"Our claims figures underline why protection matters."
- Craig Paterson - Royal London
Royal London has revealed that it paid £821m in protection claims in 2025, with a 98.4% payout rate covering 62,412 customers, families and businesses.
The figures come after the first full year of claims following the transfer of Aegon’s individual protection portfolio. Royal London reports that term life claims increased by 32% and terminal illness claims by 17% year-on-year.
In 2025, Royal London paid £326m in term life and terminal illness claims, with average payouts of £85,437 for life and £133,238 for terminal illness, and £198m in critical illness claims to 2,959 customers, with an average payment of £67,000, an 89.3% payout rate. Cancer accounted for 64% of claims, followed by 9% for heart attack and 8% for stroke.
Royal London also paid £9.6m in income protection claims, an 85.2% payout rate covering 1,536 customers, and £282m in whole of life claims with a payout rate of 99.9%.
Demand for various services in Royal London’s Helping Hand service also increased, with GP appointments rising 21% year-on-year and a 12% increase in customers accessing RedArc nurse support, covering 1,093 customers and their families.
Meanwhile, claims data showed that in 2025, the youngest claimant was 19 and the oldest was 102.
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"We support customers at some of the most difficult moments in their lives, and that’s about far more than simply paying a claim, it’s about being clear, fair and compassionate every step of the way," Craig Paterson, chief underwriter at Royal London, said.
"Our claims figures underline why protection matters. When the unexpected happens, having cover in place can make a real difference, and features like Free Cover help make sure customers are protected from day one, giving them confidence we’ll be there when it matters most."
