UK protection and health insurer The Exeter has today released data showing that 13% of working people in the UK – a total of 3,952,000 based on ONS employment data1 – are uncertain about the best time to purchase an insurance product such as health insurance, life insurance and income protection.
While The Exeter’s Health & Financial Fears Report found that 94% of respondents believe insurance products are important, the research also shows lingering uncertainty about how, and when to purchase them.
| When do you feel it’s most important for someone to consider purchasing the following types of insurance? | Income protection | Private health insurance | Life insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting your first job | 19% | 12% | 13% |
| Becoming self-employed | 14% | 8% | 7% |
| Moving into a rental property | 7% | 6% | 7% |
| Buying a property/getting a mortgage | 17% | 9% | 19% |
| When ill or following illness | 8% | 15% | 9% |
| Having a child | 8% | 9% | 20% |
| Approaching retirement | 4% | 5% | 6% |
| Offered cover by your employer | 4% | 11% | 4% |
| I don’t think this type of insurance is important | 6% | 8% | 5% |
| Not sure | 14% | 16% | 10% |
When it came to health insurance, 16% of UK workers reported that they were unsure of the best time to purchase a plan, compared to 14% for income protection and 10% for life insurance.
However, respondents cited different reasons for why they might consider purchasing the products; with 15% saying that experiencing an illness or during the immediate aftermath is the most important time to consider a health insurance purchase, compared to 9% of respondents who would consider purchasing life insurance, and only 8% who would purchase income protection.
Other popular times for considering a health insurance purchase included when starting a first job (12%) and when offered insurance by an employer (11%). However, only 5% of respondents considered retirement as the most important time to consider health insurance, despite this being the point at which any employer-provided policy would naturally end.
With protection policies such as income protection and life insurance providing more immediate financial security at the point of claim, respondents were somewhat aligned on when they would consider making a purchase. 17% of respondents stated they would consider income protection when buying a property or getting a mortgage, followed by 19% for life insurance. This is despite life policies often being the focus for many protection conversations during the mortgage journey and income protection policies historically being undersold.
However, one area where respondents did disagree was when having a family. One in five (20%) of respondents said they would consider life insurance when having a child, compared to just 8% who would consider income protection.
Karen Woodley, Head of Healthcare Distribution at The Exeter said:
“Throughout our Health & Financial Fears research, we found a common theme: UK workers understand the value of insurance but are not proactively investing in products to safeguard their financial and physical wellbeing.
Often UK workers may wait until they are ill to consider health insurance, where a proactive approach would offer far more security. Waiting too long risks a consumer taking out a policy after a medical condition has developed, which may mean that the condition is not immediately covered, or covered at all, under the application. Choosing the right insurance at the right time can be a tricky prospect without expert advice, making engagement with UK workers both individually and through employer health insurance schemes, hugely important.”
Jamie Page, Head of Protection Distribution at The Exeter commented:
“One of the more concerning trends from our research was how few UK workers considered taking on a mortgage as being an important time to consider income protection, when having a means of income that allows you to make repayments if you can’t work is an incredible safety net to have. The same logic applies to those who rent, where an income protection policy might make the difference between being unable to afford rental payments and being able to stay in a property.
As an industry there is still work to be done to educate people on the benefits that insurance can offer throughout their adult working life, not just at the point of making a mortgage application or after a health scare.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Methodology
Data in this report was gathered as part of The Exeter's Health and Financial Fears of UK Workers 2023 research, which surveyed 2,000 employed adults aged over 18 in the UK between the 1st and 5th June 2023. For some charts, respondents who replied, ‘Don’t know', 'None of the above' or ‘Prefer not to say’ have been removed to aid clarity, however these percentages are still factored into the final figures.
PR Contact
Tom Stewart-Walvin, Rostrum
T: +44 (0)7855 689 302
E: theexeter@rostrum.agency
About The Exeter
The Exeter is a leading protection and healthcare insurer who have been supporting UK families in the event of ill health or injury since 1888.
Formerly known as the Exeter Friendly Society and Pioneer Friendly Society, The Exeter is a mutual friendly society. This means it’s owned by members and run for their benefit, rather than shareholders.
The Exeter is a trading name of Exeter Friendly Society Limited, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Register number 205309) and is incorporated under the Friendly Societies Act 1992 Register No. 91F with its registered office at Lakeside House, Emperor Way, Exeter, England EX1 3FD.
MKTG190