Best income protection insurance in the UK 2026

LV= income protection insurance policies

LV=’s income protection insurance (Flexible Protection Plan) keeps things simple when calculating how much income you can receive. You can cover up to 60% of your gross annual earnings, capped at £250,000 each year for level cover or £175,000 for inflation-linked cover. LV= income protection policies must last for at least five years and end before your 70th birthday. You can choose between guaranteed premiums or reviewable premiums, and deferment periods ranging from one month to 12 months.

LV=’s income protection insurance comes with extra benefits including fracture cover, which pays a lump sum if you’re diagnosed with a specified bone fracture, and a death benefit of up to £10,000. Parent and Child cover is also included as standard, providing a payout if a parent needs to care for their child following an operation, medical procedure, or diagnosis of a specified illness. Meanwhile, LV=’s Income Protection Benefit Guarantee means you’ll receive a minimum monthly payout of £1,500 if your income drops before claiming.

To keep costs down, LV= also offers a Budget Income Protection option, which works the same way but pays out for a shorter maximum period of 12 or 24 months.

LV= customer reviews

LV= has a high 4.5/5 star rating on Trustpilot from over 85,600 reviews. These reviews are based on LV=’s full range of financial products rather than just income protection insurance, but its “excellent” rating suggests that most customers are happy with the service they receive.

LV= ratings and awards

myTribe rated LV= as the number one income protection provider in 2026 due to its strong core features, valuable extra benefits and excellent customer service.

LV= has a five star rating from Defaqto for its Flexible Protection Plan Income Protection. LV= has also won Best Income Protection Provider every year since 2010 at the Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts Awards.

LV= payout rate

In 2025, LV= paid out £18.1 million in income protection claims to over 1,100 individuals who were unable to work. Overall, it paid 88% of all income protection claims that it received.

LV= perks

As an LV= member, you’ll receive a package of additional benefits, including access to medical advice and support services for both you and your partner. LV= Doctor Services included as standard with all LV= protection policies, provides access to six expert medical services, ranging from remote GP appointments and second medical opinions to discounted health assessments.

Sources: LV= website, LV= Income Protection Key Features, LV= Claims Report 2025, LV= Trustpilot profile

Aviva income protection insurance policies

Aviva’s flagship income protection insurance policy Income Protection+, lets you cover up to 65% of the first £60,000 you earn, plus 45% of anything above this, up to a maximum of £240,000 per year. It includes a benefit guarantee, meaning that if your salary drops after taking out the policy, your payout won’t automatically reduce.

You can choose a limited benefit period of two years or long-term income protection that pays out while your policy runs. You can select guaranteed or reviewable premiums and increase your cover each year. Income Protection+ comes with a wide range of extra benefits as standard that add further value, including waiver of premium, a back-to-work benefit, hospital benefit and trauma benefit.

Aviva also offers a more affordable income protection cover called Living Costs Protection. It pays out much smaller amounts of between £500 and £1,500 a month for up to 1 year. It’s designed to help cover your essential bills such as rent or mortgage payments, utilities and groceries, while you recover.

Aviva customer reviews

Aviva has a Trustpilot rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars, from over 61,500 customer reviews. Most of these reviews are for Aviva’s other products and services, so it is worth filtering out those that relate specifically to its income protection.

Aviva ratings and awards

Aviva was runner-up in myTribe’s 2026 review of the best income protection insurance providers, earning a five-star rating thanks to its high cover limits and wide range of valuable built-in benefits.

Aviva holds a five star Defaqto rating for its Income Protection+ plan and a three star rating for its Living Costs Protection plan.

Aviva payout rate

In 2025, Aviva paid out on 90% of all income protection claims it received. Overall, it paid £63 million across 4,154 income protection claims, by far the highest total of all the income protection insurers we reviewed.

Aviva perks

Aviva income protection cover comes with Aviva DigiCare+, which gives you free access to a host of health and wellbeing services through its app. These include an annual health check, mental health support, consultations with a nutritionist, second medical opinions and discounts on gym and home fitness services.

Sources: Aviva website, Aviva Income Protection+ Policy Summary, Aviva Income Protection+ Policy Conditions, Aviva protection claims, Aviva Trustpilot profile

The Exeter income protection insurance policies

The Exeter’s Income First plan covers up to 65% of your first £60,000 of personal taxable income, and 45% above that. There is a maximum annual benefit of £120,000. The Exeter offers three premium options: level guaranteed premiums, age-costed guaranteed premiums and age-costed reviewable premiums. There’s plenty of choice on the length of your claim period, including full cover for the duration of the policy or a shorter two or five years to reduce costs.

A key feature of The Exeter income protection insurance is simplified underwriting, with no routine medical evidence required if you’re under 42. This makes the application process quicker for younger individuals. If you're a teacher or NHS medical professional, The Exeter also offers waiting periods to align with your existing sick pay arrangements, so that your income protection kicks in exactly when you need it.

There’s also a fixed benefit option that lets you secure your full monthly benefit, up to £7,500 per month, if you provide financial evidence within six months of starting your policy. This gives you peace of mind that even if your earnings drop before you claim, you’ll still receive your fixed benefit. A waiver of premium is included as standard with Income First too.

The Exeter customer reviews

The Exeter has a Trustpilot rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars from 1,410 reviews. While that's a relatively modest sample size compared with some of the big insurance brands, most reviews are positive, showing that members are generally satisfied with the service they’ve received.

The Exeter ratings and awards

The Exeter ranked third in myTribe’s list of the best income protection providers in 2026. It scored five-stars due to its combination of flexible cover, a consistently strong claims record and a simple application process for younger individuals.

The Exeter Income First plan has a five star Defaqto rating. The Exeter won the Best Underwriting and Claims category at the 2025 Protection Review Awards.

The Exeter claims payout

In 2025, The Exeter paid 93% of income protection claims to 1,140 members. Even better is the fact that it has maintained a 93% average payout rate over the past 10 years, which demonstrates a consistent claims track record.

The Exeter perks

Income protection customers receive free access to HealthWise, (opens in a new tab)The Exeter’s member benefits app. It provides unlimited remote GP appointments, plus up to six sessions each year for physiotherapy, mental health support, dietitian advice and lifestyle coaching. Members can also access up to two second medical opinions annually, along with a yearly health MOT.

Sources: The Exeter website, The Exeter Income First Policy Summary, The Exeter 2025 Claims Statistics, The Exeter Trustpilot profile

Royal London income protection insurance policies

Royal London’s Personal Menu Plan income protection covers up to 65% of the first £60,000 of your pre-tax earnings, and 50% of anything above that, up to a maximum of £250,000 a year. It includes a minimum income guarantee of £1,750 a month (or £3,500 for doctors and surgeons), and covers you based on your own occupation. You can choose your payments to last for one year, two years, five years or for the full length of your policy.

A neat feature is the back-to-work payment, which supports you if you have a 13, 26, or 52-week deferred period by providing financial assistance in your first and second months back at work. There’s also a death benefit that pays a £10,000 lump sum.

Fracture cover and hospitalisation payment is standard with every income protection policy, as well as waiver of premium, which means Royal London will pay your premiums for you if you can’t work due to illness or injury. Royal London also includes a child illness and loss benefit which pays up to £25,000 if a child becomes seriously ill and £5,000 on death.

Royal London customer reviews

Royal London stands out with the highest Trustpilot rating among the income protection insurance companies we reviewed, scoring a very high 4.6 out of 5. Its customer service is frequently praised in the reviews, although these ratings reflect Royal London’s full range of products, not just income protection insurance. It’s a good indicator of overall satisfaction, but doesn’t tell the full story about its income protection alone.

Royal London ratings and awards

Royal London achieved a five-star myTribe rating and ranked fourth in its reviews of the top income protection providers, largely due to its high cover limits and impressive customer satisfaction.

Royal London’s Personal Menu Plan income protection insurance has a 5-star Defaqto rating. Royal London won best Individual Protection Provider at the UK Health & Protection Awards 2025.

Royal London payout rate

Royal London's income protection claims payout percentage was 85.2% in 2025. It paid £9.6 million in income protection claims to 1,308 customers.

Royal London perks

When you take out a Royal London income protection policy you’ll also get access to some health and wellbeing services through its Helping Hand support. These are available at any time while your policy is active. The support includes virtual GP appointments, physiotherapy advice, mental health support and help from a dedicated nurse.

Sources: Royal London website, Royal London Income Protection Plan Details, Royal London 2025 Claims Statistics, Royal London Trustpilot profile

Cirencester Friendly income protection insurance policies

Cirencester's Friendly's My Earnings Protected covers up to 65% of your gross taxable earnings, with a maximum payment of £52,000 per year. The income calculation is easy to grasp, but the annual benefit cap is the lowest in this guide. The policy provides income protection cover on “own occupation” terms, meaning you’re protected if you can’t do your specific job. Premiums are guaranteed unless you choose an annual escalating benefit.

You can choose short-term income protection, which limits payments to a maximum of two years per claim, or long-term cover that pays out until your policy ends. Deferred periods range from one to 52 weeks, and there's a split deferred option to stagger when your income payments begin. This is useful if your income gradually reduces during a prolonged illness.

You can customise your Cirencester income protection policy with optional add-ons such as severe injury cover, fracture and hospitalisation benefit, or immediate death benefit, though these will increase the cost.

Cirencester Friendly customer reviews

The absence of customer reviews on Trustpilot means it's tricky to gauge how customers feel about Cirencester Friendly’s level of service.

Cirencester Friendly ratings and awards

Cirencester Friendly scored five stars in myTribe’s income protection insurance ratings, standing out in its approach to underwriting and market-leading claims payout rates.

Cirencester Friendly holds a five star rating from Defaqto for both its My Earnings Protected and Income Assured Enhanced income protection products.

Cirencester Friendly has won plenty of industry awards for its service, including Best Protection Service at the 2025 Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts Awards.

Cirencester Friendly payout rate

Cirencester Friendly boasts the highest income protection claims payout rates in the market. In 2025, it paid an impressive 94% of claims. Cirencester Friendly has a reliable track record in supporting its members when it matters most, maintaining an average payout of 94% and above for over 15 years. In total, it paid claims worth over £10.7 million last year.

Cirencester Friendly perks

Cirencester Friendly’s income protection insurance is packed with added value benefits that go beyond financial cover. These include 24/7 access to a virtual GP service, emotional support and second medical opinions via a Personal Nurse Adviser, and a personalised health and wellbeing programme. Members also get a £2,500 children’s critical illness benefit. Other additional perks include free legal advice and discounts with brands such as Apple and M&S.

Sources: Cirencester Friendly website, Cirencester Friendly My Earnings Protected Key Facts Document, Cirencester Friendly Claims Statistics 2025

Vitality income protection insurance policies

Vitality’s income protection insurance (Personal Protection Plan) covers 60% of your first £60,000 of earnings, then 50% of earnings thereafter. There’s an overall cap on payouts at £200,000 a year. An Earnings Guarantee, which guarantees a monthly benefit up to £1,500 per month (£8,000 if you verify your earnings within the first six months) adds some extra certainty.

You can choose from a wide range of deferment periods, including a seven-day option for the self-employed, and even split cover across two waiting periods. If you're concerned about inflation, you can choose for your benefit to increase in line with the Retail Prices Index.

As you’d expect from Vitality, there’s an incentive to look after your health. Its unique income booster can top up your monthly benefit by up to 20% for six months depending on your Vitality status. You also get an unlimited Recovery Benefit that gives you access to private healthcare support during a claim. This includes physiotherapy, mental health support, cancer support and rehab for your nervous system.

Vitality customer reviews

Vitality has an excellent score of 4.5 out of five stars on Trustpilot, although this relates to all of its protection and health insurance products. Most reviews speak positively of the customer service that Vitality has delivered, although some income protection insurance customers have had disappointing claims experiences.

Vitality ratings and awards

Vitality's focus on rewarding healthier lifestyles combined with some innovative features such as its Recovery Benefit helped it to earn it a four-and-a-half myTribe income protection star rating for 2026.

Vitality’s income protection also has a five star rating from Defaqto.

Vitality claims payout

Vitality paid 94.2% of income protection insurance claims in 2024. It hasn’t published an income protection claims payout rate in 2025 although it stated that it paid claims worth £1.8 million last year.

Vitality perks

Vitality income protection cover includes access to its renowned Vitality Programme, which rewards healthy living. Earning Vitality points through an active lifestyle, lets you unlock discounts on wearable tech and gym memberships, as well as rewards like Vue or ODEON cinema tickets and handcrafted drinks from Caffè Nero. If you add Optimiser to your plan (for an additional cost) and maintain a healthy lifestyle, you can also get Vitality’s best premium which is 30% lower than its standard premium.

Sources: Vitality website, Vitality Personal Protection Plan Summary, Vitality Personal Protection Guide, Vitality income protection cover claims, Vitality Trustpilot profile

Legal & General income protection insurance policies

Legal & General’s Income Protection Benefit covers up to 60% of your annual income up to £60,000, and 50% of your annual income above that. The maximum annual benefit is £240,000. Premiums are guaranteed, unless you choose the increasing benefit option, in which case the premiums and cover rise each year. For more affordable cover you can pick the Low Cost option which limits the payment period to 12 or 24 months.

Legal & General income protection cover offers a stepped benefit letting you choose two different deferred periods and monthly income amounts. Other benefits that come as standard include waiver of premium, hospitalisation benefit, an income guarantee of £1,500 (£3,000 if you’re an NHS dentist, doctor, midwife, nurse or surgeon) and life cover worth 12 times your monthly premium.

Legal & General also offers a Low Start Income Protection policy with lower initial premiums that increase annually with your age. This may be a good fit if you are self-employed or want to manage costs in the early stages of your career or business. The maximum annual benefit is lower though, capped at £120,000, and you get fewer extra features than Legal & General’s standard Income Protection Benefit.

Legal & General customer reviews

Legal & General has a Trustpilot rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from over 32,000 reviews which is classified as "excellent". As with most big insurers, these ratings apply to Legal & General’s full suite of financial products, so filter the reviews to find how its income protection insurance customers rate the service they have received.

Legal & General ratings and awards

myTribe rated Legal & General four-and-a-half stars for its income protection insurance thanks to its strong core cover and range of options to suit different budget

Legal & General’s Income Protection Benefit and Low Start Income Protection were rated five stars by Defaqto in 2026.

Legal & General payout rate

Legal & General had an income protection claims payout rate of 85% in 2025, which is the joint lowest rate of all the providers in our top ten list. It paid 814 income protection claims totalling £9.2 million.

Legal & General Perks

Beyond financial protection, Legal & General income protection insurance offers extra perks in the form of Wellbeing Support provided by RedArc and rehabilitation support services to help you return to work. There’s also a free Care Concierge service, so you and your family can speak to a later-life care expert for advice on care options.

Sources: Legal & General website, Legal & General Income Protection Benefit Policy Booklet, Legal & General Claims Statistics 2025, Legal & General Trustpilot profile

Holloway Friendly income protection insurance policies

Holloway Friendly's My Sick Pay income protection insurance lets you cover up to 60% of the first £100,000 you earn before tax, and 40% thereafter. The maximum benefit is capped at £100,000 a year.

Holloway Friendly lets you opt for benefit periods of one year, two years, or full cover until the policy ends. You can choose from three premium types: guaranteed, age-costed or reviewable, and link your cover to the cost of living so that your protection keeps pace with inflation.

A welcome feature of Holloway Friendly income protection cover is its Drop in Earnings Guarantee, ensuring a minimum payout of up to £1,500 a month if your income falls after taking it out. Additional benefits include up to 6 months’ sick pay if you're diagnosed with a terminal illness, rehabilitation support and a financial top-up for up to a year if you return to work part-time or in a lower-paid role.

Holloway Friendly customer reviews

Holloway Friendly has a Trustpilot rating of 3.2 out of 5, although this is based on a very small number of reviews. However, many customers praise the quality of service they’ve received, and because Holloway Friendly only offers income protection insurance, you can be confident that all its reviews are relevant.

Holloway Friendly ratings and awards

Holloway Friendly earned four-and-a-half stars in myTribe’s 2026 income protection insurance ratings largely on the basis of its simple income calculations and no standard exclusions.

Holloway Friendly has a five star rating for its My Sick Pay plan from Defaqto.

Holloway Friendly payout rate

In 2025, Holloway Friendly paid out 85% of the income protection claims it received, down from 88.3% in 2024. It paid out £6.33 million, with 94% of decisions made within 30 days.

Holloway Friendly perks

If you take out Holloway Friendly income protection cover you and your family will get access to HealthHero which gives you unlimited free access to GP consultations. There’s also extra support in the shape of free advice and counselling helplines. Finally, you’ll be eligible for Holloway’s member support fund which can provide financial support and allow you to pause your payments for up to six months.

Sources: Holloway Friendly website, Holloway Friendly My Sick Pay Product Guidance, Holloway Friendly My Sick Pay Terms and Conditions, Holloway Friendly Trustpilot profile, Holloway Claims Report 2025

Zurich income protection insurance policies

Zurich Income Protection covers up to 65% of the first £60,000 of your gross income and 45% above that, up to a maximum of £240,000 each year. You can choose payments for the full policy term or a shorter two-year period to reduce costs, along with single or dual deferment options

Zurich offers a Maximum and Minimum Benefit Guarantee, useful if you are a contractor or self-employed and your income fluctuates. The maximum benefit guarantee means that if you can’t work and your insured benefit is within 10% of the maximum allowed based on your earnings, Zurich will pay the full monthly amount (minus any ongoing income). Otherwise, the Maximum Benefit Guarantee will cover your monthly benefit up to £1,500 if your salary has dropped.

Zurich’s income protection cover includes a return to work package so you can receive reduced benefits if you go back part-time or to a lower-paid role, plus waiver of premium so you don’t pay while claiming. You can add extra benefits for an additional cost, such as multi-fracture cover and Income Protection Enhanced, which includes trauma cover, a hospital stay benefit and a funeral benefit.

Zurich customer reviews

Zurich currently holds a Trustpilot score of 3.2 out of 5, which is considered “average” and is the joint lowest customer service rating among the income protection insurance providers in our guide. However, this score reflects feedback across all of Zurich’s insurance and retirement products, so it’s worth reviewing individual comments to see if customers rate its income protection service more favourably.

Zurich ratings and awards

Zurich earned four stars in myTribe’s 2026 income protection insurance ratings reflecting its comprehensive cover and flexible features, particularly for those with variable incomes.

Zurich has a five star Defaqto rating for its Income Protection and Income Protection Enhanced products.

Zurich claims payout

Zurich paid over 95.4% of all income protection claims it received in 2025, totalling £4.6 million, the highest payout rate of the income protection providers in this guide.

Zurich perks

Zurich income protection policyholders get access to Zurich Support Services, a free health and wellbeing service for you and your family. It includes up to six sessions of professional counselling, along with expert support for work-life balance challenges, such as career coaching, debt and money management and family caregiving support.

Sources: Zurich website, Zurich Income Protection Key Features, Zurich Income Protection Terms and Conditions, Zurich Claims Paid 2025, Zurich Trustpilot profile

British Friendly income protection insurance policies

British Friendly offers two income protection plans: Protect and Breathing Space. Protect is its main product and is aimed at those with stable incomes. It covers 65% of your first £60,000 of annual income befoire tax, and then 50% of anything thereafter (up to the maximum benefit amount). The maximum income you can receive each year is £120,000.

You can personalise your policy by choosing either level or age-costed premiums on a reviewable and guaranteed basis, picking your deferment period, and deciding whether you want the payout to last one, two, or five years, or until your policy ends.

Breathing Space is designed for those with irregular or unpredictable incomes, such as the self-employed or gig workers. There’s no financial underwriting but payouts are lower (£541 to £1,250) and limited to one or two years. Also, keep in mind that with this plan your premiums will go up each year as you get older. Both of British Friendly’s income protection policies let you add extras like Fracture Cover and Children’s Critical Illness Cover at an extra cost.

British Friendly customer reviews

British Friendly has a Trustpilot rating of 4.3 out of 5, with 72% of customers awarding it the full five stars. As it only offers income protection insurance, all reviews are directly relevant. However, British Friendly's Trustpilot rating is based on a relatively small number of reviews.

British Friendly ratings and awards

British Friendly was rated four stars by myTribe, due to its strong support for people who often struggle to get income protection insurance elsewhere, such as the self-employed, manual workers and those in the gig economy.

British Friendly’s Protect income protection product is rated five stars by Defaqto, and its Breathing Space plan is rated four stars.

British Friendly payout rate

British Friendly paid out 88.6% of income protection claims in 2025, which is lower than many of the other top providers in the market. In total, £4.9 million was paid out across 965 new claims.

British Friendly perks

British Friendly’s income protection cover comes with a bunch of useful extras free of charge. Its Mutual Benefits programme lets you and your family tap into a range of digital health services, like 24/7 GP appointments, mental health support, physio sessions, second medical opinions and discounted annual health checks. On top of that, its BF Care discretionary benefit can pay out up to £2,000 if you go through certain major life events.

Sources: British Friendly website, British Friendly Product Guide, British Friendly 2025 Claims Statistics, British Friendly Trustpilot profile