These wins recognise our Income Protection, Accident Only Income Protection (AOIP), and Friendly Shield products as market-leading solutions that redefine what it means to protect real people with real lives.
Raising the bar for Income Protection
Income protection is more relevant than ever, but we know one size doesn’t fit all. Over the past 12 months, we’ve enhanced our full protection suite to meet diverse adviser and client needs, delivering outstanding flexibility, accessibility, and service. This has resulted in a:
+124% increase in income protection sales (H1 2025 vs. H1 2024)
47% rise in active firms selling our protection insurance.
Our focus on faster applications, broader underwriting, and inclusive cover has set us apart. Application journeys are now 60% faster, with a 65% straight-through processing rate and same-day manual underwriting decisions.
We’ve widened acceptance criteria to include higher BMIs, flexible terms for health conditions like diabetes and personality disorders, and fairer eligibility for modern roles from healthcare and self-employed workers to offshore and renewable energy sectors.
Innovation that puts people first
Friendly Shield, our multi-award-winning short-term protection plan, was also recognised for Outstanding Product Innovation.
Designed to make protection simple, fast, and inclusive, Friendly Shield removes the barriers of up-front medical underwriting and income checks, offering three fixed benefit levels of up to £2,250 a month for up to three months.
Members and their families also have access to Friendly GP+, a virtual GP, counselling and physiotherapy service, plus valuable extras like fracture and rehabilitation cover, and accidental death payouts of up to £85,000.
Friendly Shield tackles two long-standing challenges: accessibility and affordability. It’s protection for real, everyday risks - the kind of safety net that helps people recover, stay financially stable, and return to work faster.
Since launch, it’s become our best-selling protection product and helps advisers open doors for clients who might otherwise have been left unprotected.
Service that shines when it matters most
Protection is only as good as the experience it delivers when clients need it most. That’s why we’ve built a claims process defined by clarity, empathy, and speed.
We’ve introduced faster, form-free payouts for smaller claims and plain-language updates that keep both advisers and clients in the loop. With dedicated claims handlers for each member who claims, and a Trustpilot rating of Excellent we’ve proven that our great service isn’t just promised, it’s delivered.
Why this win matters
Winning is a recognition of our mission: to make protection simpler, fairer, and more accessible for everyone.
It’s also a testament to our partnerships. From advisers who champion our solutions to members who trust us to protect them, these awards belong to the entire National Friendly community.
What’s next
We’re not slowing down. We’ll continue to champion inclusive protection insurance. Our focus remains on building protection that’s easy to understand, quick to buy, and even easier to claim on with features and support that genuinely make a difference.
