"It’s clear that British Friendly puts the members first, and that shows in the ease of communication and the minimal hassle involved in making a claim."
- Ben Mason, Protection Manager at LightBlue
In 2024, British Friendly accepted 1,023 new Income Protection (IP), discretionary BF Care, and Fracture Cover claims. Musculoskeletal-related claims (53.96%) were the most common, followed by surgery (10.46%), chest/lung/nose/throat (8.50%), mental illness (5.57%), and cancer (4.99%).
In terms of declined claims, the majority were due to misrepresentation (including fraud) at 48.77%, followed by definition of incapacity not being met (20.99%), and pre-existing conditions for the Simplified product under the moratorium period (9.88%). Typical occupations of claimants included HGV drivers, builders, carpenters, nurses, and factory workers.
Overall, British Friendly paid over £5mn to its members – the provider paid 86% of IP claims in 2024 and 92.5% of claims have been paid with misrepresentation declines excluded in 2024.
British Friendly’s Fracture Cover (which launched in 2023) paid out £19k on eight claims in the last twelve months. Meanwhile, over £113k was paid through its discretionary BF Care programme, which includes Death, Bereavement, Terminal Illness, and Recovery Support Benefits as a lump sum, as well as Care Assistance Benefit, which provides a weekly payment.
Notably, 74% of claimants were men compared to just 26% who were women.
“Last year, we introduced the option of a tele-claims service to our members, removing the need for a traditional claim form. Members who opt for this service receive immediate support from a designated Claims Manager to guide them through the claims process.
“Since launching this service, we’ve seen decisions being made in less than two weeks, providing our members with peace of mind and allowing them to focus on their recovery,” said Maxine Jannetta, Head of Claims at British Friendly.
From experience, Ben Mason, Protection Manager at LightBlue, commented, “We’ve been impressed with British Friendly’s claims process. Our customers consistently report that claims are handled quickly, fairly, and with compassion.
“It’s clear that British Friendly puts the members first, and that shows in the ease of communication and the minimal hassle involved in making a claim. We need to recommend providers we can trust to support our customers when they need it most, and British Friendly have consistently delivered on that promise.”
