Navigating the World of Life Insurance: Your Friendly A to Z Glossary

Welcome to our life insurance glossary—a friendly guide to understanding the terms and jargon often heard in the world of life insurance. Whether you’re new to life insurance or just looking to brush up on your knowledge, we’ve got you covered. Our aim is to make these concepts approachable and easy to understand, so you can feel confident making informed decisions about your financial future. From “Accidental Death Benefit” to “Will,” we’ve broken down each term with a warm and straightforward approach, ensuring you’re not left scratching your head. Dive in and discover just how simple life insurance can be! 

A 

• Accidental Death Benefit
  Some life insurance policies take a little while to become official. But don’t worry… The accidental death benefit kicks in while your application is being processed. If you have an accident and pass away during this time, your loved ones will receive the full cover amount (Or up to a certain amount, which will vary depending on your chosen insurer. The amount your loved ones will receive will be the full cover amount or the amount set by the insurer, whichever is less) within 90 days, and meets your insurer’s definition of accidental death. This means you’re covered right from when your completed application is received by your insurer, for 90 days or until your application is sorted.
• Advisory
  Advisory is a type of service provided by an advisory life insurance company or by an independent financial advisor. This could refer to a consultation, recommendations made by an advisor or strategic planning regarding your life insurance policy options. There are lots of options when it comes to life insurance and choosing the right one could be overwhelming, so an advisory service could be the right fit for you helping to make most out of your life insurance policy. Protect Line is a non-advisory broker. For more information on this definition below.
• Advisor An advisor, or an independent financial advisor is someone who helps you navigate the world of insurance. They are qualified to give you their expert advice and have undergone training, typically a Level 4 qualification in financial advice. Protect Line is a non-advised broker, and our agents will not provide advice but will give you all the information you need to make an informed decision.

B 

• Beneficiary
  The beneficiary is the person or persons who receives the payout from your life insurance policy when a claim is successful. If you have critical illness cover, you get the payout if you’re diagnosed with a critical illness, such as cancer, heart attack or stroke. You will need to check your policy documents to see the full list of conditions that your chosen insurer covers.

• Benefit
  Also known as the cover or sum-assured, the benefit is the tax-free lump sum your loved ones receive when a claim is made on your policy. It provides financial security and peace of mind, typically starting from £5 per month, with no upper limit.

• Brokerage
  A life insurance brokerage, like Protect Line, helps find the perfect policy for your needs. We work with a panel of insurers, offering all the facts so you can make an informed decision confidently.

C 

• Claim
  A claim is when your beneficiary, or you in the case of a critical illness plan, applies for the payout from your policy. If all your medical information has been disclosed —your policy is active, and payments are up to date—the full cover amount is paid out.

• Cover
  Cover is the amount of money chosen to be paid out from your life insurance policy. It’s the payout your chosen beneficiary receives when a successful claim is made, with premiums starting from £5 per month depending on the policy type. However, there is no maximum, though any amount in the millions often requires extra financial evidence to support your application.  When thinking about your cover needs, you should consider your current mortgage/rent payments, outstanding debts, and dependents.

• Critical Illness Cover
  Critical illness cover is like a safety net for when life throws a curveball. If you’re diagnosed with a critical illness, such as cancer, heart attack or stroke, this cover provides a lump-sum payout to help manage expenses like medical bills or childcare. Each insurer will cover different conditions along with cancer, heart attack and stroke. You will need to check your policy documents to see the full list of conditions that your chosen insurer covers.

D 

• Death Benefit
  The death benefit is the sum paid out when a successful claim is made on your policy, this provides peace of mind and financial security for your beneficiary’s. Also known as the sum-assured, benefit and the cover amount. 

• Death in Service
  This is a benefit provided by your employer, offering a lump sum to your loved ones if you pass away while working for the company. It’s usually at no extra cost to you but ends if you leave the job. It is important to understand that not all employers will offer this benefit as it is not mandatory requirement, so make sure to check if the benefits supplied by your employer include death in service.

• Decreasing Term Life Insurance
  This type of policy is designed for covering a repayment mortgage. The cover amount decreases over time as you pay off your mortgage, ensuring your family won’t be left with mortgage payments if you pass away. It is important to be aware that while your cover decreases your monthly premiums will remain the same.

E 

• Estate
  Your estate is everything you own—property, money, possessions and any debts.

• Exclusions
  Exclusions are specific situations not covered by your policy, like certain activities or health conditions. Each insurance provider may have a different list of exclusions, always check your life insurance policy carefully to ensure the cover meets your needs.

G 

• Guaranteed Acceptance
  Guaranteed acceptance is only available with an over 50s life insurance policy. This means you will be guaranteed acceptance regardless of your health and without the need for a medical exam.

• Guaranteed Insurability Option (GIO)
  A guaranteed insurability option lets you increase your cover without a new application when life changes—like having a child or getting a new job. A GIO is available in many insurance policies, however, it is important to check your policy details or speak to your insurer to confirm.

 

I 

• Income Protection
  If you’re unable to work due to illness or injury, you can claim on your income protection, which pays a monthly amount to keep your finances stable. It’s a great way to secure your earnings in the event of unexpected illness or injury.

• Increasing Term Life Insurance
  This is a type of policy you can choose where your death benefit grows overtime to help protect the value of your policy against increasing costs due to inflation or cost of living rises. This can provide you with peace of mind that your cover will be enough to support your beneficiary in the future.

• Inflation
  Inflation is how much prices for everyday goods and services increase each year.

• Inheritance Tax
  This is a tax on the money or property you inherit, applied only if the estate exceeds a specific value. If you would like more information on the inheritance tax threshold visit gov.uk. If you need help with Inheritance Tax planning, reach out to your independent financial advisor.

• Insurance Risk
  Factors like age, health, lifestyle, and occupation that affect how likely you are to claim on your policy. This is determined by an underwriter and will contribute to your premiums.

J 

• Joint Cover
  Joint cover insures two people under one policy with only one set of monthly premiums. If one passes away, the other receives the payout, but the policy then ends, and the remaining policyholder is no longer covered by the policy.

L 

• Level Term
  A level term policy provides fixed cover and premiums throughout the term and can be used for leaving an inheritance or covering debts. If your policy ends before you need to claim on it and you would like to stay covered you will need to take out another life insurance policy, however this will be based on your new risk factors at that time.

• Life Assurance
  Life assurance is a type of life insurance that covers you for your entire life, also known as Whole of Life cover, guaranteeing a payout whenever you pass away, helping your family stay financially secure and ensuring your peace of mind. Unlike term life insurance, which covers you for a specific period, life assurance provides lifelong protection as long as premiums are maintained. 

• Life Insurance
  Life insurance is all about protecting what matters most—your loved ones. It provides a lump-sum payout if you pass away during the policy term, helping your family stay financially secure.

• Life Insurance Company
  These companies, like those on our panel, provide life insurance policies tailored to your needs.

• Lump-Sum
  The lump-sum is the payout your loved ones receive when a successful claim is made on your policy.

M 

• Medical Questionnaire
  A medical questionnaire involves answering health and lifestyle questions to assess your eligibility for cover. It’s simpler than it sounds!
• Medical Exam A medical exam involves a physical examination that happens with a healthcare professional. This helps the insurance company more accurately assess risk. These exams aren’t typically part of the application process; however, it can be requested by some insurers if you apply for high coverage amounts.

• Medical Referral
  If needed, additional medical info might be requested to complete your application, ensuring you get the right cover. In this case your insurer will refer you to a medical professional for a follow-up, which could include a medical exam or the insurer requesting a copy of your medical records from your GP.

• Medical Underwriting
  This process involves evaluating your health to determine the financial risk if you were to be insured. This helps your insurer determine your cover and premium prices.

• Moratorium Period
  Over-50s policies have a period after you have been accepted onto your policy where you will not be covered in full. It is common that this period will be between 12 and 24 months, however this can vary depending on your insurer so please check your policy documents to confirm. The moratorium period is usually put in place to prevent any abuse of policy.

• Mortgage Insurance
  Often known as decreasing term insurance, it covers your repayment mortgage, decreasing as your mortgage balance does. It is important to be aware that while your cover decreases your monthly premiums will remain the same.

• Mutual Society
  A mutual society is an organisation owned by its members, who have a say in how it operates and reinvests profits for better services as it directly affects them as members. This also means there are no shareholders that they must pay or include in their decisions.

N 

• Non-Advisory
  Non-advisory means we provide all the relevant facts and information you need without influencing your choice, so you make an informed decision on your cover with confidence. Non-advisory brokers, like Protect Line, will not provide you with any advice or recommendations.

• Over 50s Non-Medical Life Insurance
  Designed for those over 50, this type of policy guarantees acceptance without a medical exam or any lifestyle questions, covering you for life. It also ensures that your loved ones are guaranteed a payout in the event of needing to make a claim on your policy.

P 

• Power of Attorney
  A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document that allows you to appoint someone you trust, called an “attorney”, to make decisions on your behalf. These decisions can cover financial, legal, or healthcare matters, depending on the type of POA. For setting up life insurance, the POA must include authority over financial affairs to ensure your agent can manage related transactions.

• Pre-Existing Conditions
  These are health issues you have before applying for insurance, which might affect your premiums. This could be anything as major as a heart attack, a stroke, or cancer, to more chronic conditions like diabetes, epilepsy, COPD, obesity; essentially any condition that might have an impact on your health in the future.

• Premiums
  Premiums are the monthly payments you make to keep your policy active, starting from as little as £5 with our panel of insurers.

• Probate
  Probate is the legal right to deal with someone’s property, money and possessions, known as their ‘estate’ when they die. There are different rules for probate in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Q 

• Quote
  A quote estimates your monthly premiums based on the cover and term you’re interested in and risk factors that are determined by the underwriter. Get your free quotes today!

S 

• Successful Claim
  A claim that’s processed and accepted, resulting in a payout to your beneficiary or yourself if you have made a claim on the terminal illness benefit or your critical illness cover.

• Sum-Assured
  The sum-assured is the cover amount your loved ones receive when a claim is made on your policy. It is also known as the cover amount, benefit or death benefit.

T 

• Term
  The term is how long your policy lasts, giving you coverage for that period.

• Terminal Illness Benefit
  If diagnosed with a terminal illness where you have less that 12 months to live, this benefit lets you access your cover early to manage finances before you pass. This is commonly included in life insurance policies, but it is always important to check with your insurer.

• Trusts
  Trusts help manage and distribute your estate to beneficiaries under specific terms you set. It is a legal arrangement that allows you to sort your estate based on specific factors such as a child receiving the sum when they turn 18.

U 

• Underwriter
  A qualified expert that assesses the financial risk associated with approving your life insurance application. An underwriter will complete a risk assessment based on multiple factors, including your health, lifestyle and occupation. Based on this evaluation, the underwriter determines the coverage you are eligible for and calculates the premiums, aligning them with your assessed risk level.

W 

• Whole of Life Insurance
  Whole of life insurance covers you for your lifetime, ensuring a payout whenever you pass away. This type of policy typically comes with higher premiums compared to other types of life insurance because the payout is assured and the policy does not have a fixed term or expiration date.

• Will
  A will is a legal document detailing how you want your estate managed after your death.

As you navigate the world of life insurance, remember that you’re not alone. We’re here to help simplify things and ensure you have all of the facts to make the best choices for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to get in touch.