Life insurance

Your mortgage, repaid whatever happens.

Decreasing term cover from around £6 a month, matched to your exact mortgage balance and term — and written in trust as standard.

AI summary

Mortgage life insurance is UK term assurance that pays a lump sum if you die during the policy term, designed to clear the outstanding mortgage. Decreasing term assurance reduces in line with a repayment mortgage and is the cheapest form (from roughly £6–£12 a month for £250,000 over 25 years for a healthy 30-year-old non-smoker). Level term keeps the sum assured constant and suits interest-only mortgages. Cover is not a legal requirement and no lender can insist on a specific provider, but policies should normally be written in trust so the payout falls outside the estate for inheritance tax and bypasses probate.

Key facts

The numbers, at a glance.

From
£6/mo
Cover types
Level & decreasing
Max term
To age 90
Written in trust
Free
Eligibility & documents

What lenders want to see.

Who typically qualifies

  • UK resident aged 18–77 at application
  • Cover term aligned to your remaining mortgage term
  • Medical questionnaire — most cases accepted without a GP report
  • Smokers, existing conditions and higher BMI all quotable
  • Joint or single-life policies (two single policies often pay out twice)

Documents to prepare

  • Mortgage balance, term and repayment type
  • Date of birth and smoker status for each applicant
  • Basic medical history and current medication
  • GP practice details for any underwriting referral
  • Trust beneficiary details if writing in trust
Why us

How Elena helps, specifically.

Matched to your loan

Sum assured and term set from your actual mortgage, not a round number.

Two single policies

Often similar cost to joint cover but can pay out twice.

Trust as standard

Keeps the payout out of your estate and away from probate delays.

Cover in days

Most policies go on risk within 48 hours of a clean application.

Family add-ons

Children's critical illness and waiver of premium available.

AI-matched

Elena ranks insurers by price and underwriting stance for your health profile.

What Elena recommends

Top insurer matches for this cover

Best match
Legal & General
Decreasing Term · £250k / 25yr
£7/mo
representative rate
Match score95%

"Consistently cheapest for healthy non-smokers with fast online underwriting."

Aviva
Level Term · £250k / 25yr
£13/mo
representative rate
Match score90%

"Strong for interest-only mortgages and generous on higher BMI."

Royal London
Decreasing Term + CIC · £250k
£31/mo
representative rate
Match score86%

"Best value where you want critical illness bundled with life cover."

FAQ

Questions, answered.

How much life insurance do I need with a mortgage?

As a minimum, cover equal to your outstanding mortgage balance over the remaining term. Decreasing term assurance tracks a repayment mortgage down and is the cheapest option; level term keeps the sum assured flat and is used for interest-only mortgages or to leave a lump sum on top.

Is life insurance required for a UK mortgage?

It is not a legal requirement and lenders cannot force it, but most brokers strongly recommend it. Buildings insurance, by contrast, is a mandatory condition of virtually every UK mortgage offer.

How much does life insurance cost in the UK?

A healthy 30-year-old non-smoker typically pays £6–£12 per month for £250,000 of decreasing term cover over 25 years. Premiums roughly double every 10 years of age and can be 60–120% higher for smokers.

Should life cover be written in trust?

Usually yes. Writing the policy in trust keeps the payout outside your estate for inheritance tax and gets funds to your family in weeks rather than waiting for probate. It costs nothing to arrange at application.

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