22/09/2025

7 mins

Bills, groceries, mortgage or rent, most of life’s essentials depend on one thing: your ability to work and earn. Yet findings from our 2025 Drewberry Individual Protection Survey show that millions of people across the UK could be just one health issue, accident, or major life event away from real financial difficulty, with little or no safety net in place to fall back on.

A combination of low awareness, cost concerns, and misplaced confidence means many people are going without support at the time they’re most likely to need it. Scroll down to uncover the key insights from our 2025 Protection Survey 👇.

The Protection Gaps Brits Aren’t Seeing

Your income and your health are the foundations that everything else rests on. Without them, day-to-day life can unravel quickly, yet millions across the UK are going without any kind of financial or health protection. No Income Protection, no Private Medical Insurance, no Critical Illness Cover, and no Life Insurance. That leaves them dangerously exposed at the very moment support could make all the difference.

The results show that there’s a real disconnect between what matters most and what we choose to insure. Many people are more likely to cover their phone, their pet, or car than protect their ability to work or recover from illness. But if your health took a hit tomorrow, how would you manage the essentials, rent, groceries, childcare, let alone the everyday comforts like your morning coffee or subscription services?

Income Protection is Undervalued

Income Protection is an insurance product that pays out a percentage of your income should you be unable to work due to an accident or illness. It provides a financial safety blanket, ensuring that you can continue to cover your bills and living expenses while you recover.

You’d think that kind of cover would be a priority. But our survey found that just 9% of respondents said they had an Income Protection policy, making it one of the least-held forms of insurance overall.

So what’s stopping people? The top reasons given were:

cost (19%)
not knowing the product existed (14%)
relying on company sick pay (10%).

Life has an unpredictable nature and you never know when you might require some extended time off work. Whether it’s an injury or an illness, absence could cause a loss of income. This is where Income Protection comes in – protecting finances during difficult times.

Danny Gill
Independent Protection Specialist

Many Don’t Think They Have Enough Cover In Place

With only 9% of people holding an Income Protection policy, it’s not surprising that over a third (37%) of respondents admit they don’t think they’d have enough cover to support themselves if they were out of work for six months or more. This figure is startling given the central role income plays in every facet of our lives.

For many, Income Protection could be the difference between maintaining their lifestyle and facing financial freefall. But it remains overlooked.

Life Insurance Is Falling Short

Our research reveals a clear pattern: awareness of protection products doesn’t always translate to action. Although Life Insurance is the most common form of personal cover, only 38% of people hold a policy. That leaves more than six in ten people without a formal plan to support their loved ones financially if they were no longer around.

1 In 8 Don’t Know How Their Family Would Cope

But it’s not just the lack of cover that’s concerning, it’s the uncertainty that comes with it. One in eight respondents (12%) said they simply don’t know how their family would cope financially in the event of their death. This lack of clarity suggests a deeper issue: a gap not just in coverage, but in understanding.

The Price Guess That’s Putting Families at Risk

As with Income Protection, cost was the most commonly cited reason for not taking out Life Insurance. But once again, our survey shows that this barrier is often based on misconception rather than reality.

When asked to estimate the monthly premium for a healthy 35-year-old non-smoker to secure £250,000 of life cover, the average guess came in at £52.97. In truth, a policy like this could cost as little as £10.59 per month, depending on individual circumstances.

That’s an overestimation of 400%, highlighting just how significantly price perceptions are deterring people from getting the cover they need.

Critical Illness Cover Is Overlooked

The data shows that Critical Illness Cover remains largely missing from people’s protection plans, with only 15% of UK adults holding a policy.

Critical Illness Insurance pays out a tax-free lump sum on diagnosis of a serious illness, giving people the financial freedom to focus on recovery rather than money. This payment can help with mortgage repayments, day-to-day expenses, private medical treatment, or replacing lost income during time off work.

Often taken alongside Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover helps bridge the financial strain caused by long-term health issues. Without it, families may be forced to dip into savings, take on debt, or drastically change their lifestyle to cope with the costs of recovery.

This low uptake highlights another key insight from our survey: many people are underinsured and unaware of the tools available to protect themselves. And when illness strikes, the financial shock can be just as damaging as the diagnosis itself.

Samantha Haffenden-Angear, Independent Protection Expert at Drewberry

Protection insurance policies offer something truly valuable: peace of mind. Given the complexities of finding the right cover, we recommend speaking to our team of advisers. Our advice is completely free, and you won’t pay us a penny for setting up your policy.

Call us on 02084327333 or email help@drewberry.co.uk to chat through your options.

Samantha Haffenden-Angear
Independent Protection Specialist

More Brits Insure Their Pets Than Their Own Health

More people in our survey had insured their pets than their own health, with just 21% holding Private Medical Insurance (PMI) compared to 25% with pet insurance.

When asked why they hadn’t taken out health cover, the most common reasons were cost, a belief that the NHS would be sufficient, or simply not seeing PMI as a priority. Health Insurance can reduce the strain on our cherished health service, helping to tackle medical issues before they become larger problems.

But modern PMI policies often include far more than hospital treatment — from Virtual GP access and mental health support to faster diagnosis and specialist consultations. These everyday benefits can make a real difference, not just in treatment, but in overall wellbeing and recovery.

Why It’s Time To Consider Protection Insurance

Whether you need protection insurance is a personal decision. But think about what would happen to your finances if you fell ill/suffered an accident and suddenly couldn’t work? How would your family keep their home if the main breadwinner suddenly passed away? Would savings cover the essential monthly outgoings? Would family members support you financially? Or would things soon get very tricky?

The Risk of Illness/Injury is Higher Than You Think

The risk of developing an illness or suffering an injury is much higher than you might think. 2.78 million people were economically inactive due to long-term sickness / disability in the first quarter of 2025, and there’s been an increase in those aged 35 and above taking time off. Income Protection can be a lifeline for working people – providing financial support when they need it most.

You Get More Than Just Insurance

A disheartening finding from our survey is how many people don’t realise the additional benefits that often come with their insurance policies. More than half (55%) said their policies had no extras, and 27% weren’t even sure.

In reality, nearly all protection products on the market come with an array of perks (often free) included alongside the core insurance policy, such as Virtual GPs, counselling services, and probate support. These are all designed with wellbeing in mind, yet most people don’t know they exist.

You’re Protecting Your Loved Ones

Life insurance is one of the most important financial products you’ll ever buy. It’s an act of love, and a safety net for your family when they need it most. And if you write the payout into trust, it’ll bypass inheritance tax, going directly to your chosen beneficiaries with far less hassle.

The Alternatives Are Risky

When weighing up whether to take out insurance to protect your income, consider the options you’d have to fall back on.

Relying on Company Sick Pay

Most UK workers are only entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) of £116.75 per week, which would barely cover food shopping, let alone rent, bills, or childcare. For households with tight budgets and growing expenses, this could lead to serious financial hardship in the face of health setbacks.

Relying on Savings

If you’ve got savings to fall back on, then this can support you during time off. Though for many UK adults, it’s not always possible to have emergency funds to dip into. In fact, 16% of respondents said they’d run out of money within four weeks if their household’s main income stopped — with 1 in 20 surviving just a week or less.

Relying on State Benefits

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), that provides up to £90.50 a week if you’re aged 25 or above. But considering the average UK monthly expenditure is £2,700 (based on 2.3 people per household), it’s highly unlikely ESA will cover your outgoings.

rauri taylor, independent protection expert at drewberry

It’s best to take out a policy as early as possible. The healthier you are when you apply, the more comprehensive and affordable your policy may be. And if you choose guaranteed premiums, you’ll pay the same lower price throughout the policy’s lifetime.

Rauri Taylor
Independent Protection Specialist

It’s Time to Protect What Matters Most

We insure our phones, our holidays, and our pets. But too few of us are protecting our ultimate asset – ourselves.

With so many factors and options to consider when buying protection insurance, we know it can quickly become overwhelming. Our friendly advisers are here to ensure you buy the right policy for your needs.

Let us search the UK market on your behalf to find the most competitive deal. Call 02084327333, email help@drewberry.co.uk, or compare quotes to get started.

Why Speak to Us?

We started Drewberry™ because we were tired of being treated like a number.

We all deserve a first class service when it comes to issues as important as protecting our health and our finances. Below are just a few reasons why it makes sense to talk to us.

There is no fee for our service
We are an award winning 🏆 independent insurance broker who works with all the leading UK insurers
You’ll speak to a dedicated spcialist from start to finish
We are very proud of the 4036 and growing independent client reviews rating us at 4.92 / 5
Claims support when you need it most.
We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. You can find us on the financial services register here 🧐