VitalityLife has today published its protection claims statistics for 2025, revealing that it paid out a total of £149 million in protection claims over the year.
Life Insurance: Vitality paid £105 million in Life cover claims last year, with 99.4% of claims paid in 2025. The leading causes of Life Cover claims in 2025 are cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Serious Illness Cover: Vitality paid £42 million in Serious Illness Cover claims, with 87.3% of all claims paid in 2025. Cancer dominated claims, accounting for 64% of female claims and 41% of male claims, making it by far the most common cause overall. Heart and Artery conditions told the opposite story, representing nearly 25% of male claims but just 4% of female claims – a striking contrast.
Stroke and Nervous System conditions were the second most common cause for both sexes, whilst Complications of Pregnancy – available to the policyholder or their spouse – featured meaningfully amongst female claimants at 6%, reinforcing the value of having this benefit included as standard.
Vitality’s unique approach to Serious Illness Cover meant that in 2025:
- 1 in 7 claims paid covered conditions not included in a typical enhanced critical illness plan
- Almost 3 in 10 (29%) claims paid to under-30s would not have been covered by a typical enhanced critical illness plan
- 1 in 10 Serious Illness Cover claims were paid on plans that had already claimed before
Income Protection: Vitality paid £1.8 million in Income Protection claims in 2025. Mental Illness (24%), Musculoskeletal conditions (22%) and Cancer (17%) dominate the Income Protection claims picture. In 2025:
- Youngest claimant was just 22 years old
- Average length of a claim was 3.8 years
- Over 70% of claims were for illnesses covered by our Recovery benefit
The Vitality Programme
Vitality’s Shared Value Model rewards members for engaging in healthy behaviours through the Vitality Programme. In 2025, Vitality members saved £108 million in value from the programme, including over three million Caffè Nero drinks, 562,000 free or discounted meals from Itsu, plus 160,000 pairs of running shoes and 107,000 smartwatches purchased.
Engaged members saved £241 on average through the Vitality Programme in 2025, 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.
Optimiser
Vitality’s Optimiser feature continues to enhance the value of protection plans by rewarding healthy living with financial benefits. In 2025:
- New members who took out a plan with Optimiser saved £155 on average through lower premiums
- £44m saved in lower premiums through Optimiser
- Members with Optimiser were four times more likely to engage in healthy habits than members with standard plans
- Members who engaged with the Vitality Programme were up to 47% less likely to cancel their plan
As a result of the lower premiums, Optimiser helps advisers offer more comprehensive protection:
- Members with Optimiser were 58% more likely to take out an additional cover alongside life cover in 2025
- Members with Optimiser took out 10% more cover than standard plans in 2025
“In 2025, we paid £149 million in protection claims. 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 the 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.”
Justin Taurog, CEO of VitalityLife
