Frequently Asked Questions

In the event of your passing, your loved ones could be given financial support through life insurance. Helping to cover funeral costs, debt repayments, or sustaining your family’s level of life while grieving, can provide you peace of mind that your death won’t have a detrimental financial impact on your family. You’ll pay the insurance company a premium each month for the duration of the policy. In accordance with the terms and conditions of your policy, your beneficiaries will receive a payout in the event of your death. Your individual circumstances and policy will influence the premiums you pay and the lump sum amount you will receive. Your age, smoker status, line of work, and other criteria might also be taken into consideration

Although there is no standard price for life insurance because it depends on your unique situation, the average monthly payment in the UK is about £8 per month for every £100,000 of coverage. You can evaluate your options in order to obtain a quote that is better tailored to your needs by visiting our website.

Whole-of-life insurance provides exactly what its name suggests: it covers you from the time the policy begins until the day of your death and ensures that your dependents will be paid a sum no matter when you die. The two categories of whole-of-life insurance are balanced and maximum. A balanced policy assures that your premiums won’t alter as you become older or if your health declines. The protection you receive with maximum coverage is connected to an investment fund. Your premiums are invested by the insurer in anticipation that the return will be high enough to fund your payout.

With term life insurance, you are covered for a predetermined amount of time, and your beneficiaries will receive a lump sum if you pass away before the policy’s expiration date.
Do I get any money if I don’t die before the term policy ends?
No, if you pass away after the expiration date, the insurer will not make a payout, and your beneficiaries won’t get a lump payment.

Family income benefit is a form of life insurance policy that could result in your beneficiaries getting recurring income for a certain amount of time rather than a one-time payment. Typically, the insurer bases the cost of the premium on the amount of money your family will require in the event of your death. Family income benefit could assist your family in keeping up with house payments or paying living expenses. The amount paid out is different from standard term life insurance policies in that it diminishes with time. For instance, if you have a 20-year policy and pass away in year 15, your beneficiaries will receive five years’ worth of payments rather than a lump sum.

A critical illness policy is a kind of life insurance that provides payouts in the event that you are found to have a serious illness that is listed in the policy’s terms. The tax-free payment can be used for anything you need during your sickness, such as paying for probable income loss for you and your family or making necessary house modifications, such as adding a wheelchair ramp.

What critical illnesses are covered?
The conditions that are covered differ across each policy depending on the scope of your coverage. A lot of the time, insurance companies will pay for serious illnesses including heart attacks, cancer, traumatic brain injuries, and strokes.

When might a critical illness policy not payout?
The most frequent reasons insurance won’t pay out include misrepresentation and disregard for the terms and conditions of the policy, but there may be other reasons that are unique to each person. Misrepresentation happens when important information is left out of the application when the insurance first starts, including omitting how much you truly smoke and drink before attempting to file a claim for liver or lung cancer.

When an incurable illness with a life expectancy of fewer than 12 months is diagnosed, terminal illness insurance coverage pays out. Once you receive the tax-free payout, you can use it as you like, such as to replace any prospective income losses for you and your family.

In the UK, anyone under the age of 18 cannot take out their own life insurance policy; yet a parent or legal guardian may act on their behalf. Children’s insurance, also referred to as children’s critical illness insurance, is available as a standalone policy or as an addition to an existing life insurance policy. It can offer families financial support if anything tragic occurs to a young member of the family.

A whole-of-life policy known as over-50s life insurance can be bought between the ages of 50 and 80 and lasts until death. After your passing, it can financially support your loved ones by paying for funeral costs, making debt payments, or helping your family maintain their quality of life while you’re gone.

Decreasing life insurance, sometimes known as mortgage protection insurance, is a policy that pays out less money as time goes on. It is frequently used to pay off your mortgage balance in the case of your death so as a result, your potential insurance payout reduces as you make mortgage payments.

A policy with increasing life insurance sees the payment and premiums increase in step with inflation to make up for any value lost, typically up to a maximum of 10% annually. Your premium costs could increase as your potential payment amount increases.

Joint life insurance protects two people, but normally only makes one payout, either to beneficiaries in the event that both policyholders pass away or to the survivor when the first person on the policy dies, depending on the conditions of the plan.

Variable life insurance plans invest in stocks or bonds which changes the value of your payment depending on the condition of the economy, which increases the risk involved. You can get paid less if your investments don’t fare well but the payoff could be far bigger than with other options if your investments do well. Compound interest is another feature of most variable life insurance policies, so if you start investing early and for a long time, you may maximise your earnings.

It is not a legal requirement to take out a life insurance policy alongside your mortgage, certain mortgage lenders may insist that you get covered. Your mortgage is likely the largest debt you will ever have, and your dependents could be left with this debt if you were to suddenly pass away. If you take out a life insurance policy that pays a lump sum upon your death, your loved ones won’t have to worry about losing their home or keeping up with payments.

Regardless of age or health, tragedies occur every day. The purpose of life insurance is to shield your loved ones from the financial hardship that your death could otherwise cause. If you have a spouse, children, or other dependents, life insurance may be something to consider so that they might continue their standard of living and pay off your debts, funeral costs, and other obligations if the worst were to happen.

You are the main provider of financial support for your children if you are a single parent. A life insurance policy might provide a lump sum or yearly payments to your dependents in the event of your death.  This can enable them to stay in the house and pay for childcare or school costs. Although it is never fun to think of leaving your children behind, as a single parent you should think about the consequences if something unexpected were to happen to you.

Yes, applications for life insurance are accepted for people with chronic illnesses; premiums may be slightly higher, but this is decided on an individual basis. Because not all life insurance carriers consider pre-existing conditions the same way, comparing different life insurance policies is essential. Insurance companies could provide a policy with exclusions if they decide that your pre-existing condition is too severe to qualify for coverage. They may provide coverage that pays for any future illnesses but excludes payments in the event that a pre-existing condition results in death.

Most insurers stop accepting new life insurance applications after you turn 80. 77 is the cap for some carriers, notably Legal & General and Aviva, whereas 70 is the cap for others. As you get older, you are less likely to be able to afford monthly premiums that allow for both a payout upon death and a profit for the insurer. Insurers try to balance the money you pay in monthly premiums with the final payout amount. Therefore, it is crucial to consider your options before reaching 70.

Many of the major life insurance providers give you 30 to 60 days to make up a missing payment. After a pre-agreed period of time, if you haven’t brought your payments up to date then your policy will expire, and you’ll lose your cover.

The simplest explanation is that life insurance safeguards your life and is designed to compensate those who could suffer financial hardship in the event of your passing. What is covered depends on your circumstances and your particular policy because there are numerous life insurance packages that cover various things. For instance, critical illness insurance protects you from the specified terminal illnesses under the terms of your policy, whereas mortgage insurance pays the balance of your existing mortgage.

Can life insurance include cancer coverage?
The terms of your cover will determine whether or not a cancer diagnosis is included. If you are diagnosed with cancer and have a critical/terminal illness policy, you would receive a tax-free payout so long as cancer was one of the specific illnesses included in your plan. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this, so it’s important to weigh your options in order to choose the greatest protection for your needs.

According to some experts, you should get enough life insurance to cover 10 times your yearly gross income, but this really depends on your individual needs. You could take into account your mortgage payment, other expenses, and the cost of replacing your income for the maintenance of your loved ones.

Anyone whose death might result in you suffering a financial loss, such as someone who owes you a sizable quantity of money, can be covered by a life insurance policy. Simply put, as long as there is an “insurable interest,” anyone can be insured.

What is ‘insurable interest’? 

The Association of British Insurers defines an insurable interest as a person’s interest in something, such as a specific property or another person, which implies that the person would suffer a loss if that property or person were damaged. A person could be insured if their death might have an adverse financial impact on you.

Can I get life insurance on my parents?

You could have insurable interest if your parent’s passing will have a significant financial impact on you, at which point you can purchase life insurance.

Can I get life insurance on my partner?

You could have insurable interest if your partner’s passing will have a significant financial impact on you, at which point you can purchase life insurance.

Can I get life insurance on my sibling?

You could have insurable interest if your sibling’s passing will have a significant financial impact on you, at which point you can purchase life insurance.

Can I get life insurance on my business partner?

Yes, known as key person insurance, this type of policy insures a company against the death of a particular individual, typically one of the owners or significant shareholders. If this person were to pass away, the policy would pay out to the company so that it may carry on during trying times.

Can I get life insurance on someone without them knowing?

You cannot insure someone without their consent unless they are your child or grandchild in which case you may be able to sign on their behalf.

Contacting the insurance provider is the initial step in making a life insurance claim on behalf of a deceased person. You will require details regarding your relationship to the deceased, as well as their name, policy number, and death certificate. Anyone may make a claim on their life insurance, but only the designated beneficiaries will receive payment. Similar procedures apply when filing a claim for a critical illness: make a phone call to the insurer, provide a doctor’s report and your personal information, and they will be able to assess your claim and, if approved, pay out.

A life insurance claim could be rejected for a number of policy-specific reasons that vary from claim to claim. Your beneficiaries are likely to receive a payout as long as you are honest with your insurer, let them know about any changes in your situation, and remember when your policy expires if it is term life insurance.

Most insurance companies won’t pay out if the insured person commits suicide during the first 12 to 24 months of the policy, and some might decline to do so regardless of when the policy was bought, especially if the policyholder withheld information concerning their mental or physical health. You will probably be asked to tell your insurer whether you have a mental health issue, along with any medications and any symptoms, so that your premium rates and coverage are as accurate as possible.

A false life insurance claim is one in which the claimant makes an exaggerated claim in an effort to get paid. This can result in a refusal to pay out or perhaps legal action. Two well-known instances are John and Anne Darwin, a teacher and a jail warden from the United Kingdom. In order to receive £679,000 from John’s life insurance, the two planned to have him paddle out to sea in a canoe and then disappear. When the couple was found, they were each sentenced to more than six years in prison.

In the UK, life insurance payouts are completely tax-free. Your insurance may be factored into the inheritance tax computation if your estate is worth more than £325,000. If your assets were given to your spouse, civil partner, a charity, an amateur sports team, or if your life insurance policy was set up in trust, this rule would not apply to you.

You can get life insurance if you smoke. Smokers usually pay higher premiums for life insurance since it puts their health in danger and can create health issues early in life. According to the NHS, smokers run the risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions, and smoking-related diseases account for more than 78,000 deaths in the UK each year. You might still have to pay more if you use nicotine-containing items like gum, patches, or vape pens. While different insurers have their own definitions, in general, it doesn’t matter if you smoke 20 cigarettes a day or only vape occasionally; in their view, you’re still considered to be a smoker.

I have quit smoking. Will my past habit impact my life insurance?

Different insurers have different rules, but generally speaking, if you give up smoking and refrain from nicotine for a year, you could once again be regarded as a non-smoker. Your premium should be significantly cheaper even though your past smoking habits may still have an impact.

The main difference between life insurance and life assurance is that the former is designed to protect the policyholder for a predetermined period of time, while the latter is designed to protect them for the rest of their lives. In other terms, term life insurance is referred to as life insurance, whilst life assurance is another term for whole-of-life insurance.

You can have several different life insurance policies. Your beneficiaries may make claims on each insurance after your death, and there is no legal restriction on the number of policies you can buy. One example of having multiple insurances is having both family income benefit and mortgage protection at the same time.

As a result of inflationary factors, prices for goods and services increase over time. Therefore, if the amount of your future life insurance payout stays the same, the real worth will depreciate at the rate of inflation. Some people take out increasing life insurance to compensate for the cost of inflation. In line with the price of the premiums you pay, the potential payment amount could increase. Most contracts for increasing life insurance will rise up to a 10% annual increase.

If you work in a high-risk profession like the military, as a firefighter, a roofer, a pilot, or a deep sea diver, your life insurance rates will most certainly be higher. This is because your beneficiaries are more likely to file a claim as a result of the belief that these jobs carry a higher degree of danger and, consequently, a higher level of fatal risk.

A higher risk of mortality is associated with more dangerous hobbies, which increases the likelihood that a claim will be made. Due to this, many insurers may impose a higher premium on clients who partake in risky hobbies like hang-gliding, skydiving, or scuba diving.

Any potential payout is given immediately to your beneficiaries when your life insurance policy is written in trust, which streamlines the payment process. If you don’t put your life insurance policy in trust, all payouts are first absorbed by your estate under the law before being distributed to your beneficiaries, and anything over £325,000 is subject to 40% tax.

A death-in-service benefit is a contract your employer offers that provides a lump sum payment tax-free in the event that you pass away while working for them. You do not have to pass away at work or as a result of job-related incidents in order to be eligible for death-in-service benefit, as long as you were working for them at the time of your passing. Since this benefit is held in trust, your beneficiaries won’t be subject to taxes when they get it.