Overall rating: 4.7/5
The Exeter is a specialist mutual insurer and widely regarded as one of the UK's best income protection providers — particularly for self-employed professionals, those with health conditions, and manual workers.
Who is The Exeter?
The Exeter is one of the UK's leading insurance providers, offering a range of protection products to individuals and businesses. They are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).
The Exeter Income Protection — key features
- Specialist IP focus — expert underwriting for complex cases
- Strong reputation for paying claims promptly and fairly
- Particularly competitive for self-employed applicants
- Flexible own occupation definitions for many occupational classes
- Mutual structure — customer-focused not profit-driven
Things to consider
- Only available through IFAs — not direct
- Smaller brand — less well-known to consumers
- Premium can be higher than volume providers for standard cases
How does The Exeter compare?
While The Exeter is a strong provider, the best income protection policy for you depends on your age, health, occupation, and financial commitments. We always recommend comparing the whole market — The Exeter may or may not be the best option for your specific profile.
Claims performance
The Exeter publishes annual claims statistics showing their payout rates. Major UK insurers typically pay out 97–99% of life insurance claims and 90–95% of critical illness claims. Always check the latest published data before buying.
Should I choose The Exeter?
The Exeter is a reputable, established insurer with a strong track record. However, the right insurer for you depends on your specific circumstances — particularly if you have any health conditions or a non-standard occupation. Use our comparison tool to see how The Exeter compares across the whole market.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Exeter is one of the UK's most established insurers with strong financial ratings and a good claims payout record. Whether it's the best option for you depends on your age, health, and needs — always compare the full market.
Contact The Exeter directly using the claims number on your policy documents. For life insurance claims, your beneficiaries or executor will need to notify the insurer and provide a death certificate and policy details.
Yes — most policies have a 30-day cooling-off period after purchase. After that, you can cancel at any time, though you will lose your cover and any premiums paid will not be refunded.