Royal London Publishes 2025 Protection Claims Statistics: 98.4% of Claims Paid, Over £821m Paid Out

Royal London’s 2025 Claims Statistics: Key Findings

Royal London has published its protection claims statistics for 2025, providing a detailed breakdown of claims paid, customer support initiatives, and ongoing efforts to improve the claims experience. The data covers all core protection products, including Critical Illness, Income Protection, Term Life, Terminal Illness, Whole of Life, and Business Protection.

Headline Figures

• 98.4% of all protection claims paid in 2025
• Over £821 million paid out to 62,412 customers, families, and businesses
• The largest individual claim was £9 million
• Claimants ranged in age from 19 to 102

Product-Specific Insights

#### Critical Illness

• 89.3% of Critical Illness claims paid, totalling over £197 million
• Top conditions: Cancer (64.3% of claims), heart attack, stroke, and multiple sclerosis
• Over £125 million paid for cancer-related claims
• 177 Children’s Critical Illness claims paid, totalling over £3.4 million

#### Income Protection

• 85.2% of claims paid, totalling £9.6 million
• Most common cause: Musculoskeletal conditions (60.8%)
• Average claim duration: 1 year, 11 months; longest: 23 years, 4 months
• Fracture cover paid out £375,000 to 203 customers

#### Term Life

• 94.2% of claims paid, totalling over £258 million
• Average payout: £85,437; largest: £2 million

#### Terminal Illness

• 84.7% of claims paid, totalling over £68 million
• Average payout: £133,238

#### Whole of Life

• 99.9% of claims paid, totalling £282.2 million
• 53,884 families supported

#### Business Protection

• Over £13.9 million paid in business protection claims
• Average business protection claim: £258,663

Claims Experience and Customer Support

Royal London continued to invest in claims process improvements, including digital enhancements and a more streamlined journey for customers. The insurer’s Helping Hand service, which offers access to a dedicated RedArc nurse and a range of health and wellbeing support, saw increased uptake in 2025:

• 21% increase in GP appointments
• 12% increase in RedArc nurse support, helping 1,093 customers and families

Tackling Cancer Inequality

Royal London’s partnership with Cancer Research UK has seen over £4.5 million donated since 2023, supporting research into hard-to-treat cancers and community awareness initiatives.

Claims Not Paid

The main reasons for declined claims in 2025 were:

• Misrepresentation (incorrect or incomplete information at application)
• Conditions not meeting policy definitions
• Underwriting exclusions

Misrepresentation was the most common reason, affecting 578 customers (0.9% of all claimants).

Adviser Support

Royal London provides a range of tools to help advisers gather accurate client information, aiming to minimise declined claims and support good customer outcomes.

Conclusion

The 2025 statistics underline Royal London’s commitment to paying valid claims promptly and supporting customers through challenging times. The insurer continues to invest in process improvements and partnerships to address critical health challenges such as cancer.

Source: Royal London Protection business claims paid (1 January to 31 December 2025); RedArc reporting, June 2026; Cancer Research UK, May 2026.