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SunLife guaranteed over 50 plan: Quick summary

  • The UK’s most popular over 50s life insurance policy
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars by industry experts at Defaqto
  • Available to UK residents aged 49 - 85 with no medical questions
  • Secure up to £18,000 subject to your age and smoking status
  • Full cover after one year and 100% of claims are paid
  • Affordable monthly premiums [from £5 a month through Reassured + ]

SunLife review 2026

In this review, we explore the key features, benefits and drawbacks of the SunLife guaranteed over 50 plan to help you decide if it’s the right option for you.

We also include reviews and ratings from trustworthy sources, such as Feefo, to give you a better understanding of what customers think of SunLife’s product and service. 

Read on to learn more about their over 50s life insurance and how it compares to other options you can buy on the market.

What is the SunLife over 50 plan?

The SunLife guaranteed over 50 plan is a straightforward whole of life insurance policy designed for UK residents aged 49 - 85. 

It pays out a cash lump sum to your loved ones when you pass away, helping them to cover essential costs, such as:

You pay a monthly premium that suits your budget and you could secure up to £18,000 depending on your age and smoking status.

SunLife over 50 plan key features

Below are the key features of the SunLife over 50 plan and some important details to know:

Feature

Description

Guaranteed acceptance

If you’re a UK resident aged 49 to 85, you’re guaranteed to be accepted for cover

No medical questions

Unlike traditional life insurance, the application doesn’t include any medical questions

Fixed pay out (sum assured) up to £18,000

The minimum sum assured is £500 and the maximum is £18,000. Your age, smoking status and budget will affect how much cover you can take out

12 month waiting period before full cover starts

Accidental death is fully covered as soon as you take out the policy, while natural death is fully covered after a 12 month waiting period

Monthly premium to suit your budget 

The cost ranges from £5 to £74 a month depending on your personal circumstances. Your premiums will never go up

Premium payments stop age 95

You’ll need to keep paying premiums until you pass away or the policy anniversary date after your 95th birthday (whichever comes first)

Like other providers, SunLife offer additional benefits and incentives for new over 50 plan customers. These include:

Free health and wellbeing service

Customers who purchase a plan after 27/12/24 receive unlimited access to health and wellbeing services provided by RedArc.

This includes:

  • Tailored support via phone or email from a registered personal nurse
  • Advice and guidance regarding long term conditions and treatment
  • Support with bereavement, healthy living, and mental health concerns

Please note, this benefit can be changed or withdrawn at any time by SunLife.

Free welcome gift (£130 Love2Shop gift card)

New customers who buy an over 50 plan directly from SunLife may be eligible for a free £130 Love2Shop gift card, which can be used at various high street retailers including M&S, Boots and Argos.

The gift card is sent within 30 days after six monthly payments have been made. The offer is currently due to end on 18/08/26, and terms and conditions apply.

Please note, the SunLife over 50 plan welcome gift is not available on policies purchased through Reassured.

SunLife over 50 plan reviews

SunLife is highly rated by thousands of customers on Feefo and Trustpilot.

They’re also recognised as a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service provider, receiving this award in 2026.

The SunLife over 50 plan is rated 5 out of 5 stars by financial experts at Defaqto, the independent ratings specialist.

Review site

Star rating

Analysis

Feefo

Feefo 5 stars

 SunLife is rated ‘exceptional’ overall by customers from over 1,400 reviews (as of 07/26)

Trustpilot

Trustpilot 5 stars

SunLife is rated ‘Excellent’, scoring 4.8 out of 5 stars from over 26,000 reviews

Defaqto

Defaqto 5 stars

A 5 star rating from Defaqto indicates that the SunLife over 50 plan offers a comprehensive range of features and benefits

In 2025, SunLife was named the UK’s ‘Top Over 50s Life Insurance Provider’ in The Telegraph and Statista UK's Top Insurance Companies rankings.

Calculator

SunLife over 50 plan pay out calculator

Use our calculator to easily work out how much over 50s life insurance you may need from SunLife. Fill in the costs that you would like your policy to cover and calculate your ideal pay out amount.

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Almost half a million people aged over 50 in the UK are still paying off a mortgage (SunLife 2025).

If you expect to still have a mortgage in your 50s, 60s or 70s, you may wish to leave a small lump sum to help your loved ones reduce the outstanding balance or manage the monthly repayments.

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Around 26% of retirees have unsecured debt, such as credit cards, with an average amount of £1,750 (Interactive Investor 2025).

If you have outstanding debts, a life insurance pay out could help your loved ones settle some or all of them after you pass away.

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SunLife’s 2026 Cost of Dying report shows that a simple UK funeral costs on average £3,858, while a traditional funeral costs £4,510.

Funeral costs can place added financial pressure on loved ones. An over 50s life insurance pay out is often used to help towards these expenses.

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A life insurance pay out could help your partner manage household bills, everyday living costs and other expenses in retirement. It could also supplement their pension and provide extra financial support.

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You may wish to leave a small inheritance to your partner, children, grandchildren or someone else close to you. The pay out is not tied to a specific expense, so they can use it in the way that is most helpful to them.

You may instead choose to leave a small donation to a charity that matters to you.

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Here you can include the value of other insurance policies or plans you already have in place to help protect loved ones, which may reduce the overall amount of over 50s life insurance you may need.

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Your total cover estimate

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How much does SunLife over 50s life insurance cost?

The SunLife over 50 plan costs between £5 and £74 a month through Reassured.

The following details will determine your monthly premium:

  • Your age
  • Your smoking status
  • How much cover you choose (the sum assured)

Like with other over 50s policies, you can choose a monthly premium that fits in with your budget.

2026 pricing examples

The table below provides some examples of the monthly cost of over 50s life insurance with SunLife vs One Family.

Quotes are for a non-smoker taking out £5,000 of cover.

Age

Sunlife

One Family

50

£17.41

£15.00

55

£19.59

£18.00

60

£21.92

£20.00

65

£26.59

£25.00

70

£35.25

£35.00

75

£48.85

£51.00

80

£67.70

£75.00

85

£74.00
(for a maximum of £3,703 of cover)

N/A
(One Family’s maximum age is 80)


For a free, personalised quote without obligation, get in touch with Reassured.

SunLife over 50 plan pros and cons

PROs

  • A trusted and award-winning provider with thousands of positive customer reviews
  • Affordable monthly premiums that never go up
  • Straightforward application process - no medical questions
  • Guaranteed acceptance, even if you have a pre-existing medical condition
  • Guaranteed cash pay out for loved ones (following 12 month waiting period)
  • Free health and wellbeing services for you and your family

CONs

  • Inflation may affect the buying power of the cash pay out in the future
  • You may pay more into the plan than what it pays out, depending on how long you live and the cost of your premium
  • You won’t get any money back if you decide to cancel after the 30 day cooling off period
  • Other types of life insurance might offer better value if you’re in good health

For more information please see the SunLife guaranteed over 50 plan T&Cs and policy document.

How does SunLife compare to other providers?

Easily compare the key features and benefits of popular over 50 plans in the table below:

 

SunLife

One Family

Legal & General Post Office

Age limit

49 - 85

50 - 80

50 - 8050 - 80

Maximum pay out

£18,000

£20,000

£10,000

£10,000

Waiting period (before full cover starts)

12 months

24 months

12 months

12 months

Defaqto rating

5 stars

5 stars

5 stars

4 stars

Additional policy benefits

  • Accidental death cover from day one

  • Free Health and Wellbeing Services

  • Accidental death cover from day one

  • Access to wellbeing support

  • Access to Care Experts

  • Double pay out for accidental death

  • 24/7 GP service

  • Protected pay out (pay half of your premiums for half of the pay out

SunLife over 50 plan review summary and next steps

SunLife’s guaranteed over 50 plan could be an ideal option for people looking for simple and affordable cover that doesn’t include any medical questions.

However, it’s important to compare the policy with other over 50s plans and alternative types of life insurance to help you make an informed decision.

No matter which option you choose, shopping around can help you find the cheapest possible premium for the cover that you need.

At Reassured, an award-winning broker, we compare policies and prices from top UK insurers, including SunLife, free of charge and without obligation.

Make the most of our award-winning and FCA-regulated service today.

FAQs

Who are SunLife?

SunLife is a financial services company that focusses on products designed for people over 50.

Founded over 200 years ago, they were the first UK company to offer life insurance without a medical.

They’re now a leading over 50s plan provider and a well-known household name, having partnered with a range of influential celebrities including:

  • Carol Vorderman
  • Alan Titchmarsh
  • Michael Parkinson.

Is SunLife over 50s life insurance worth it?

SunLife over 50s life insurance could be worth considering if you:

  • Want to leave a guaranteed cash lump sum behind for loved ones
  • Want to contribute towards your funeral or other key costs
  • Want a simple and affordable whole of life policy
  • Have a pre-existing health condition which could affect your eligibility for other types of life insurance

If you’re in good health and looking for the cheapest cover, it could be worth also looking at standard whole of life polices or term life insurance.

When will SunLife life insurance pay out?

SunLife typically pay valid claims within three working days once they’ve received the information they need, including the policy details and death certificate.

Can you have more than one SunLife over 50 plan?

Yes, you can take out more than one over 50 plan with SunLife.

However, the total combined monthly premium for all policies can be no more than £100.

Can you have a joint SunLife over 50 plan?

No, it’s not possible to take out a joint SunLife over 50 plan.

How do you make a SunLife over 50 plan claim?

There are several ways to make a claim:

  • Telephone: 0800 008 6060 (open Monday to Friday 08:30 - 17:30)
  • In writing:

    SunLife
    PO Box 1395
    Peterborough
    PE2 2TR
    United Kingdom

For more information visit the SunLife website or contact Reassured.

Sources:

RedArc is a support service that isn’t regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. These services aren’t part of the terms and conditions of the SunLife Guaranteed Over 50 Plan and may be amended or withdrawn at any time

All the information in this review is correct as of 08/2026 and could be subject to change at any time

[1] https://www.sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs/