Half of vulnerable customers face challenges with insurance applications, according to GlobalData's 2025 UK Insurance Consumer Survey. The survey, which involved over 4,000 respondents, revealed that 10.9% of consumers with disabilities or long-term health conditions have been denied insurance. The most common complaint was the time taken to complete the application (21.4%), while 18.7% felt uneasy about the amount of medical information required. 14.4% found the questions difficult to understand or felt they were intrusive. This highlights a potential issue with insurance firms not offering adequate support to vulnerable customers. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) mandates that firms take reasonable steps to ensure fair treatment and make adjustments for disabled customers. This is significant as nearly 20% of consumers consider themselves disabled or with long-term health conditions. Insurers must provide clear, justifiable reasons for refusing cover, avoiding prejudices or assumptions. They should also be flexible, offering alternatives like phone applications for those struggling with written forms. The key is balancing information needs with customer comfort, using plain language and logical structures. Insurers must avoid making vulnerable customers repeat information across different stages or agents.
