The UK insurance industry demonstrated the scale of its coordinated social impact efforts during the 2025 Insurance Day for Dementia (IDFD), as more than 152 firms participated in the annual initiative aimed at addressing one of the country's most persistent health and care risks.
For insurers and brokers, dementia remains an issue with direct implications for customers, claims experiences, workforce wellbeing and long-term care funding. This year's event reflected growing recognition across the market that dementia is not only a public health challenge but also a material insurance concern.
A record-setting event
IDFD is the flagship event of Insurance United Against Dementia (IUAD), the industry-led campaign that has channelled more than £12 million into dementia research and support services since 2017. Its second phase, launched earlier this year, sets a £20 million fundraising target for 2030.
The event featured an insurance-focused "Lunch and Learn" webinar outlining developments in diagnosis, treatment and care of dementia. Insurance leaders from Aviva and Scottish Widows also discussed the relevance of the illness to life and health portfolios, protection policies and claims handling.
This year’s event raised a record £431,000, with further contributions expected. The scale of participation more than doubled from that of 2024, and highlighted a wider shift toward embedding social responsibility within insurance organisations' culture, recruitment and customer-facing strategies.
The Z Zurich Foundation boosted the fundraising effort by matching contributions up to £100,000 and providing additional support based on staff participation.
The event featured an insurance-focused "Lunch and Learn" webinar outlining developments in diagnosis, treatment and care of dementia. Insurance leaders from Aviva and Scottish Widows also discussed the relevance of the illness to life and health portfolios, protection policies and claims handling.
Spotlight on dementia
Industry leaders emphasised that dementia remains the leading cause of death in the UK and noted that recent drug approvals create new pressures and opportunities for insurers. Improved treatment prospects may influence life expectancy assumptions, claims patterns, product pricing and demand for care-related coverage. Continued fundraising through IUAD will help strengthen support services that insurers increasingly rely on when directing vulnerable customers to external assistance.
As the campaign advances toward its 2030 goal, insurers are framing dementia not just as a charitable cause, but as a material issue that affects their customers, their employees and the future of long-term protection and health-related insurance products.
