What is the average life insurance cost per month?

The average cost of life insurance in the UK varies from £30.40[1] to £15.85[2] depending on which research you refer to.

Whilst the average cost of life insurance may be considerably higher than you were hoping to pay, the price varies significantly between applicants.

At Reassured, we can arrange life insurance cover from as little as 20p-a-day.

The amount you pay per month for your life insurance protection depends on your individual circumstances.

Keep reading to find out more about the average costs of various types of life insurance and the aspects which may affect these costs…

Alternatively, get in touch today for your free, no-obligation quotes.

How much life insurance do you need?

Enter your financial commitments to understand the level of cover you require.

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£121,687 is the estimated average outstanding mortgage per household in the UK.

Our property is generally the largest financial commitment any of us will make.

Your life insurance should cover this significant debt should you no longer be around.
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According to Money Advice Service, full-time childcare in the UK now costs £242 a week.

The loss of a parent could result in the need for additional childcare whilst the surviving parent increases their hours to account for lost income.

Your life insurance cover should factor in this additional required outgoing.
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The average level of debt (minus a mortgage) in the UK is £15,385.

Factoring in any outstanding debts in your name when arranging life insurance ensures this burden is not passed to loved ones.
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You may wish to leave your loved ones an inheritance or lump sum gift upon your passing.

Factoring in the gift amount when arranging your cover will ensure the pay out amount will be sufficient to provide your loved ones with this selfless gesture.
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According to SunLife, the average cost of a UK funeral is now £4,417, whilst the total cost of dying is £9,493.

This is a 130% increase over the past 16 years and shows no signs of slowing down.

A significant cost which should be factored into the amount of life insurance you secure.
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If you are one of the 65% of the UK who are lucky enough to have savings, this could be used as protection if you were to pass away.

Any pay outs from existing life insurance policies and investments can also be used as financial protection for your loved ones if you were no longer around.

Factor this into your required cover amount.
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Your total cover estimate

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What determines the cost of life insurance per month?

As mentioned, the monthly cost of your life insurance will be dependent on a number of individual factors.

These include:

  • Age
  • Health
  • Smoking status
  • Type of cover
  • Level of cover, (sum assured)

These aspects will be used by the insurance provider to determine the level of risk you pose and the likelihood of a claim.

Those presenting a higher risk will be charged more on a monthly basis.

To ensure you receive the best deal, it's always favourable to compare quotes from multiple providers - a task we can carry out on your behalf at no fee to you.

Average life insurance cost for mortgage UK

When arranging cover for your mortgage, the most common form of life insurance obtained is decreasing term life cover.

This type of protection provides a sum assured which declines throughout the term of your policy in line with the remaining amount of a repayment mortgage so that if a claim is made, the outstanding balance of the mortgage will be covered.

However, the cost of properties across the UK varies significantly depending on location. As a result, the amount of cover required will vary also.

The larger the sum of protection you require, generally, the higher the cost of your monthly premiums.

In 2020, the average mortgage debt in the UK is £130,000[3] but is likely to be much larger in certain areas of the country.

Surrey is the most expensive place to purchase a house in the UK, with an average cost of £549,659. Therefore, it's easy to see that the average cost of life insurance to cover a mortgage within this county is likely to be above the national average.

The length of your mortgage and your age will also impact the cost of your premiums, with those requiring a longer-term, or taking out cover at an older age, being charged higher premiums.

The table below shows the average life insurance cost for a 30-year mortgage dependant on age at application[4].

Age Monthly cost for mortgage life insurance
30 £5.50
35 £7.80
40 £12.60
45 £19.29
50 £32.72

To determine the cost of life insurance to protect your own mortgage, it's essential to get an individually tailored quote.

Average life insurance cost - level vs decreasing

Overall, decreasing term life insurance is considered to be the cheapest form of life insurance as the pay out sum reduces throughout the course of the policy.

The following data shows a comparison between the monthly cost of a level term policy and decreasing term policy over a 30 year period[4].

Age Level term life insurance Decreasing term life insurance
30 £5.83 £4.62
35 £8.10 £6.12
40 £11.58 £8.68
45 £18.29 £12.65
50 £30.20 £20.67


Whilst the figures show that decreasing term life insurance is cheaper regardless of age, the percentage savings between the two increases with age.

30-year-old applicants can save an average of 26.2% if they were to take out a decreasing term policy as opposed to a level term policy, whilst a 50-year-old applicant could save a huge 46.1% saving a month.

This equates to an average saving of £3,430.80 for a 50-year-old applicant over the course of the policy term.

At Reassured, we can arrange both level term and decreasing term policies.

Simply contact our team today for your free quotes to determine the right solution for you.

Average cost of joint life insurance

Generally speaking, it's 25% cheaper to arrange joint life insurance policy as opposed to two singles.

However, it will only ever result in one pay out instead of two.

Therefore, when determining whether or not to opt for joint cover, you should consider the saving to be made on a monthly basis, compared to the shortfall of only one sum assured being received by your loved ones if the worst were to happen.

The following data shows the average cost of 2 single life insurance policies, in comparison to one joint policy[5].

Age Two single policies One joint policies
Under 25 £11.78 £11
25-34 £18.08 £14.39
35-44 £26.70 £22.29
45-54 £42.42 £34.14
55-64 £67.78 £53.96


The average saving when arranging joint cover increases with age. Under 25’s save an average of 7%, whilst those 55-64 can save 25.6%.

As with all life insurance policies, the amount you can save will depend on individual factors, and if one party suffers particularly ill-health, this could skew the overall premium cost.

Contact Reassured today to compare both individual and joint premium costs to determine the most cost-effective solution for you.

Average life insurance cost for a smoker

Due to the additional health implications, the cost of life insurance for a smoker is significantly higher in comparison to a non-smoker - Up to 50% for a 50-year-old smoker[6].

Across the UK, smokers will pay an average of 34% more in comparison to non-smokers[2], putting the average life insurance cost for a smoker at £20.24 a month in the UK.

As stated, your smoking status is only one factor which will be taken into account when arranging your life insurance, and your insurer is likely to require further information about your habit, such as amount per day and length of time you have been smoking.

This information will then be processed to determine the impact it may have on your health and the affect it will have on the likelihood of a claim being made.

The table below shows the difference between the average cost of life insurance for smokers and non-smokers over a 20-year term in the UK[4].

Age Smoker per month Non-smoker per month
30 £7.21 £5.08
35 £11.20 £6.85
40 £16.77 £9.39
45 £26.78 £13.58
50 £43.03 £20.87

At Reassured, we can arrange life insurance for smokers from just 20p-a-day, so get in touch and challenge us to find you a great deal.

Average cost of whole of life insurance

Whole of life insurance lasts for the rest of your life and guarantees a pay out.

It's this guaranteed pay out that makes it not surprising that this form of protection tends to be one of the most expensive.

As with other forms of life insurance, various aspects such as your age, health and cover requirements will affect the cost of your premiums.

The table below details the average cost of whole of life insurance in the UK[4].

Age Whole of life cover
30 £40.68
35 £50.26
40 £62.43
45 £80.70
50 £106.28

When comparing the national average cost of life insurance, a 30-year-old will pay 640% more for whole of life insurance in comparison to 30 years of mortgage life insurance.

As age increases, so the percentage decreases on national average, with a 50 year old only paying 225% more for whole of life insurance in comparison to mortgage life insurance.

At Reassured, we can compare term and whole of life insurance quotes to secure you the most appropriate deal.

Secure the best available deal » Compare quotes

Regardless of your age, health or the type of life insurance you're looking to secure, comparing quotes from multiple insurers can ensure you the best deal.

Our award-winning, FCA regulated team can provide you with all of the information you need to make a fully informed decision.

Get in touch today and discover the best policy option for you – for free.

Compare Life Insurance Quotes »

Sources:

[1] https://bobatoo.co.uk/blog/how-much-does-life-insurance-cost-the-average-cost-of-life-insurance-in-the-uk/

[2] https://www.moneysupermarket.com/life-insurance/

[3] https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-7494625/Mortgage-holders-coming-end-two-year-fix-payments-double.html

[4] https://moneytothemasses.com/quick-savings/insurance-2/life-insurance/much-100000-life-insurance-cost

[5] https://www.moneysupermarket.com/life-insurance/single-vs-joint/

[6] https://www.sunlife.co.uk

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