How to make a life insurance claim in the UK

Protection claims paid 2025

97.9% [1]

Paid out in 2025

£7.84bn [1]

Ombudsman referral

After 8 weeks or final response [2]

First step

Call the insurer

Who can make the claim

Who claims depends on how the policy was set up. If it was written in trust, the trustees make the claim and receive the payout. If it was not in trust, the claim is made by the personal representatives of the person who died: executors named in the will, or administrators if there is no will. MoneyHelper explains that the estate’s representatives deal with the person’s money and debts. [3]

If the policy was assigned to a mortgage lender, the lender may have a right to be repaid from the proceeds. For joint first-death policies, the surviving policyholder usually claims. Our guide to life insurance in trust explains how trusts change who receives the money.

If you are not sure whether a policy exists, check bank statements for regular premium payments, look through paperwork and emails, and ask the person’s employer about death-in-service benefits. MoneyHelper notes that workplace life cover is usually paid at the discretion of scheme trustees. [4]

Documents you will usually need

Insurers ask for evidence of the death, the policy and the claimant’s right to receive the money. The core documents are the policy number or schedule, an original or certified death certificate, and proof of identity for the claimant. Trustees also provide the trust deed; executors may need to provide the grant of probate.

The insurer may also ask for a claim form, the deceased’s GP details, and sometimes a coroner’s report or post-mortem findings where these exist. Some insurers accept a copy of the death certificate issued through the Tell Us Once service, while others ask for an original. Ask the claims team which version they need to avoid delays.

1. Find the policy details

   Locate the policy number, insurer and any trust or assignment papers.

2. Contact the insurer

   Call or use the insurer’s claims form to notify them of the death.

3. Send the documents

   Provide the death certificate, identity proof and trust deed or probate.

4. Authorise medical records

   Sign consent forms so the insurer can check medical history where needed.

5. Keep a record

   Note dates, names and reference numbers for every contact.

6. Receive and distribute

   Trustees or executors receive the payout and pass it on as required.

It helps to send documents by a tracked method or through the insurer’s secure upload service, and to keep copies of everything you send. If several policies exist, for example a personal policy and a workplace scheme, each needs its own claim. Tell each insurer about the others only if asked; they assess claims separately. Where English is not the first language of the claimant, or where someone needs extra support because of bereavement or health, ask the insurer about the help it can offer. Firms are expected to consider the needs of customers in vulnerable circumstances.

What happens after you claim

Once notified, the insurer checks that the policy was in force, that the death falls within the cover and that the claimant is entitled. For many claims this is straightforward. The insurer may also review the original application against medical records, particularly if the death happened within the first few years of the policy.

This check is about whether the application was accurate. Under the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, consumers must take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation. If an insurer finds a careless or deliberate misrepresentation, its remedy depends on what it would have done had it known the truth, which can range from paying in full to paying proportionately or declining. [5]

The FCA’s Insurance: Conduct of Business sourcebook requires insurers to handle claims promptly and fairly, provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim and give updates on progress. [6] Under the Consumer Duty, firms must also support customers and avoid causing foreseeable harm, which includes treating bereaved and vulnerable customers with care. [7]

Industry figures give helpful context. The ABI reported that protection insurers paid 97.9% of new individual protection claims in 2025, totalling £7.84 billion across life, critical illness and income protection. [1] That average does not guarantee any specific claim, but it shows most claims are paid.

Terminal illness claims

Many term life policies include terminal illness benefit, which can pay the sum assured early if the insured person is diagnosed with a terminal illness and is expected to live less than a set period, often 12 months. Policies may exclude claims made in the final 12 or 18 months of the term. Check the policy definition.

The FCA reviewed terminal illness benefits and found some firms needed to improve how they communicated the benefit and supported customers, including making sure people knew they could claim. [8] If someone is seriously ill, it is worth asking the insurer whether terminal illness benefit applies, even if a doctor has not used the exact words in the policy.

Where a policy is in trust, check how the trust handles a terminal illness payout. Some trust forms let the insured person receive it; others pay it to the trustees. That affects whether the ill person can use the money for their own care or wishes.

If a claim is delayed or declined

If a claim is taking longer than expected, ask the insurer what is outstanding and when a decision is likely. Delays are often caused by waiting for medical records or documents. Keep a record of each contact. If a claim is declined or reduced, ask for the reasons in writing, including the specific policy terms or application answers relied on.

You can complain to the insurer. If you are unhappy with its final response, or it has not resolved the complaint within eight weeks, you can usually take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free for consumers. The Ombudsman looks at what is fair and reasonable, taking into account law, regulation, good practice and the policy terms. [2]

Normally you need to refer a complaint to the Ombudsman within six months of the firm’s final response. The Ombudsman’s published decisions show how it approaches disputes, including non-disclosure. [9]

Getting support

Losing someone is hard, and dealing with paperwork can add to the strain. Many insurers offer bereavement support alongside claims. MoneyHelper has guidance on managing money after a death, including debts and the estate. [3] If the family also needs to plan cover for the future, our guide to how much cover you might need can help when the time is right.

The FCA’s 2026 market study into pure protection found a substantial protection gap in UK households. [10] Making sure existing policies are known about, and placed in trust where suitable, helps families claim smoothly when it matters.

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