A record 4.4 million people are now covered by health insurance through their employer and one million claims have been made over the past year, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
The number of employees able to access workplace-based health insurance increased by 8%, from four million in 2021 to 4.4 million in 2022, the data showed.
Workplace policies also saw a 15% increase in claims, with one million made in 2022 compared with 873,000 in 2021.
The total number of people covered by health insurance – both individual and workplace policies – increased by 7% to 5.8 million in 2022.
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This is the highest number seen since 2008, said the ABI. Payouts for health insurance claims also hit a record high, reaching almost £3bn overall.
With the NHS struggling post-pandemic, key drivers for this increase have been employers wanting their staff to have speedier access to services and treatment, which often prevent health conditions from worsening, the ABI highlighted.
Access to virtual GPs, more flexible appointment times, and cover for operations that can help people get back on their feet more quickly were other key factors.
The association also pointed to research it carried out over the summer that showed nine in 10 (86%) people who were absent from work because of illness or injury were successfully supported to stay in their employment using services provided by their insurer.
More than 42% of those absent were supported back to work in under four weeks and 81% in under six months.
Ahead of chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement on 22 November, which is expected to focus on workplace health, among other areas, the association urged the government to cut the rate of Insurance Premium Tax on health insurance.
This, it argued, will allow more employers and individuals to access health insurance and therefore be a key route to improving workplace health generally.
Rebecca Deegan, ABI head of health and protection policy, said: “The value health and protection insurance can provide in keeping people fit, well and in work can’t be overstated. These record figures speak for themselves.
“By overlooking its potential to boost the health of the nation, the government is missing an opportunity to better support workers and keep people healthy and in employment,” she added.
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