing multiple client engagements
A musculoskeletal condition making sustained keyboard and screen work impossible — preventing report production and financial analysis
Assessed on your ability to perform specific work tasks such as walking, lifting, bending, climbing, communicating, and using a keyboard or mouse.
How It Works in Practice
This definition assesses disability against a list of specific work-related tasks. The payout scales with the number of tasks you can no longer perform: the more tasks affected, the higher the payout.
Why This Matters for a CFO
Even if you do not meet the 'Own Occupation' threshold, Work Tasks provides a secondary route to claim. If a condition affects multiple work tasks — for example, keyboard use, communication, and mobility — you could receive a substantial payout.
Example Scenarios
Severe carpal tunnel affecting keyboard use and writing (two tasks) — partial payout
Stroke affecting communication, keyboard use, and mobility (three tasks) — near-full payout
Spinal injury affecting mobility, lifting, and keyboard use (three tasks) — near-full payout
Assessed on your ability to perform everyday activities such as washing, dressing, feeding yourself, mobility, and continence.
How It Works in Practice
This is the broadest definition and applies when a condition is so severe that it affects your ability to perform basic daily activities. The payout scales with the number of activities affected.
Why This Matters for a CFO
This acts as a final safety net. If a condition is severe enough to affect daily living activities, it would certainly prevent working — but this ensures coverage even if the condition doesn't fit neatly into other categories.
Example Scenarios
Severe stroke affecting mobility and self-care — payout based on number of activities affected
Advanced neurological condition affecting feeding, dressing, and mobility — near-full payout
Major spinal injury affecting multiple daily activities — scaled payout up to 100%
Your Quote Options
We have sourced quotes across two term options. All quotes are on a level premium basis with Vitality 3X cover. The daily cost breakdown shows the true cost per working day, both before and after Corporation Tax relief.
To Age 65 (Level Basis) · 3X Cover
£100,000
To age 65 (level) · 3X
£150,000
To age 65 (level) · 3X
£200,000
To age 65 (level) · 3X
To Age 70 (Level Basis) · 3X Cover
£100,000
To age 70 (level) · 3X
£150,000
To age 70 (level) · 3X
£200,000
To age 70 (level) · 3X
Claims Data
Why Vitality Business SIC
Vitality paid £142 million in serious illness claims in 2024. The data below shows why the breadth of the 3X plan matters — and why business protection is not a theoretical exercise but a practical necessity for company directors.
£142m
Paid in Claims
Vitality 2024
167
Conditions Covered
Business SIC 3X
69.6%
Cancer Claims
Most common cause
7
Severity Tiers
5% to 100% payout
Claim Causes — Breakdown
Key Business Protection Statistics
30%
of businesses would fail within 12 months if a key person became seriously ill
42%
of small businesses have no protection in place for key individuals
12%
of working-age adults will suffer a critical illness before retirement age
6x
more likely to claim on CI than die before age 65
Why Acting Now Is Important
Why This Matters for You
Sophie, as the founder of an award-winning Fractional CFO agency, you understand the importance of financial planning better than most. The same rigour you apply to your clients' finances should extend to protecting the asset that underpins everything — your ability to work.
Business Continuity
WrightCFO's clients depend on your leadership and the team you have built. A serious illness payout would give the company the financial runway to hire interim support, maintain client relationships, and keep your team of CFOs operational during your recovery.
Time Is a Factor
Premiums increase with age, and medical history can introduce exclusions or loadings. By acting now, you secure the most favourable terms available — before any future health changes could affect eligibility or cost.
Tax Efficiency Compounds
Every month that premiums are paid through WrightCFO rather than from personal income, you benefit from Corporation Tax relief at 19%. Over the life of the policy, this represents a material saving compared to your current Aviva arrangement.
Your Current Cover Has Gaps
Your existing Aviva plan covers a limited set of conditions at a single severity level. The Vitality 3X plan covers 167 conditions across seven tiers — meaning you would receive a payout in circumstances where your current plan would not respond.
Client Reviews
Trusted by Business Owners
Brilliant over the years
"I have been with Broadbench a few years now and I have Life Assurance, Critical Illness Insurance, both expensed through my Ltd company, plus they arranged my re-mortgage 5 years ago. Every time Tom has been brilliant — professional, thorough, and always looking out for the best deal."
Yannis N
Jan 2026
Great experience with Tom
"Recently arranged Life Insurance & Critical Illness insurance with Tom. Tom talked through the various options and benefits of both policies which are ideal for me as I am self employed. He arranged comprehensive cover for very reasonable prices which is great for peace of mind."
Lee
Jan 2026
Excellent personal service
"I had a great experience working with Tom at Broadbench. He was excellent in helping me secure the right insurance policy and took the time to fully understand my needs. As a founder and director of Broadbench, Tom works directly with his clients, which really shows in the level of care and professionalism he brings."
Asfan Khan
Jan 2026
Professional and understanding
"Tom and Broadbench have been advising me on life insurance for several years with changing circumstances due to company ownership and levels of cover. Throughout, Tom has been professional in knowledge, timeliness and understanding of my and my family's needs."
Douglas
Mar 2026
Highly recommend Broadbench
"Tom and the team are brilliant. Super clear and informative about what would work best for us as a family. Very easy and pleasurable to deal with. I would highly recommend anyone reading this thinking about working with Tom and Broadbench. You will be in very safe hands."
Edd
Jan 2026
Super easy process
"Tom made the whole process of reviewing my insurance requirements and changing my policy, plus starting a new one for my partner super easy. Reduced what I was paying by over 50% too and now got the protection I need."
Claire
Jun 2025
Tailored and personal
"Thomas provided an excellent, tailored and personal package that exactly met my needs. His professional and personable approach was key to me having trust in his recommendations."
Mr & Mrs Williams
Jan 2026
Reliable and professional
"Reliable, prompt, professional and personable. I've had work and life based insurances through Broadbench for years. Tom is brilliant with checking in and looking at the policies to see if we can better the deal."
Michelle Caunter
Mar 2025
Highly informed and professional
"I've used Broadbench for both my mortgage as well as life insurance for over 7 years. Tom and his team have been incredibly well informed, conscientious and professional. I have no hesitation in recommending them."
Ahmad Ali
Jan 2026
Tom was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable
"Tom was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. He took the time to understand my needs and provided clear, tailored advice. The whole process was smooth and stress-free. Highly recommend!"
Sam Sherwood
Mar 2025
What Happens Next
Next Steps
The process from here is straightforward. We manage everything on your behalf — from application through to getting your policy live.
Recommendation Meeting
We will walk through this recommendation together, answer any questions, and confirm which cover level and term best suits WrightCFO's needs.
Review Options
Once you have selected your preferred option, we will confirm the final details and prepare the application with Vitality.
Application
We handle the full application process on your behalf. The Vitality exclusion noted in the medical research section will be confirmed at this stage.
Policy Live
Once accepted, your Vitality Business SIC 3X policy goes live through WrightCFO. Your existing Aviva plan can then be cancelled, removing the personal cost.
Tom Hitchcock
Founder / Director · Protection Adviser