As Men’s Health Week highlights the importance of prevention and early action, claims data shows that Aviva paid out over £43m for prostate and testicular cancer claims across its individual critical illness and life insurance products in 2025. However, Aviva’s consumer research suggests many men are still not recognising early warning signs or seeking help promptly.
Aviva’s latest claims data shows that prostate cancer remains one of the most significant drivers of male protection claims. Between 2023 and 2025, the number of critical illness claims relating to prostate cancer increased by around 65%.2 In 2025, prostate cancer accounted for around a third (29%) of Aviva’s individual cancer related critical illness claims made by men.
In total, Aviva paid over £38m across its individual critical illness and life policies for prostate cancer in 2025, underlining the vital financial support available to customers and their families. Testicular cancer, while less common, continued to affect men of all ages, with around £5 million paid in critical illness and life claims in 2025.
While Aviva’s claims data demonstrates the value of protection products, Aviva’s recent consumer research suggests many men are still not taking steps to detect cancer early.3
Consistent with Aviva’s previous research in 2024, around one in three (29%) say they check areas of their bodies - such as their testicles - for new lumps or changes once a year or less. One in five (20%) of these men say that they never check their testicles. The proportion who never check themselves rises to around a quarter among men aged 45+, when incidence of testicular cancer rises.
Just 17% of men say they are aware of all symptoms of prostate cancer. Around one in five (21%) don’t know any symptoms at all, rising to 23% among those aged 45+.
Awareness of common prostate cancer symptoms including blood in urine, frequent urination and difficulty urinating has also declined slightly compared to 2024 levels. Around a third (31%) of men have delayed visiting a GP in the past year, despite experiencing concerning symptoms.
Jacqueline Kerwood, claims philosophy manager, Aviva Protection says: “Men’s Health Week is an important reminder that, while financial protection is making a real difference when serious illness strikes, there is still more to do to encourage men to take a preventative approach to their health through regular checks, understanding the symptoms to look out for and seeking support from a GP if something doesn’t seem right.
“We’re seeing rising claims for conditions like prostate cancer, yet many men still don’t act on potential symptoms or seek help early enough. Early detection can make a significant difference to outcomes, particularly for cancers such as testicular and prostate cancer.”
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