What is life insurance?
Life insurance pays out a sum of money if you die while you hold the policy. Your loved ones could use the money to help pay bills or maintain their living standards when you're no longer here.
There are different types of life insurance:
- Term life insurance – which lasts for a specific length of time
- Whole of life insurance – which lasts your entire life
How our life insurance works
Lump sum payment 
Life insurance pays out a lump sum if, during the term of the policy, you die or are diagnosed with a terminal illness that meets our policy definition, and you’re not expected to live more than 12 months. Once we pay out, the cover ends.
Cover choices 
You choose level or decreasing cover, plus the length and amount of cover. The price you pay depends on those factors, plus your personal details, like your age, medical history and if you smoke.
Single or joint policy 
You can take out a single policy, which covers one person. Or, you and your partner can take out a joint policy that ends when the first person dies or makes a successful claim for terminal illness. Both types of policy finish when the policy term ends.
Important to know 
This isn’t a savings or investment plan - it only pays out on a successful claim.
If you stop paying premiums or cancel your policy, your cover will end and you won’t get anything back.
We won't pay out if you die in the first 12 months of the policy as a result of suicide or intentional, self-inflicted injury.
Who can apply for our Life Insurance Plan?
To apply for cover, you must be:
- aged between 18 and 77; and
- in the UK with a legal right to live there. You must consider your main home to be in the UK (which doesn’t include the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar) and have no current intention of permanently moving elsewhere.
In most cases, you won’t need a medical exam. But if we do ask you to have one, we’ll cover the costs.
Important documents
Before you apply for life insurance, please read the Life Insurance Plan policy summary (PDF 104 KB) and the Life Insurance Plan terms and conditions (PDF 145 KB). You can also read more About our life insurance services (PDF 73 KB).
Types of life insurance you can get with Aviva
We offer two types of term life insurance: level cover and decreasing cover. These could help protect your loved ones for a fixed amount of time (otherwise known as a term).
The type of cover you want may depend on what you want to protect and how much you’d like to pay each month. Find out more about the difference between level cover and decreasing cover.
Family protection – level cover
You’ll pay the same premium for this cover each month until your policy ends, and the lump sum payout out stays the same throughout the time you hold the policy.
If you die during this time, your loved ones could use the lump sum to help them pay off debts or put it towards living costs and monthly outgoings, such as rent.
Protecting your cover from the effects of inflation: With level cover you choose a lump sum payout, but over time that will be worth less due to inflation. You can help protect this lump sum payout against inflation by selecting increasing cover. The payout will then increase in line with inflation over time.
For example, a £100,000 lump sum would still be £100,000 in 20 years' time, but it may not buy you as much as it would now because the cost of goods and services will have gone up with inflation.
Mortgage protection – decreasing cover
You may want to choose this type of cover to help your loved ones pay off a repayment mortgage or long-term loan if you die at any time during the policy term.
The amount you have left to pay on your mortgage usually drops over time, so mortgage protection life insurance also goes down. That’s why it’s called decreasing cover and why it usually costs less than level cover.
You choose how long you want the cover to last, and your monthly premiums will remain the same throughout the term unless you make changes to your policy.
Benefits of our life insurance
You can count on us
You can count on us When life takes an unexpected turn, our team handles claims with empathy and speed.
Affordable cover
Affordable cover With premiums starting from as little as £5 a month, we put life insurance within reach of most families. The price you pay will depend on your personal circumstances and the amount of cover you choose and how long you want it for.
House purchase cover
House purchase cover We’ll give you up to 90 days’ free life insurance when you’re buying a home. Terms apply. See policy conditions for full details.
Manage your cover online
Manage your cover online We make it easy for you to stay on top of things with MyAviva. You can go online to check your cover, see your policy documents, and keep your details up to date.
Why choose our life insurance?
We already protect millions of customers with different types of life insurance, so you can trust us with yours.
You get access to a range of wellbeing services that could help you live your best life. These are non-contractual benefits we can change or withdraw at any time.
We’ve been rated as 5 Stars by Defaqto, one of the UK’s most trusted sources of financial products and market intelligence.
An Aviva Trust could give you more control over who your money goes to after you die.
Get 10% off
If you already have another policy with us, we'll give you 10% off Footnote [1] your life insurance premium to say thank you for coming back to us.
How do I get a life insurance quote on the phone?
We only need a few details from you to get started with your life insurance quote, such as the type, length, and amount of cover, plus your personal details. It will only take a few minutes.
Lines open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Closed on Saturday and Sunday. We may record or monitor telephone calls.
Learn about life insurance
Having life insurance can help protect the ones you love. In our selection of articles, we share useful insights and information to help you explore your options. Take a look and see how you can protect your family today.
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Should you put your life insurance in trust?
Find out why it could be a good move to put your life insurance policy in a trust.
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What happens to a life insurance policy when someone dies?
Learn what to do when you need to make a claim.
Life insurance calculator
Try our life insurance calculator and see how much cover you could get.
Life insurance FAQs
Can I cancel my Life Insurance Plan at any time?
Yes, you can. When you first buy a policy, you have 30 days from either the day we tell you your policy will start or the day you get your policy documents (whichever is later) to change your mind. If you cancel during this 30-day cooling off period, we'll refund any premiums you've already paid.
You can still cancel your policy at any time after the first 30 days, but we won’t refund any premiums you’ve already paid.
Remember, your life insurance policy is not a savings or investment plan. It only pays out on a successful claim. By cancelling you won't be able to make a claim. If you're thinking of leaving us, we can help you consider your options.
If you decide you do want to cancel, we’ll make it as easy as possible. All you need to do is contact us.
Or you can write to Aviva Life, Norwich BCC, PO Box 520, Norwich, NR1 3WG.
Should I put life insurance in a trust?
If your life insurance policy is in a Trust, we may be able to pay the claim quicker than if your policy isn’t in a trust, provided there is at least one surviving trustee. It could also help keep the payout outside the scope of Inheritance Tax. If you're considering a trust, talk to a financial adviser. Bear in mind that tax rules may change in the future. If you don’t have a financial adviser, you can find one at unbiased.co.uk. Please be aware that you may need to pay for this advice.
What's the difference between our Life Insurance Plan and our Over 50 Life Insurance Plan?
Our Life Insurance Plan covers you for a specific amount of time, but our Over 50 Life Insurance Plan covers you for the rest of your life. The lump sum payout on an Over 50 Life Insurance Plan is usually much smaller than the payout on a Life Insurance Plan. The other difference is that you can’t take out a joint policy for our Over 50 Life Insurance Plan.
Over 50 Life Insurance Plan
You must be aged between 50 and 80 and a UK resident. You pay the same premium for life, and you won’t need a medical or health check.
The cover amount is fixed so it’s real-life value will go down over time because of inflation. You can hold a number of policies, but there’s a maximum premium limit of £100 across all policies.
You can choose either the level of cover you want or a premium you’d like to pay each month. The payout will go to your loved ones after you die, who can use it however they like.
You’ll no longer pay premiums once you’ve had your policy for 30 years or from the policy anniversary after your 90th birthday. However, your cover will continue.
For our Over 50 Life Insurance Plan, we’ll pay the full cover amount if you die after the first 12 months. We’ll also pay the full amount if you die from an accident during the first 12 months of the policy. If you die within the first 12 months of cover from anything other than an accident, we’ll pay an amount equal to the premiums paid. Depending on how long you live, you may end up paying more in premiums than the amount we pay out when you die.
Life Insurance Plan
You must be aged between 18 and 77 to apply, and your cover stops at the end of the policy term. We’ll ask you a few health and lifestyle questions when you apply. You choose a cover amount and if you want your cover to stay the same, rise in line with inflation, or go down over time in line with a repayment mortgage or loan. You can take out a single or joint life insurance policy.
Neither of these products are savings or investment plans. They will only pay out on a successful claim.
If you’re not sure which one might be right for you, speak to a financial adviser.
Is a life insurance payout taxable?
If you receive a life insurance payout, you won't need to pay capital gains tax, or income tax - but you might need to pay inheritance tax, unless the money is placed in a trust.
Can I have more than one Life Insurance Plan?
Yes, you can have more than one life insurance policy. If your combined cover is for a high amount, we might need to do a more in-depth financial assessment to make sure we're insuring you for the right amount.
What can I do if I am struggling to keep up with my monthly payments?
If you’re feeling any financial pressure, we're here to help you. You can explore options like reducing your monthly payments by lowering your cover amount or shortening your policy term, which could make things more manageable. We also offer a cost of living support scheme. This lets you lower your payments for now, with the freedom to increase them again in 12 and/or 24 months when you’re back on track.
Do I need a medical to get life insurance?
This depends on your age, the cover amount and the information you gave us about your health on your application. Most people who apply for our cover don’t need a medical. However, if you're applying for a large amount of cover, we might ask you to have a medical with either a nurse or a doctor. We look at everyone’s application individually. If you're asked to have a medical, it’s so we can learn more while we assess your application. It doesn’t automatically mean your application won’t be accepted.
When should I get life insurance?
You can get life insurance whenever you like, but it’s worth noting the cost tends to rise as you get older. Some life events may make you think you need life insurance, like buying a home, getting married, or having a child. You may want to make sure you’re looking after anyone who is dependent on you should anything happen to you.
What is the average cost of life insurance?
We take many factors into consideration when pricing our life insurance, but our Life Insurance Plan starts from as little as £5 a month. There is no average cost as the price you pay depends on the level of cover you choose, the duration and your personal circumstances.
How long will it take to get a payout on a claim?
It varies, but once we’ve discussed the claim, we can usually estimate timescales. Once we've agreed to pay the claim and have everything we need, we’ll aim to pay out within five working days. The process may be quicker if you place your policy in a Trust. We will pay the claim proceeds to the trustees (provided there is at least one surviving trustee), so we won’t need to wait for personal representatives to be appointed to administer your estate.
To make sure a Trust is the right option for you, it's a good idea to seek independent legal and financial advice before you start, for which there may be a charge. Visit unbiased.co.uk or lawsociety.org.uk for help finding an independent adviser.