Over-50s cover, and when it is genuinely poor value.
Guaranteed acceptance with no medical questions, usually aimed at funeral costs. It suits some people well. For others it is an expensive way to buy a small sum, and we will say so.
- Free initial advice
- No credit check to talk
- FCA regulated
- No obligation
Read this before you buy one off the television
Over-50s plans are advertised heavily and sold on convenience: no medical, no health questions, guaranteed acceptance. That is a genuine benefit if your health would make ordinary life cover expensive or unobtainable, and for those people these plans are a sensible answer.
But the trade-offs are real and they are rarely explained in the advertisement. There is normally no payment for death from natural causes in the first one to two years. Premiums usually continue for life or until a set age, which means that if you live a long time you can pay in considerably more than the policy ever pays out. And there is no cash-in value, so stopping payments means walking away with nothing.
If you are in reasonable health, an ordinary term or whole-of-life policy that asks medical questions will frequently give you far more cover for the same money. Checking that first takes one conversation, and it is the conversation the television advertisement is designed to stop you having.
What matters here
- Guaranteed acceptance between roughly 50 and 80, with no medical questions
- Normally no payment for death from natural causes in the first one to two years
- Accidental death is usually covered from day one
- Total premiums can exceed the sum assured if you live a long time
- There is no cash-in value at any time
- Often better value if your health rules out ordinary underwritten cover
- Often poor value if you are in reasonable health, and we will check that first
Four steps, no surprises
Most people come to us unsure what they are even allowed to ask for. This is how we take it from there.
We listen
A free call, at a time that suits you. We ask what you are trying to achieve and what is worrying you. No jargon, no pressure, no obligation to go further.
We research
We look across the lenders and providers available to us and work out what is genuinely open to you, then explain the options in plain English, including the ones we would rule out and why.
We recommend
You get a written recommendation setting out what we suggest, what it costs, and the risks. You decide whether to proceed. Nothing happens until you say so.
We see it through
We handle the application, chase the lender and solicitor, and keep you updated until completion. You always know who to ring.
Judge us on what people actually said
We do not advertise on television. Our reputation is the only thing speaking for us.
Incredible professional support right through the process. I wish our solicitor met this exemplary standard. Peter was always available even at weekends, responding almost immediately to our requests. My wife and I have no hesitation in calling on his services again.
Great service from start to finish. Very polite at all times. Kept up to date with the process. Nothing to complain about.
Excellent from start to finish. I thought I was pretty good at looking after my finances, but the great help I had from the people I dealt with showed me otherwise. Their expertise in all matters financial was second to none.
Let us find out what is actually open to you
One free call. No credit check, no obligation, and a straight answer about what is realistic.
What happens when you call
- You speak to a qualified adviser, not a call centre
- We ask what you are trying to achieve, then listen
- You get an honest view of what is realistic
- No pressure and no obligation to go further
Questions we hear a lot
If yours is not here, ring us. We would rather answer it properly than leave you guessing.
Will I definitely be accepted?
Yes, within the age range, with no medical questions. That is the entire proposition of these plans. It is bought at the cost of the initial waiting period and a sum assured that is generally modest.
Could I pay in more than it pays out?
Yes, and this is the most important thing to understand. Premiums typically continue for life or until a stated age. If you live well beyond average life expectancy, the total you have paid can exceed the amount your family receives. Many plans include a point beyond which premiums stop, and we will look for that feature.
Is this the same as a funeral plan?
No. An over-50s policy pays cash to your estate or beneficiaries, who then decide how to use it. A pre-paid funeral plan buys specified funeral services in advance from a provider. Pre-paid funeral plans have been regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority since July 2022 and are a separate product that we do not arrange.
Should I look at ordinary life cover instead?
If your health permits it, almost certainly worth comparing. Underwritten cover asks medical questions, which is precisely why it can offer a much larger sum for the same premium. We will run both and show you the difference before you decide.
Over-50s life insurance guarantees acceptance without medical questions, but there is normally no payment for death from natural causes during the first one to two years. Depending on how long you live, the total premiums you pay may be more than the amount the policy pays out. It has no cash-in value, and if you stop paying premiums cover ends and you get nothing back.
Tell us what you are trying to do
One short form. A real adviser will call you back, usually the same working day.