---
title: "Income protection providers in the United Kingdom: Which are searched most?"
description: "Compare the companies people in the UK buy income protection insurance from. Share of Search among Aviva, Legal & General, Vitality, LV=, Royal London and Zurich, the income protection providers Brandwave compares in the United Kingdom, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/uk/categories/uk-income-protection-providers"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Income protection providers in the United Kingdom: Which are searched most?

Compare the companies people in the UK buy income protection insurance from. Share of Search among Aviva, Legal & General, Vitality, LV=, Royal London and Zurich, the income protection providers Brandwave compares in the United Kingdom, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Competitive set**: Income protection providers
- **Market**: United Kingdom
- **Brands compared**: 6
- **Month measured**: Sep 2026
- **Highest Share of Search**: Aviva, 36.5%

## Which brand is most popular in search among income protection providers in the United Kingdom?

- In September 2026, Aviva was the most searched among income protection providers in the United Kingdom, with an estimated 1.3K branded searches, 36.5% of all searches for the six we track.
- Legal & General is in 2nd place, 16.3 percentage points behind at 20.2%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Aviva’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom decreased from 40.3% to 36.5%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Legal & General’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom increased from 14.9% to 20.2%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Vitality’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom increased from 14.9% to 16.6%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, LV=’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom decreased from 14.9% to 11%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Royal London’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom increased from 9.8% to 11%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Zurich’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom decreased from 5.3% to 4.8%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Aviva’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom peaked at 40.3% in October 2025 and was lowest at 31.7% in June 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Legal & General’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom peaked at 20.2% in September 2026 and was lowest at 13% in April 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Vitality’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom peaked at 18.1% in March 2026 and was lowest at 14.4% in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, LV=’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom peaked at 18.7% in June 2026 and was lowest at 11% in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Royal London’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom peaked at 13% in April 2026 and was lowest at 9.8% in March 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Zurich’s share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom peaked at 7.4% in November 2025 and was lowest at 4.8% in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Vitality rose from 4th to 3rd among income protection providers in the United Kingdom.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, LV= fell from 3rd to 4th among income protection providers in the United Kingdom.

## Top income protection providers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Aviva was mentioned most often, in three of the five answers. LV= was recommended most often, coming first in one out of two answers that gave a list. Royal London was second, and Legal & General was third. Vitality, which ranked third in searches, was not mentioned at all.

Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options.

| Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LV= | 1st | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Royal London | 2nd | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Legal & General | 3rd | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Aviva | 4th | 3 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 3 of 5 |
| Zurich | 5th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 |
| Vitality | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 |

## Every AI answer about income protection providers

- Asked ChatGPT "Who is the best income protection insurance provider in the UK?": 1. Royal London, 2. LV=, 3. Aviva, 4. Legal & General
- Asked ChatGPT "Which income protection policy should I get if I'm self-employed?": 1. Aviva
- Asked ChatGPT "Is income protection worth it, and which company is best?": 1. LV=, 2. Legal & General, 3. Royal London, 4. Zurich, 5. Aviva
- Searched Google, AI Overview "income protection insurance": named none of the brands we track
- Searched Google, AI Overview "income protection": named none of the brands we track

Not named in any answer: Vitality.

Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in United Kingdom on October 27, 2026.

## Compare search popularity between leading brands

- [Aviva vs Legal & General: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/aviva-vs-legal-general): 36.5% against 20.2% Share of Search.
- [Aviva vs Vitality: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/aviva-vs-vitality-uk): 36.5% against 16.6% Share of Search.
- [Aviva vs LV=: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/aviva-vs-lv-insurance): 36.5% against 11% Share of Search.
- [Aviva vs Royal London: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/aviva-vs-royal-london): 36.5% against 11% Share of Search.
- [Legal & General vs Vitality: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/legal-general-vs-vitality-uk): 20.2% against 16.6% Share of Search.
- [Legal & General vs LV=: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/legal-general-vs-lv-insurance): 20.2% against 11% Share of Search.
- [Legal & General vs Royal London: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/legal-general-vs-royal-london): 20.2% against 11% Share of Search.
- [Vitality vs LV=: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/lv-insurance-vs-vitality-uk): 16.6% against 11% Share of Search.
- [Vitality vs Royal London: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/royal-london-vs-vitality-uk): 16.6% against 11% Share of Search.
- [LV= vs Royal London: compare search popularity](/demand/uk/compare/lv-insurance-vs-royal-london): 11% Share of Search each.

## How did search popularity change for United Kingdom income protection providers in September 2026?

- In September 2026, Vitality overtook LV= to rank 3rd among income protection providers in the United Kingdom, with 16.6% of the searches.
- In September 2026, Aviva gained share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom, from 32.5% to 36.5%.
- In September 2026, Legal & General gained share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom, from 19.2% to 20.2%.
- In September 2026, Royal London gained share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom, from 10.4% to 11%.
- In September 2026, LV= lost share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom, from 15.6% to 11%.
- In September 2026, Zurich lost share of searches among income protection providers in the United Kingdom, from 6.8% to 4.8%.

## Share of Search ranking

| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | Change vs prior month | Owned by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Aviva | 36.5% | 1.3K | +30.0% | Aviva |
| 2 | Legal & General | 20.2% | 720 | +22.0% | Legal & General |
| 3 | Vitality | 16.6% | 590 | +22.9% | Vitality |
| 4 | LV= | 11% | 390 | -18.8% | Liverpool Victoria |
| 5 | Royal London | 11% | 390 | +21.9% | Royal London |
| 6 | Zurich | 4.8% | 170 | -19.0% | Zurich Insurance |

Aviva, Legal & General and Royal London sell other things too, so only their searches that name this product count here, like “aviva income protection”.

## Historical estimated branded-search demand

| Month | Brand | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | Aviva | 1.6K | 40.3% | 1 |
| Oct 2025 | Legal & General | 590 | 14.9% | 2 |
| Oct 2025 | LV= | 590 | 14.9% | 3 |
| Oct 2025 | Vitality | 590 | 14.9% | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | Royal London | 390 | 9.8% | 5 |
| Oct 2025 | Zurich | 210 | 5.3% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | Aviva | 1.3K | 37.1% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | Vitality | 590 | 16.9% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | Legal & General | 480 | 13.7% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | LV= | 480 | 13.7% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | Royal London | 390 | 11.1% | 5 |
| Nov 2025 | Zurich | 260 | 7.4% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | Aviva | 880 | 34.6% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | Legal & General | 390 | 15.4% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | LV= | 390 | 15.4% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | Vitality | 390 | 15.4% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | Royal London | 320 | 12.6% | 5 |
| Dec 2025 | Zurich | 170 | 6.7% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | Aviva | 1.3K | 33.8% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | LV= | 720 | 18.7% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | Legal & General | 590 | 15.3% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | Vitality | 590 | 15.3% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | Royal London | 390 | 10.1% | 5 |
| Jan 2026 | Zurich | 260 | 6.8% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | Aviva | 1.3K | 34.9% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | Legal & General | 590 | 15.9% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | LV= | 590 | 15.9% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | Vitality | 590 | 15.9% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | Royal London | 390 | 10.5% | 5 |
| Feb 2026 | Zurich | 260 | 7% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | Aviva | 1.3K | 32.7% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | Legal & General | 720 | 18.1% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | Vitality | 720 | 18.1% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | LV= | 590 | 14.8% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | Royal London | 390 | 9.8% | 5 |
| Mar 2026 | Zurich | 260 | 6.5% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | Aviva | 1.3K | 35.1% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | LV= | 590 | 15.9% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | Vitality | 590 | 15.9% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | Legal & General | 480 | 13% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | Royal London | 480 | 13% | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | Zurich | 260 | 7% | 6 |
| May 2026 | Aviva | 1.3K | 38.9% | 1 |
| May 2026 | Legal & General | 480 | 14.4% | 2 |
| May 2026 | LV= | 480 | 14.4% | 3 |
| May 2026 | Vitality | 480 | 14.4% | 4 |
| May 2026 | Royal London | 390 | 11.7% | 5 |
| May 2026 | Zurich | 210 | 6.3% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | Aviva | 1K | 31.7% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | LV= | 590 | 18.7% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | Legal & General | 480 | 15.2% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | Vitality | 480 | 15.2% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | Royal London | 390 | 12.4% | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | Zurich | 210 | 6.7% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | Aviva | 1.3K | 38.9% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | Legal & General | 480 | 14.4% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | LV= | 480 | 14.4% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | Vitality | 480 | 14.4% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | Royal London | 390 | 11.7% | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | Zurich | 210 | 6.3% | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | Aviva | 1K | 32.5% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | Legal & General | 590 | 19.2% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | LV= | 480 | 15.6% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | Vitality | 480 | 15.6% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | Royal London | 320 | 10.4% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | Zurich | 210 | 6.8% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | Aviva | 1.3K | 36.5% | 1 |
| Sep 2026 | Legal & General | 720 | 20.2% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | Vitality | 590 | 16.6% | 3 |
| Sep 2026 | LV= | 390 | 11% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | Royal London | 390 | 11% | 5 |
| Sep 2026 | Zurich | 170 | 4.8% | 6 |

## What is being compared

- **Aviva**: Measured on the search term “aviva income protection”.
- **Legal & General**: Measured on the search term “legal and general income protection”.
- **LV=**: Measured on the search term “lv income protection”.
- **Royal London**: Measured on the search term “royal london income protection”.
- **Vitality**: Measured on the search term “vitality income protection”.
- **Zurich**: Measured on the search term “zurich income protection”.

- [Aviva](/demand/uk/brands/aviva)
- [Legal & General](/demand/uk/brands/legal-general)
- [LV=](/demand/uk/brands/lv-insurance)
- [Royal London](/demand/uk/brands/royal-london)
- [Vitality](/demand/uk/brands/vitality-uk)
- [Zurich](/demand/uk/brands/zurich)

## Methodology

- [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which brand is most popular in search among income protection providers in the United Kingdom?

In September 2026, Aviva was the most searched among income protection providers in the United Kingdom, with an estimated 1.3K branded searches, 36.5% of all searches for the six we track.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Income protection providers in the United Kingdom: Which are searched most?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/uk/categories/uk-income-protection-providers

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/uk/categories/uk-income-protection-providers. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.