British Friendly Society review

Updated September 28, 2026 · AssureCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

British Friendly Society suits people in later life, and it underwrites its own income protection and critical illness cover rather than acting as a broker. With cover to age 50-70 available and claims started by phone, email, an online form or post, it gives members several routes to make a claim.

Key facts

Best for
Income protection and critical illness cover for seniors, written by the insurer rather than a broker.
Insurance types
Income-protection, Critical-illness (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Provider type
Insurer (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Claims channels
Phone, Email, Online-form, Post (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Age range
cover to age 50-70 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
British Friendly Society Limited (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
United Kingdom (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Founded
1902 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Email, Phone (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Audience
Seniors
Official website
britishfriendly.com

Apps and profiles

Elsewhere
LinkedInX

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Underwrites income protection and critical illness itself, so the policy sits with British Friendly Society rather than a third party.
  • Claims start through phone, email and online form, a wider set than the email and phone used for everyday queries.
  • The listed regulator is the Prudential Regulation Authority, and the entity appears under licence 110013.
  • A long-standing operation: British Friendly Society Limited has traded since 1902 in the United Kingdom.

Cons

  • The range stops at income protection and critical illness, so a buyer wanting life or gadget cover as well looks at Oney, which lists health, life and gadget.
  • Day-to-day support runs on email and phone only, narrower than the phone, email and online form offered at claim stage.
  • Cover is capped at cover to age 50-70, which answers a later-life need and leaves a younger buyer short.
British Friendly Society

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Scored 9.4 / 10 by AssureCue.

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Who it suits

  • People in later life who want income protection and critical illness cover from the insurer itself.
  • Members who like a choice of routes when raising a claim, as phone, email and online form provides.
  • Buyers comfortable with a UK entity regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority under licence 110013.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Anyone wanting life, health or gadget cover in the same place, since Oney lists health, life and gadget.
  • Households who also need auto, home, renters, travel, pet or motorcycle cover, all sold by Good Sam Insurance Agency under auto, home and renters.
  • Buyers after a life policy rather than an income or illness payment, for whom Linxea's life cover is the closer fit.

How British Friendly Society compares

Where British Friendly Society is available

Available
United Kingdom
Licence in United Kingdom
Prudential Regulation Authority (110013), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does British Friendly Society cover?+

The listed lines are income protection and critical illness, and British Friendly Society writes both itself rather than placing the risk with another carrier, so the contract sits with the legal entity British Friendly Society Limited in the United Kingdom.

How are claims made?+

Claims can be started through phone, email and online form. That is a broader set than the email and phone used for everyday questions, so a member who prefers a phone call or an online form has options at claim stage.

Who regulates British Friendly Society?+

The listed regulator for GB is the Prudential Regulation Authority, and the entity carries licence 110013. That sits alongside its insurer status, since it underwrites the cover rather than brokering it.

Who is the cover aimed at?+

The stated audience is seniors, and the age bands on offer are cover to age 50-70. A younger buyer reading a policy priced on those bands will find the cover ends earlier than a policy meant to run for life.

How long has the insurer been trading?+

British Friendly Society Limited has operated since 1902 and is based in the United Kingdom. A long record holds value in a market where provider status shifts between insurers, brokers and comparison sites year to year.

What might cover cost?+

No price is published for this brand, so the site list is the only yardstick: the median listed premium is €8.37 and the lower end sits at €2.92. Read those as market signals, not as a quote for British Friendly Society.

What would the alternatives cover instead?+

Linxea focuses on life cover, Oney lists health, life and gadget and Good Sam Insurance Agency sells auto, home and renters policies. Anyone needing life, health, gadget, auto, home or pet cover has more choice there.

Sources

Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Premium from, Monthly payments.

British Friendly Society

British Friendly Society

Income protection and critical illness cover for seniors, written by the insurer rather than a broker.

9.4/10See alternatives

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