Progress improves CI claims approval rate

Progress has revealed it paid 89.5% of critical illness (CI) claims in the first seven months of the year.

This is an improvement on its first set of CI claims figures, announced in November, which showed an 86% approval.

The provider is keen to point out that being a relatively new CI provider with comparatively low claims volumes its statistics tend to fluctuate more than some more established providers in the market.

"Nevertheless we are pleased with what we've achieved over such a short period of time and our intention is to continue to publish up-to-date statistics on an ongoing basis," it adds.

In total it has paid out just over £1.2m in claims so far this year, with the average age of claimant falling to 41 from 42.3 years old (excluding children's claims).

Aidan Dewhurst, marketing manager for Progress from Royal Liver, said the provider is pleased the figures are moving in the right direction.

However he was disappointed to see one claim declined for non disclosure this time round, having not declined any claims for that reason in the previous period.

There was also one claim declined for not meeting the policy definition.