Health insurers process record £4bn in claims in 2024, says ABI 

UK health insurers processed a record £4bn in claims across individual and workplace private medical insurance schemes in 2024, according to the latest figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). 

The total represents a 13 per cent increase on 2023, when insurers processed £3.57bn in claims. The ABI said this equates to around £11m paid out each day over the course of the year.  

The data also shows that the number of people covered by health insurance rose by 4 per cent year on year to reach 6.5 million in 2024. Of those, 4.8 million people were covered through workplace policies, marking a second consecutive record high in more than 30 years of ABI data. 

The number of people making a claim on either an individual or workplace policy reached 1.8 million in 2024, up 10 per cent on the previous year. Workplace schemes accounted for the majority of this increase, underlining the growing role of employer-sponsored health insurance in access to care. 

Claims processed under workplace schemes alone totalled £2.6bn in 2024, a rise of 16 per cent compared with 2023. The ABI said these claims supported access to preventative services as well as diagnosis and treatment for acute medical conditions.  

The figures are published as the ABI continues to work with the Keep Britain Working review team, following the publication of its final report in November 2025. The review, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, focused on reducing health-related economic inactivity and supporting people to remain in, or return to, work. 

As part of its involvement in the Vanguard Phase of the review, the ABI said it will support government initiatives aimed at developing a healthy working lifecycle, creating a Workplace Health Provision service and establishing certified standards to support employee health. 

Rebecca Ward, head of health and protection policy at the ABI, said: “Another record-breaking year for coverage, claims and payouts underscores the vital role of insurers in maintaining a healthy UK population. As a complement to the life-saving work of the NHS, health insurance continues to help individuals and their loved ones access timely medical testing, treatment and care when it matters most.” 

She added: “Our figures specifically highlight the value of workplace health insurance schemes in supporting employees to stay well and in work – a key aim of Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working review.” 

Health insurance, also referred to as private medical insurance, is designed to cover the cost of private treatment for acute conditions that begin after a policy starts. Cover levels, treatment settings and excess contributions vary depending on the policy.