Quick verdict on Cirencester Friendly

If you only read one paragraph: Cirencester Friendly is a member-owned mutual that has been paying sickness benefits since 1890. Two policy structures, both 5-star Defaqto, own-occupation definition, deferred periods down to day one, and a transparent claims record (95.8% paid in 2023, 94.5% ten-year average). On policy quality per pound, they sit firmly in the top tier of the UK market.

Where they tend to be the right answer: higher-risk occupations or hazardous hobbies (no premium loading, motorsport excepted); applicants wanting the shortest deferred periods the market offers; and anyone who values mutual ownership over a shareholder-driven insurer.

Where another provider may suit you better: high earners, since the £52,000 cap is below what Aviva, Legal & General and Royal London will write; and applicants over 54 looking at the lower-cost policy, since My Earnings Protected entry stops at 54. The only honest way to find out is a side-by-side comparison.

The headline numbers at a glance

• Both policies use an own-occupation definition (claim if you cannot do your specific job, not any job)
• Deferred periods include day one and one week — among the shortest in the UK market
• No premium loading for occupation, smoker status or hazardous hobbies, with the exception of motorsport
• Cover is sold through brokers and advisers only — not direct-to-consumer
• Won the Moneyfacts 'Best Protection Service' award in 2023
• Member-owned mutual — no external shareholders, surplus reinvested into policies and member services

Why a broker has to be involved

A point that catches people out: you cannot ring Cirencester directly and buy a policy. The society's distribution is intermediary-only — every contract has to be arranged through an FCA-authorised broker or financial adviser.

Two reasons. First, the regulator considers income protection a complex retail product where appropriate advice is essential — a deferred period that looks fine on paper can leave a household with no income for six months in a real claim, and a benefit set 5% too low can leave a mortgage uncovered. Brokers exist to catch those mistakes. Second, the society is a product manufacturer rather than an advice firm; they design and underwrite the cover, but the suitability conversation happens elsewhere.

Going through a broker doesn't add to your premium — the insurer pays the commission and it's already priced into standard rates. The practical advantage: you see the society's number alongside Aviva, Legal & General, LV=, Royal London, British Friendly, The Exeter and Vitality on the same call. A 20% premium difference between two equally-rated insurers is common; you'd never know if you only got one quote.

My Earnings Protected vs Income Assured Enhanced

Both products are 5-star Defaqto with own-occupation definition; the differences sit in the small print.

My Earnings Protected — the flagship, higher replacement percentage:

• Income replacement — up to 65% of gross earnings
• Maximum benefit — £52,000/year (£4,333/month); minimum £4,160/year
• Eligible age at entry — 18 to 54
• Deferred periods — 1, 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks, plus split-deferral
• Payment period — long-term (until policy ends) or short-term (max two years per claim)
• Premium type — guaranteed level (fixed) or age-banded (rises each year)
• Optional severe injury cover — day-one lump sum for specified serious injuries
• Claim frequency — no cap on separate claims

Income Assured Enhanced — older entry, included terminal-illness payout:

• Income replacement — up to 60% of gross earnings
• Eligible age at entry — 18 to 59
• Deferred periods — 1, 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks, plus split-deferral
• Premium type — guaranteed level or age-banded
• Terminal illness benefit — standard; 12-month prognosis triggers a lump sum equal to six months of benefit
• Day-one accident protection — optional add-on for accident-related claims
• Claim frequency — unlimited separate claims

Summary: My Earnings Protected suits the 18–54 band wanting the highest benefit cap; Income Assured Enhanced suits the 55–59 band, anyone valuing the terminal-illness lump sum, or applicants who want day-one accident protection without a day-one deferred period across the board.

Get quotes for both policies »

Premium pricing and what moves it

Cirencester Friendly income protection is generally competitive on price, with one structural quirk that sets it apart — they do not load premiums for hazardous occupations, smoker status or dangerous hobbies. The single exception is motorsport. That makes Cirencester Friendly income protection disproportionately strong for tradespeople, scaffolders, motorcycle couriers, smokers and anyone who would face significant loadings elsewhere.

On both policies, the premium calculation runs from:

• Age at application
• Health and medical history disclosed at underwriting
• Selected benefit amount
• Deferred period (longer waits cut premiums substantially)
• Payment period (short-term is materially cheaper than long-term)
• Premium type — guaranteed level (fixed) or guaranteed age-banded (rises each year at a known rate)
• Policy term and chosen end age
• Cover basis — fixed level or RPI-indexed (up to a 10% annual increase cap)

Materially missing: occupation class, smoker status and standard hazardous hobbies. By comparison, a smoking declaration at most other insurers commonly adds 30–50% to monthly cost, and a class-3 or class-4 occupation can add another similar layer.

Indicative monthly premiums quoted through LifePro, assuming good health, a 13-week deferred period, full long-term payment, and cover running to age 65 on a £30,000 income:

Indicative Cirencester Friendly income protection pricing

Real numbers move with BMI, family medical history and any treated conditions. The level-vs-age-banded choice has the longest tail — a 25-year-old paying £14.60 on age-banded premiums today will see that number climb every year. The £52,000 annual benefit ceiling also means very high earners (gross income above about £80,000) hit the cap and get a smaller-than-65% replacement ratio; Aviva or Royal London typically write more cover for those applicants.

My Extra Benefits — the optional add-ons

Beyond the core Cirencester Friendly income protection contract, the society offers a paid optional package called My Extra Benefits. The package has a minimum five-year term, runs to age 70 or your selected retirement age, and requires you to be a UK resident aged 16–65 at application with up-to-date premiums on the main policy.

My Extra Benefits — Cirencester Friendly optional add-ons

Severe injury cover sits separately and is only available on My Earnings Protected — an optional bolt-on inside the income protection contract that pays a lump sum from day one for specified serious injuries (loss of limb, loss of sight, severe burns) regardless of your chosen deferred period.

Other optional policy features worth flagging:

• Indexed (RPI-linked) cover — links the benefit to inflation, with a maximum 10% annual increase, measured against the Consumer Prices Index
• Guaranteed insurability option — increase the benefit without further medical underwriting following major life events
• Recovery benefit (My Earnings Protected only) — temporary partial benefit if you return part-time or in a lower-paid role
• Day-one accident protection (Income Assured Enhanced only) — pays from day one for accident-related claims
• Split-deferral — pays part of the benefit after one deferred period and the rest after a second

A broker's caution: severe injury and fracture benefits overlap with critical illness or accident policies; the immediate death benefit overlaps with existing life insurance. Check what you already hold before paying for duplicate cover.

Member services included with every policy

Every Cirencester Friendly income protection policyholder becomes a member of the society and gains access to a free package of health and lifestyle services — included as standard, funded by the mutual structure rather than charged separately:

• GP24 — round-the-clock digital GP appointments by phone or video with a UK-registered doctor, for policyholder, partner and children
• Friendly Voice — telephone-based emotional and mental-health support, including therapies and personal-nurse access, for policyholder and partner
• Children's critical illness support — a £2,500 lump sum if a policyholder's child is diagnosed with one of ten listed conditions
• 125 Foundation — financial-hardship grants for personal use or community causes, run by the society to mark its 125th anniversary
• Your Halo — a personalised wellbeing service covering nutrition, sleep, exercise and general health
• Member perks — discounts on shopping, gym memberships, cinema and lifestyle brands

These extras are genuinely useful, but choose your insurer on the strength of the underlying cover, claims record and price. Treat member services as a tiebreaker.

The 2023 claims figures and what they mean

Claims transparency is one of the society's stronger points. They paid 95.8% of claims in 2023 and 94.5% on a ten-year rolling average; the full claims booklet is published annually on their website.

Many UK insurers don't break out income protection claims data in meaningful detail, making it hard to judge a provider's record honestly. The mutual structure removes shareholder pressure to suppress payments to protect a quarterly profit — the surplus belongs to members anyway.

The most common decline reasons across the UK market as a whole:

1. Non-disclosure at application: Pre-existing conditions or lifestyle factors not declared honestly
2. Condition outside policy definitions: Claimant is not 'unable' to do their occupation as defined
3. Insufficient medical evidence: GP fitnotes don't support the duration of absence claimed
4. Policy lapsed: Premiums missed before the date of absence
5. Claim falls within an exclusion: Specific exclusions written in at underwriting

The single biggest control you have over whether your own claim is paid is honest, complete medical disclosure at application stage. A broker familiar with the underwriting team can help frame disclosures correctly.

Typical claim categories (broadly representative of the UK market):

• Musculoskeletal — back pain, joint problems — 25–35% of claims
• Mental health — anxiety, depression, stress — 15–25% of claims
• Cancer — extended treatment or recovery — 10–15% of claims
• Cardiovascular — heart attacks, strokes — 8–12% of claims
• Surgery and post-operative recovery — 5–10% of claims
• Other — respiratory, neurological, accident-related — the remainder

Cirencester Friendly vs the wider UK market

Cirencester is most often shortlisted alongside one or more of these six competitors. None are bad insurers — but they sit in different positions, and the right answer depends on your job, age and income shape.

Cirencester Friendly vs other UK income protection providers

• vs Aviva — Aviva has a higher benefit ceiling; Cirencester wins on higher-risk occupations and smokers thanks to flat-rated underwriting
• vs LV= — LV= often marginally cheaper for desk jobs; Cirencester wins on hazardous occupations and deferred-period flexibility
• vs Royal London — broadly similar mechanics; Royal London's claims data is less granular and they tend to be more expensive for self-employed cases
• vs British Friendly — the closest like-for-like; British Friendly's Breathing Space removes financial underwriting; Cirencester wins on day-one and one-week deferred-period choices
• vs The Exeter — The Exeter specialises in medical professionals and high-risk occupations; Cirencester is more cost-competitive for the wider population
• vs Vitality — Vitality rewards wellness engagement via points-based discounts; Cirencester is simpler for anyone who'd rather the cover not depend on a smartphone

There is no universal 'best' UK income protection provider. The same monthly premium can buy materially different value, and the right call depends on insurer-specific underwriting decisions for your circumstances. A like-for-like quote run is the only honest answer.

Compare Cirencester with the wider market »

Underwriting quirks worth knowing about

A few practical points about how Cirencester Friendly income protection actually underwrites that come up regularly in broker conversations:

• Motorsport is the only loaded hobby — competitive racing of any kind sits outside the flat-rated treatment and may attract loadings or exclusions
• BMI and lifestyle questions are still asked — smoking and hazardous occupation don't load premiums, but BMI outside the typical range and disclosed alcohol use above guidelines can still affect the underwriting decision
• Self-employed earnings are evidenced via accounts — typically the last two years' net profit and dividends; a broker can sense-check this before submission
• Underwriting decisions are not portable — a loading or exclusion at another insurer doesn't automatically apply at Cirencester Friendly; sometimes a parallel application produces a cleaner offer here
• The 'suited tasks' definition applies post-retirement age — if you continue the policy beyond your selected retirement age, the definition narrows from your specific job to broader suited tasks

Cancelling, switching or topping up your cover

Cancelling. Cirencester Friendly has a 30-day cooling-off period from the policy start date — cancel within it and any premiums paid are refunded. Cancellations after 30 days end the policy from the date of the request with no refund. Contact Cirencester Friendly directly on 0800 587 5098 or info@cirencester-friendly.co.uk; the request has to come from you, not your broker.

Switching. Never cancel an existing policy before a replacement is in force. Wait until the new policy is fully underwritten, premiums are taken, and cover is confirmed active in writing. Health changes between cancellation and the new policy starting can leave you uninsurable.

Topping up after a life event. Cirencester Friendly's guaranteed insurability option lets you increase the benefit amount without further medical underwriting following marriage, civil partnership, birth or adoption of a child, an increase in mortgage, or a significant salary uplift. Time limits typically apply (three to six months from the event), so flag it to your broker promptly.

Where Cirencester Friendly is a good shortlist

If you're in a higher-risk job, a smoker, or have a hazardous hobby (other than motorsport), Cirencester is one of the first insurers a broker will quote. If you value transparent claims data, mutual ownership and an own-occupation definition, they're clearly worth shortlisting. If you're a high earner needing more than £52,000 a year of cover, or you simply want the cheapest level-premium quote regardless of provider, they may not be the final answer — but seeing their number alongside the rest of the market is still the right starting point.