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Every day in 2025, protection insurers paid out £21.5 million to families across the UK. Money that arrived at exactly the moment it was needed most: after a bereavement, a cancer diagnosis, or an injury that stopped someone earning.
Across the year, that added up to £7.84 billion [1]. If you’ve ever wondered whether protection insurance is “worth it,” this is the number that answers the question. If you don’t already have cover in place, or haven’t reviewed it in a while, get in touch. It’s a conversation worth having before you need it, not after.
The Numbers Behind the Headline:
- New data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and Group Risk Development (GRiD) shows individual protection claims alone totalled £5.15 billion in 2025.
- Insurers paid out an extraordinary 97.9% of all individual claims, a figure that has held above that level for more than a decade.
- Critical illness claims topped £1 billion for the fifth year running, with the average payout reaching £67,000, nearly two-thirds of those claims were for cancer.
- Income protection claims hit a record £209 million, and crucially, 7,600 people were able to return to work last year.
- Perhaps most telling of all: nearly one in five income protection claims were for mental health conditions, a reminder that protection isn’t only about physical illness [1].
Why This Matters to You:
It’s easy to think of protection insurance as something you pay into and hope never to use. But behind every one of those figures is a family whose mortgage got paid, whose income kept coming in, or who didn’t have to worry about money while dealing with something far more important.
Let’s Talk:
Whether you’ve got existing cover that needs a health check, or you’ve never looked at protection insurance before, now is a good time to start. Reach out today, and we’ll walk through your options together, no pressure, no jargon, just clarity on what’s right for you and your family.
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Put simply, the more deposit you have, the better, as a higher deposit will generally attract a lower mortgage rate. But, because mortgage products change all the time, do give us a call, as the percentage deposit you need will vary.
Mortgage lenders will have a maximum LTV (loan to value) that they’re prepared to offer you. For example, if you’re looking at a property with a value of £250,000 and the lender offers you £212,500, this means your LTV is 85%, so your deposit would be £37,500 which equates to 15%.
When buying a property, or re-mortgaging, rather than take your word for it, the lender will need a valuation of your intended property purchase, to ensure that what you’re asking to borrow, coincides with the property’s value. In fact, they’ll insist upon it.
It’s well worth investing in a survey too. This will tell you about the general condition of the property. If you’re investing in a property that’s older, or in a general state of disrepair, it would be well worth investing a little extra in a structural survey.
When saving for your deposit, don’t forget to save extra for things like solicitor fees, surveys, stamp duty, home insurance, removal costs, mortgage arrangement fees, etc.
To assess whether or not you can afford a mortgage, lenders will look in detail at things like your salary, any other income you receive. Plus, they will also need to know about any other outgoings such as car loans, credit card debt, personal loans, utility bills, childcare, general living costs. All this is taken into consideration when applying for a mortgage.
Also, be aware that lenders will look at your credit score too. They need to be confident that you can pay back your mortgage and that you pay back any other credit, essentially to make sure that you are a reliable borrower.
We’ve been in the property industry for a number of years now and as such, only work with trusted partners, such as conveyancing solicitors, etc. So if you need help, then do not hesitate to ask and we will put you in touch.
Comparison sites serve their purpose, but, because they don’t have access to the whole of market, the results you will see will be limited. Comparison sites will only show the results of the lenders who have paid to advertise on their site.
At Steeples Mortgages, we’re more than happy to chat things through with you, we much prefer the personal touch, be that by telephone, Zoom or in person.
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Steeples Mortgages is a trusted and respected independent mortgage and financial solutions business based from our high-street office in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. We’ve built our reputation on friendly, client-focused, transparent advice.
As a member of The Equity Release Council and certified in Mortgage Advice and Practice, Steeples Mortgages is all about doing the right thing. We want each and every client to be a lifelong client and as such, we provide the very best customer service, coupled with the most suitable advice all underpinned by honesty, integrity and trust.
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Meet The People Behind Steeples
A dedicated team committed to giving you the best mortgage and protection advice.
Aaron Steeples
Founder & Managing Director
Founded Steeples Mortgages in 2017. Two decades in finance with a client-first approach built on honest, transparent advice.
Kylie Waite
Client Completion & Office Manager
Oversees every client’s journey from application to completion, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience.
Duncan Schofield
Mortgage & Protection Advisor
40 years in financial services. Specialist knowledge with self-employed clients and complex mortgage cases.
Adnan Ahmed
Mortgage & Protection Advisor
Dedicated to helping clients find the right products with clarity and care, from first-time buyers to remortgages.
Cheryl Whitehead
Mortgage Administrator
Cheryl has been working in the mortgage industry for over three years now and has built up valuable experience.