More than 170,000 additional employees were covered on new-to-market group risk schemes last year, according to market data from Swiss Re.
This is the first time the reinsurer has published data on new schemes in the market as part of its wider Group Watch report.
The figures shows that there has been organic growth across all major products lines, despite ongoing cost pressures on employers.
The biggest increase, in terms of number of schemes, was for group life (or death benefit schemes). For 2025 Swiss Re shows there were an additional 2,961 group life schemes, covering 36,416 additional employees. In total 4.3 per cent of schemes were new to market.
There was also a marked increase in the number of employees covered on group income schemes (also known as long-term disability income schemes). Swiss Re’s figures show there were 961 new group income protection schemes in 2025, covering 36,416 employees. In total Swiss Re’s figures show that 4.6 per cent of these schemes were new to market in 2025.
Its figure also show there were an additional 433 brand new critical illness schemes, covering an 18,912 employees. This indicates that 5.9 per cent of in-force schemes were new to market in 2025, the highest percentage of the three products covered by this report.
Swiss Re says that these are minimum figures, based on data from providers representing 72 per cent of all in-force schemes.
It said this new data shows the market had successfully attracted new employer customers despite higher National Insurance and other costs putting pressure on businesses.
However, the insurer warned that these challenges remain, with many respondents to its February 2026 industry survey expecting only limited growth in new schemes over the next two years
This data was welcomed by Group Risk Development (Grid) the trade body for the sector. Spokesperson Katharine Moxham says: “The importance of the number of new-to-market group risk schemes should not be underestimated.
“This shows the increased appreciation from employers about how group risk benefits provide tangible support to their business and their employees: for financial, physical and mental health.
“This is the first time that new-to-market business has been tracked, and it represents a significant reporting development. New business is the ultimate litmus test for the industry: it demonstrates that the sector isn’t churning the same clients between insurers but is actively growing the market, and ultimately reducing the protection gap.
“This is particularly pertinent given the direction of travel of the Keep Britain Working review, focused on driving ‘a fundamental rebalancing in how health and disability are supported in the workplace’.
“The support services embedded within group risk products directly help employers meet their obligations coming out of the review, i.e. enabling them to support their employees to remain in and return to work.”
