What people claim for on protection policies

7 September 2026

Cancer caused 65 per cent of critical illness claims in 2025. Musculoskeletal problems caused 33 per cent of income protection claims. They are different risks.

5 min read · Ben Tomlin · Last reviewed September 2026

The short answer

Cancer caused 65 per cent of UK critical illness claims paid in 2025. Musculoskeletal problems, such as neck and back pain, caused a third of income protection claims. They are different risks, and a bad back is not normally covered by a critical illness policy.

Critical illness and income protection claims compared

People often treat critical illness and income protection as versions of the same thing. The claims data says otherwise.

	Critical illness	Income protection
Leading cause of claim	Cancer, 65 per cent of claims in 2025	Musculoskeletal, 33 per cent of claims in 2025
Total paid in 2025	£1.25 billion	£209 million
Average claim	£67,000	£10,700
Shape of payment	One lump sum, then cover ends	Monthly, potentially for years

Cancer is a diagnosis. A bad back is a functional problem. They rarely happen to the same person at the same life stage.

So the question is not which product is better. It is which risk is more likely to stop you earning.

The practical test.

Ask what would happen if you could not work for two years. If the answer is that the mortgage fails, you need income. If the answer is that you would cope but the debt would crush you, you need a lump sum.

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What critical illness claims are for

Across the whole UK market in 2025, cancer represented 65 per cent of all critical illness claims paid.

Aviva's own 2025 book also put cancer first, at over 54.8 per cent of its critical illness claims. Heart attack and stroke were its other two big causes.

So three condition groups drive the product. Everything else on a list of 100 conditions is the long tail.

That is why the cancer definition is the single most valuable thing to read in a critical illness policy.

Aviva's average critical illness payout in 2025 was £69,559. The market average in 2025 was £67,000.

A payment of that size clears a mortgage for many households, or funds two years away from work.

What income protection claims are for

The picture flips completely. Musculoskeletal problems, such as neck and back pain, were the leading cause of individual income protection claims in 2025.

They accounted for a third of claims paid, 33 per cent.

Mental health is the other large cause. ABI figures for 2025 show £39 million paid on individual income protection claims for mental health, nearly a fifth of all individual income protection claims paid.

Neither of those would trigger a critical illness policy. A bad back is not on any condition list.

This is the gap most people do not see until they need it. The thing most likely to stop you working is not the thing most policies are bought for.

The Exeter paid 1,140 new income protection claims in 2025, up 4.5 per cent on the year. It paid £14 million across all its income protection claims.

Which cover to buy first

If your budget only covers one product, the claims data points at income protection for most working people.

The reason is frequency. Being unable to work through illness or injury is more common than a diagnosis that meets a critical illness definition.

Income protection also keeps paying. A critical illness lump sum pays once and the cover ends.

Critical illness earns its place when you have debt you want cleared rather than an income you need replaced.

There are exceptions worth naming.

If you get six months or a year of full employer sick pay, income protection matters less and can start later, which cuts the cost.
If you are self employed with no sick pay, income protection matters more than almost anything else you could buy.
If you have a large interest only mortgage and a partner who could carry the household on one income, a lump sum may serve you better.
If you have a family history that worries you, that belongs in the conversation, though it affects underwriting rather than which product to pick.

Plenty of households hold both. The order is what matters when money is tight.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most common critical illness claim?

Cancer. It accounted for 65 per cent of all critical illness claims paid across the UK market in 2025. Aviva reported 54.8 per cent of its own critical illness claims were for cancer in 2025.

What is the most common income protection claim?

Musculoskeletal conditions, such as neck and back pain. They were the leading cause in 2025, accounting for a third of claims paid.

Does critical illness cover a bad back?

No. A musculoskeletal problem is not a listed critical illness condition. That is one of the clearest differences between the two products, and it is why income protection suits many working people better.

How much does income protection pay?

A monthly amount, usually a percentage of your gross earnings, for as long as you cannot work or until the policy ends. The ABI average individual income protection claim in 2025 was £10,700.

Should I buy income protection or critical illness first?

For most employed and self employed people, income protection first, because being unable to work is more likely than a listed critical illness and the payments continue. If you have large debt you would want cleared outright, critical illness can come first.

Does income protection cover mental health?

Yes, and it is a significant part of claims. ABI figures show £39 million was paid on individual income protection claims for mental health in 2025, nearly a fifth of all individual income protection claims paid.