"We are helping people live healthier, longer lives while ensuring they and their families are protected when they need it most."
- Justin Taurog - VitalityLife
VitalityLife has revealed that it paid out a total of £149 million in protection claims over 2025, including £105 million in life cover claims, £42 million in serious illness cover claims, and £1.8 million in income protection claims.
99.4% of life cover claims were paid in 2025, with the leading causes for claims being cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Vitality also paid 87.3% of all serious illness cover claims last year. Cancer accounted for 64% of women’s claims and 41% of men’s claims, making it by far the most common cause overall. On the other hand, heart and artery conditions represented nearly 25% of men’s claims but just 4% of women’s claims.
Stroke and nervous system conditions were the second most common cause for both sexes, while complications of pregnancy, available to the policyholder or their spouse, featured meaningfully amongst women claimants at 6%.
Vitality reports that 1 in 7 claims paid covered conditions not included in a typical enhanced critical illness plan, almost 3 in 10 claims paid to under-30s would not have been covered by a typical enhanced critical illness plan, and 1 in 10 serious illness cover claims were paid on plans that had already claimed before.
In terms of income protection, mental illness (24%), musculoskeletal conditions (22%) and cancer (17%) were the leading causes for claims. The youngest claimant was 22 years old, the average length of a claim was 3.8 years, and over 70% of claims were for illnesses covered by Vitality’s recovery benefit.
Vitality’s shared value model aims to reward members for engaging in healthy behaviours through the Vitality programme. It reports that in 2025, members saved £108 million in value from the programme, and engaged members saved £241 on average through the Vitality programme, which equated 34% of the average premium. Vitality data has shown that engaged members are more active, less likely to lapse their plans, and can live up to five years longer.
Vitality’s Optimiser feature is also designed to reward healthy living with financial benefits. According to Vitality, new members who took out a plan with Optimiser saved £155 on average through lower premiums in 2025, Vitality members saved 44 million in lower premiums through Optimiser, and members with Optimiser were four times more likely to engage in healthy habits than members with standard plans.
Furthermore, members with Optimiser were 58% more likely to take out an additional cover alongside life cover in 2025 and took out 10% more cover than standard plans in 2025.
READ MORE: Group risk industry paid out £7.36m a day in claims last year
"In 2025, we paid £149 million in protection claims," Justin Taurog, CEO of VitalityLife, said. "This is our largest amount to date and reflects the scale of support we provide and the trust Vitality members place in us to be there when it matters most.
"We believe that protection should deliver value every day, not just begin and end at point of claim. Our shared value model is designed to meet that expectation, combining financial protection with ongoing support to help people stay healthier for longer.
"In 2025, we delivered £108 million in everyday value through the Vitality programme and helped members save £44 million on their premiums through Optimiser. Crucially, this is value members can see and feel every day.
"At a time when the industry is rightly focused on customer outcomes and avoiding foreseeable harm, our approach supports both. We are helping people live healthier, longer lives while ensuring they and their families are protected when they need it most - with our data showing that engaged members can live up to five years longer."
