Legal & General (L&G) has reported a significant 20% year-on-year increase in preventative health engagement across its group protection offerings, with over 188,000 interactions recorded in 2024 compared to 150,000 in 2023.
In total, L&G paid out £347m in Group Protection claims over the year, equating to nearly £1m a day.
The figure includes payments across group life assurance, group income protection and group critical illness cover.
Within group income protection alone, L&G paid out £87m across 3,542 claims in 2024, with an average benefit of £24,544 per claim.
Cancer remained the leading cause of claim, accounting for 306 cases with an average payout of £29,731.
Mental health conditions followed, with 175 claims averaging £22,575.
Notably, L&G enabled 31% of cancer-affected employees to return to work within the deferred period, increasing to 36% within the first year of absence.
For those impacted by mental health issues, 89% returned within the deferred period, and 91% within the first year.
The insurer’s in-house team of Vocational Clinical Specialists delivered 4,226 rehabilitation assessments in 2024, a slight increase from 4,192 the previous year.
These services included nearly 600 additional assessments conducted by specialist partners across Psychiatry, Physiotherapy, Cancer, Pain & Fatigue, and Neurological care.
Under L&G’s “Be Well. Get Better. Be Supported.” framework, more than seven in 10 (74%) employees receiving support through Group Income Protection were able to return to work during the deferred period, rising to 78% within the first year.
Vanessa Sallows, group protection claims and governance director – retail at L&G, said: “Our Group Income Protection prevention, early intervention and vocational rehabilitation support services, underpinned by our Biopsychosocial approach, are delivering outstanding outcomes to people and business. Demonstrating value is essential to growing our market.”
Sallows added that L&G is expanding its direct engagement with clients post-sale, with the intermediary’s permission, to ensure early support and clear understanding of available services.
She said: “It’s about early intervention, proactive claims management, care pathways, vocational rehabilitation and a return to work, where possible. It’s up to us – as an entire industry – to embrace and demonstrate this.”
Group critical illness cover also saw significant payouts, with £28m paid to 326 individuals in 2024, averaging £85,745 per claim.
This includes £358,750 paid out for children’s claims, provided as standard when a parent is covered by an employer policy.
Meanwhile, L&G’s group life assurance policies supported almost 1,300 claims, resulting in £232m in payments, with the average payout reaching £180,835.
