Nationwide life insurance
Read this quick and simple review by Reassured to discover…
7 min
HSBC is the largest bank in the UK[1] with over 14 million active customers[2] with a long standing reputation in the financial industry.
HSBC are known to provide a range of financial services, including personal banking, loans, mortgages, and life insurance options.
Their life insurance policies are term-based products (level and decreasing) which is a popular option that can be personalised to meet a variety of needs. Cover is advertised as straightforward and reliable, but is this true?
Whilst Reassured can’t offer HSBC life insurance quotes, we can still offer a variety of life insurance options from some of the UK’s biggest insurers.
We can assist you in comparing quotes to discover budget-friendly options; simply get in touch today or fill out our online form to receive your quotes.
HSBC are globally recognised as being one of the biggest banking and financial services companies, originating in Hong Kong over 150 years ago.
HSBC UK’s roots began in 1992 when HSBC bought Midland bank. They offer a variety of financial services like personal bank accounts, loans, mortgages and life insurance.
With their headquarters located in Birmingham, HSBC have 14.7 million UK customers across all their financial services.
HSBC’s protection products, which include life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection, are provided by HSBC Life (UK) Limited which is a Financial Conduct Authority regulated company. (Financial Services Register number is 133435).
Customer and expert reviews are a great way to get an honest insight into what insurers are really like.
HSBC have received mixed reviews for their company as a whole, and for their life insurance products.
Expert rating websites, such as Defaqto, provide star ratings for products based on research carried out by experts (the higher the star rating, the better the product).
The table below shows the ratings for HSBC from TrustPilot, Defaqto and Fairer Finance:
Reviewing site | Rating | Product | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 | All financial services | HSBC as a whole has been rated poorly by customers on Trustpilot with a ‘poor’ score of 2/5 stars from 9,350 reviews. This is not necessarily a reflection on their life insurance products. |
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4 stars & 3 stars | Level & decreasing | Expert rating site, Defaqto, rates 4 stars (out of 5 stars) for HSBC’s level term policy and 3 stars (an average rating) for their decreasing term policy. |
| 73.65% | Life insurance | Fairer Finance, an expert rating site has given HSBC life insurance a 73.65% customer experience rating based on: |
All ratings are accurate as of 20/11/24
Reassured is rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot with over 80,000 reviews.
To determine if an insurer is ‘good’ will be down to personal preference and what type of policy is suitable for you. By comparing quotes and exploring the market, you can make a decision based on your budget and needs.
Below is a table comparing some of the main pros and cons of HSBC life insurance, so you can decide for yourself:
PROs | CONs |
---|---|
Award winning: They have won many global awards, including: world’s best bank in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2024[4], Cover Excellence Awards for Outstanding Individual Critical Illness in 2022. | Not much option: HSBC only offer term life insurance policies, which may not suit all customers. With only two types of life cover it doesn’t leave much choice for those exploring their options. |
High pay out rates: HSBC have also kept their pay out rates high for many years. With 99% of pay out rates for life insurance claims in 2021[5] to 97% in 2023. | Expensive for those with medical conditions: If you’re applying with a medical condition, premiums may be inflated or less accessible (depending on your condition). |
Affordable premiums for standard applicants: If you’re applying for a standard policy, you may be able to secure affordable premiums. Compared to some other big insurers, HSBC premiums offer a competitive price. | Less additional benefits: HSBC doesn’t offer many additional benefits with their life insurance policies compared to other insurers (e.g. a gift card, additional support for loved ones or health benefits). |
Mortgage protection: For HSBC customers only, there is a valuable benefit of mortgage protection being included in life policies taken out through HSBC. |
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The HSBC life insurance policies available are level term and decreasing term. Those aged 17 to 70 are able to apply for life insurance with HSBC. Please note Reassured offer life insurance to those 18 years and over.
Term life insurance is a popular option for customers looking to cover mortgage costs as it typically offers a larger pay out amount and is often affordable.
HSBC Level term:
HSBC Decreasing term:
The cost of your premiums will be calculated depending on your personal circumstances, including your medical history.
You can make either your level term or decreasing life insurance policy with HSBC to become joint with another party. This is typically a partner that you share finances with.
Joint life insurance is a type of policy that is designed to cover two people under a single policy, which pays out if either person passes away during the policy term. This type of policy only pays out once, typically if the first partner dies.
This can be a more affordable life insurance option for those seeking shared financial security.
Insurers use these details to calculate how much of a risk you are to insure (the likelihood of a claim being made) which will determine the cost of your monthly premium.
The table below shows example of 20-year level term life insurance premium prices from HSBC. Quotes are based on a non-smoker in good health, taking out £200,000 cover:
Age | Monthly premium |
---|---|
20 | £4.27 |
25 | £5.02 |
30 | £6.55 |
35 | £9.37 |
40 | £13.87 |
45 | £21.27 |
50 | £35.17 |
The table below shows example of 20-year decreasing term life insurance premium prices from HSBC. Quotes are based on a non-smoker in good health, taking out £200,000 cover:
Age | Monthly premium |
---|---|
20 | £3.52 |
25 | £4.20 |
30 | £5.10 |
35 | £6.75 |
40 | £9.90 |
45 | £14.35 |
50 | £22.60 |
Please note, Reassured can’t provide life insurance from HSBC, however we can offer policies from some of the UK’s leading insurers.
For no additional cost, the benefits included with an HSBC policy are:
For an additional cost, you can add a critical illness cover policy to your life insurance through HSBC.
Critical illness cover is a form of protection that pays out a lump sum if you suffer a critical illness or undergo a surgical procedure, that is specified in the terms of the policy.
This can be in the form of a single or joint policy and offers £10,000 - £1,000,000 sum assured through HSBC.
The pay out could help cover any lost income or making adaptations to your home in relation to your critical illness.
HSBC includes 35 conditions in their terms, including:
You can find the complete list on the HSBC critical illness cover terms and conditions.
Critical illness cover through HSBC is level cover only with a minimum length of policy being 5 years and your policy needing to end by the time you reach 75 years of age.
Cover will begin after 90 days of the policy start date and is available to those aged 17 - 70.
Please note critical illness cover through Reassured can only be sold to those 18 years and over.
Critical illness cover through Reassured can start from just 33p-a-day º .
HSBC offer income protection policies to financially support those in the event of being unable to work due to an illness or injury.
Income protection is a form of cover that typically helps cover up to 70% of your monthly income, although this depends on the insurer.
HSBC offer a personal touch of having your own dedicated claims assessor to offer you support, as well as, offering a rehabilitation service to help you back on your feet as a result of your illness or injury.
Reassured offer a whole of market income protection comparison service, allowing you to find our best deal.
When setting up a life insurance policy, in many cases it’s a good idea to write your policy in trust.
You can do this with HSBC. Writing a policy in trust means you’re signing the rights of your policy to a trustee when you pass away, who can then manage the pay out (on behalf of your beneficiaries).
With HSBC, you can write your policy in trust when setting up a policy or an existing policy. This is through a life insurance trust form which you can sign digitally or print off and send to them via post.
Writing in trust can help avoid / reduce 40% of inheritance tax and avoid the probate process.
Reassured can offers a free online trust-writing service with most of the policies arranged through us.
To contact HSBC and cancel an active policy, call HSBC directly at: 03457456125.
Available 08:00 - 17:00 between Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
Before making the decision to cancel a life policy, it’s important to make sure you’re making the right choice and consider what policy would be better for your needs.
Seeking professional advice or getting in contact with your insurer can help you come to a well informed decision.
To contact HSBC’s life insurance team, there are a few options available.
By telephone: 0333 207 5563
By email: support@lifeprotectionplan.hsbc.co.uk
Writing in by post:
Customer Services Centre
HSBC Life (UK) Limited
PO BOX 1053
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL1 9QG
You can also find all your details on their online portal, HSBC Access Life Insurance online, to access your policy details, documents and other information.
If you’d like to make a claim on your policy with HSBC, then get in contact with their claims team via the methods below:
Telephone: 0333 745 6125
By email: life.claims@hsbc.com
Via post:
HSBC Life (UK) Limited
PO Box 1053
St Albans
AL1 9QG
In 2023, HSBC paid out over 97% of all insurance claims[3].
On average, UK insurer’s life insurance pay out rates are around 96%. When applying for a policy, as long as you’re honest and fully disclose all required information, then you shouldn’t have any issues with loved ones receiving the pay out if you pass away while cover is in place.
Whilst Reassured can’t offer policies from HSBC, we can offer a life insurance comparison service for some of the UK’s best providers.
Comparing quotes is an essential part of beginning your life insurance journey, to ensure you secure a policy suitable for your needs and to find your best deal.
Our professionals here at Reassured can help keep you informed and assist you every step of the way during the application process over the phone. If you prefer, you can also use our buy online option to get quotes at your own pace.
Why not get in touch today with our friendly call handlers here at Reassured to safeguard your loved one’s financial future.
[1] https://www.unbiased.co.uk/discover/personal-finance/savings-investing/the-top-banks-in-the-uk-10-of-the-best
[2] https://www.about.hsbc.co.uk
[3] https://www.hsbc.co.uk/insurance/products/life-cover/
[4] https://www.hsbc.com/news-and-views/news/hsbc-news-archive/weve-won-three-worlds-best-bank-awards
[5] https://www.protectline.co.uk/insurers/hsbc/