Insurer Royal London paid £13.1 million to over 2,100 customers’ families for Covid-19 claims last year.

2,110 were death claims with 2,049 paid out on Whole of Life policies and 61 on Term Life policies with a total pay-out of £13 million.

One Critical Illness claim was paid due to Covid-19 leading to a period of intensive care with a sum assured of £50,000.

Seven Income Protection claims were paid to customers where Covid-19 led to their absence from work, with an annual pay-out totalling £46,000.

Customers dealing with the long-term effects of Covid-19 are also being supported through Royal London’s Helping Hand service. Data from Helping Hand shows that in 2020, cancer was the biggest reason for nurses providing support, accounting for 19% of the support being offered to customers. This was followed by support for bereavement (18%) and mental health (14%).

The amount of interaction between nurses and patients has increased by more than 20% in 2020 compared to 2019. Nurses are increasingly dealing with more complex and emotional cases which requires them to dedicate more of their time, Royal London said.

Craig Paterson, chief underwriter at Royal London, said: “Despite 2020 being an unpredictable year, we continued to pay claims promptly and support our customers through Covid-19. The pandemic has shown the importance of having protection in place and despite having to make changes to our underwriting and playing our part in avoiding putting additional strain on the NHS, we have offered cover to the majority of new applicants.

“We also recognise that, while receiving a pay-out can help to ease the financial strain of bereavement, money can’t always ease the emotional strain. Our Helping Hand service offered through protection policies bought through a financial adviser is available to customers and their families, so they can receive all the practical help and emotional support they need to help them through this difficult time.”