Aviva paid out £12.9m to income protection customers in 2013, figures released from the insurer today (7 July) show.
The data revealed mental health conditions were the most common reason for the claim, accounting for 31 per cent of claims.
Following mental health conditions, musculoskeletal and neurological conditions each accounted for 19 per cent of claims.
Rheumatological conditions accounted for 9 per cent and cancer 8 per cent.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics in February show that almost a million - 960,000 -workers have absences classed as ‘long-term’ each year.
However, Aviva data suggests fewer than one in 10 families have income protection in case of a loss of income through accident or illness, despite the fact the average income protection claim is in force for nine years and four months.
Aviva individual income protection data also shows that in 2013 almost three quarters - 72 per cent - of claims came from men and that payments were made to 1,462 customers.
The average claimant at the point of incapacity was aged 44 overall, the data showed, breaking down as 45-years-old for males and 42-years-old for females.
Robert Morrison, chief underwriter for Aviva, said: “It is staggering to think that almost a million people in the UK are on long term absence from work due to illness or accident.
“Some of these people may have had some financial support from their employer, but often there are restrictions on how long employers will pay workers who are off sick.”
