22 July 2026
Nine in ten claimants say their insurance paid out — yet mistrust in the industry remains
- New study finds 90% of those surveyed, who had made a recent claim, said it was paid in full or in part* (and only 6% said it wasn’t)**
- Despite that, 78% of consumers believe insurers look for loopholes to avoid paying claims
- And more than four in five describe their most recent claims as fair and clear
- Allianz UK launches ‘Trust Issues’ - its inaugural trust in insurance benchmark
UK adults overwhelmingly recognise insurance as essential to protect their homes, cars and businesses, but many still don't trust it will work as expected when something goes wrong, according to new research from Allianz UK.
Trust Issues, Allianz UK's inaugural trust in insurance benchmark, has found that 91% of people see insurance as essential and 86% feel reassured knowing they have it, even if they never need to use it.
But despite that, the industry ranks only ninth out of 13 sectors on net trust, while three quarters of UK adults associate the insurance industry with loopholes (78%), profit-first behaviour (77%), and reluctant necessity (75%).
Reality over perception
Yet for many people who have actually been through the claims process, the reality appears to be far more positive than the perception.
Among those who have made a claim, 82% say their most recent claim was handled fairly, and the same proportion (82%) describe the claims process as clear and easy to understand. Nine in ten (90%) say their claim was paid in full or in part, while only 6% say it was not paid.
That mismatch between what people fear about insurers and what many actually experience with their own provider sits at the heart of the findings.
Trust in people's own insurer is 22 points higher than trust in the industry overall, suggesting confidence is often stronger once insurance becomes personal.
Trust Issues has been developed as a long-term benchmark for how people across the UK feel about insurance, what shapes trust, and where confidence starts to fall away.
Colm Holmes, Chief Executive Officer, Allianz UK, said:
"Insurance may be technical, but trust is emotional, built on fairness and empathy.
"People buy insurance for peace of mind, so it should concern all of us that so many still doubt it will be there when they need it. That is not a comfortable finding for our industry, but it is an important one.
"Insurance is an essential product for millions of people and businesses. Customers should be able to feel clear about what they are covered for, more confident in how they would be treated in the event of a claim, and more certain that their insurer will do what it says it will do.
"This trust gap matters. When people lack confidence or understanding in insurance, they hesitate. They under insure. They avoid difficult conversations about risk. And in some cases, they disengage from insurance altogether. The result is not just poorer outcomes for customers, but greater vulnerability for households, businesses and the wider economy.
"Closing this trust gap will not happen overnight, but we are determined to demonstrate the value of insurance. This benchmark is only the beginning: we will keep listening, keep measuring what matters, and keep holding ourselves to account – because rebuilding trust is not just good for Allianz, it is vital for every household and business that depends on insurance to be there when it counts."
*Claims paid figures are based on self reporting by survey respondents
** 4% of those who had made a claim said they either didn’t know/couldn’t remember if their claim had been paid, or it was ongoing/not resolved. See p18 of the report
Research was carried out by Edelman on behalf of Allianz UK, January/February 2026. Sample: General population, nationally representative by age, gender and location (n= 2,000). SME business decision makers (n= 1,026).
For further information please contact:
Ben Moss Email: benjamin.moss@allianz.co.uk
The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers, active in almost 70 countries and serving around 97 million private and corporate customers*. Our customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, including property, life and health insurance, as well as assistance services, credit and global business insurance. Recognized for the seventh consecutive year as the number one global insurance brand in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2025 ranking, Allianz’s success is built on technology-enabled customer centricity – providing peace of mind, protection, and prevention for our customers and strengthening the resilience of individuals, communities, and societies. We are one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 770 billion euros** on behalf of our insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 2.0 trillion euros** of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of environmental and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, Allianz received an MSCI ESG Rating of AAA (as of March 2026). In 2025, our 156,000 dedicated employees achieved a total business volume of 186.9 billion euros and an operating profit of 17.4 billion euros for our shareholders.
* As of December 31, 2025. Customer count reflects Allianz customers in consolidated entities that are part of the customer reporting scope only.
** As of March 31, 2026.
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