The Exeter’s 2025 results point to stronger demand for UK protection cover, especially income protection and life insurance. The figures do not mean every household should rush to buy a policy, but they are a useful reminder to check whether your income, mortgage, dependants and existing cover still line up.

According to Mortgage Solutions, The Exeter delivered an 8% rise in gross premium income to £135m for the year ending 2025, up from £125.1m in 2024 (Mortgage Solutions, 2026). As of June 2026, verify current terms with an FCA-authorised adviser or the insurer before deciding.

What The Exeter Reported

The Exeter is a UK mutual insurer active in health insurance, income protection and life insurance. Its 2025 results show growth across several protection lines.

Mortgage Solutions reported that The Exeter had 151,503 members, a 3% annual increase, and paid a record number of claims worth £74m. New business premiums for income protection rose 21.6% to £7m, while new business premiums for life insurance increased from £3.7m in 2024 to £5.6m in 2025 (Mortgage Solutions, 2026).

Those figures are company-specific. They do not prove that every protection quote is rising by the same amount. Premium income can increase because more people bought cover, because average policy sizes changed, because premiums moved, or because of a mixture of those factors.

What It Means For UK Households

Income protection can pay a regular monthly benefit if illness or injury stops you working, subject to the policy wording, deferred period, benefit limit and exclusions. Life insurance can pay a lump sum or regular income if the insured person dies during the policy term, depending on the policy.

MoneyHelper describes insurance as a way to protect against financial loss if something unexpected happens, while stressing the need to understand what is covered and what is excluded (MoneyHelper). That matters because two policies with similar premiums can behave very differently at claim stage.

Read also: How to Calculate Critical Illness Cover in the UK Beyond Employer Sick Pay

For a homeowner, the practical question is not simply whether premiums are rising. It is whether the household could still meet the mortgage, rent, bills and childcare costs if an earner died or could not work. A couple with a repayment mortgage may consider decreasing term life insurance. A self-employed worker with limited sick pay may put more weight on income protection.

Should You Review Cover Now?

A review is sensible if your mortgage, income, family situation, health, employment benefits or debts have changed. It is also worth checking older policies before cancelling them, because replacement cover may cost more or involve fresh medical underwriting.

Compare more than the monthly premium. Look at the amount covered, the deferred period, whether premiums are guaranteed or reviewable, exclusions, occupation rules, medical disclosure requirements and whether life cover should be written in trust.

The FCA provides consumer information for people using financial services and recommends checking firms on the Financial Services Register (FCA). Citizens Advice also publishes guidance on insurance claims, policy problems and types of cover (Citizens Advice).

Bottom Line

The Exeter’s 2025 growth suggests protection insurance is getting more attention from UK households, particularly where income, mortgages and dependants are exposed. Treat the news as a prompt to review your own resilience, not as a signal to buy the first policy you see.

This article is general information only, not regulated financial advice. UmbrellaOwl is not authorised by the FCA. Cover, exclusions and availability vary by insurer and policy, so read the policy wording and key facts document, and consider speaking to an FCA-authorised adviser for your personal situation. For trust, tax or estate planning questions, consult a solicitor or tax professional.