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4 out of 5 people believe that insurers payout less than 80% of insurance claims[1].
In fact, despite this common misconception, 98.3% of UK life insurance claims result in a successful payout.
This comprises a payout rate of 97.4% with regards to term life insurance and 99.99% for whole of life policies[2].
At Reassured, we only work with market-leading insurers to ensure you not only receive the best deal but that your loved ones benefit from your cover.
Life insurance payout rates vary depending on the insurer, however, the reality far exceeds speculation with the average being 98.3%.
As illustrated below, the majority of insurers Reassured arrange policies on behalf of, achieve a payout rate of around 99%.
A life insurance payout refers to the sum of money received by a policyholder's beneficiaries upon their passing.
The payout is received following a successful claim on a valid life insurance policy.
Occasionally a payout can be made directly to the policyholder if the policy includes terminal illness cover and they're diagnosed as having less than 12 months to live.
All term life insurance policies arranged through Reassured include terminal illness cover as standard.
Life insurance providers will never pay out a percentage of the value owed to your loved ones.
As a result, you can rest assured that if a successful claim is made, your beneficiaries will receive the full amount as stated in your policy.
The one exception to this is if the policyholder passes away during the waiting period of an over 50s plan.
This is a period of time at the start of the policy, (12 or 24 months), a policyholder must survive before a full payout is issued if death occurs of natural causes.
If you were to pass away during the waiting period, instead of receiving a full payout your loved ones would receive either a refund of the premiums paid or a percentage of the sum assured.
Generally speaking, life insurance payouts will be made in a one-off lump sum, either directly or via the deceased’s estate.
The one exception to this is family income benefit.
Whilst not strictly life insurance, this form of cover provides ongoing monthly, tax-free payments for a fixed term.
It's ideal for replacing a lost salary as a result of your passing and helps reduce the need for complicated long-term budgeting.
The average life insurance payout varies significantly depending on the type of cover in place.
For example, in 2019, the average value of a term-based life insurance payout was £77,535, whereas it was £3,465 for whole of life policies[2].
This is because whole of life policies are often taken out in later life when it can be costly to secure a high sum assured.
As a result, policyholders tend to opt for lower levels of protection.
A life insurance claim can be made as soon as someone passes away, although a death certificate will be required before a payout is issued.
Upon receipt of a successful claim, the payout will be made to the beneficiaries of the policy and payment will usually be received within 30 days.
In order for the claim to be valid:
It's also possible for an insurer to make a payout to the policyholder directly if they're diagnosed with a serious condition and are given less than 12 months to live.
This requires the policy to have terminal illness cover included; something which is standard on all policies offered through Reassured.
Whilst a payout can never be 100% guaranteed, as long as all information has been fully disclosed, your loved ones will more than likely (approximately 99%) receive a payout.
Term-based life insurance, however, doesn't guarantee a payout as the term of the policy may expire before your passing.
These cost-effective policies are often used to cover a mortgage debt or protect a family until the children are financially independent.
If you're looking for a guaranteed payout, depending on your age, it's best to consider whole of life or an over 50s plan.
Both of these forms of life cover provide protection for life, ensuring that it'll always be possible to file a claim.
Once a claim has been filed, it takes on average a month for the beneficiaries to receive the proceeds, although there are instances where this can take longer.
When a policyholder passes away, a claim on their life insurance can be filed immediately.
However, you'll require a death certificate before a payout can be made.
On the other hand, there's no time limit in which the claim must be filed.
Whilst a payout can be made in as little as a month, there are some instances where this could be delayed.
Most policies include a contestability clause (usually 2 years) where the insurer can request further information regarding the death.
This may be through the form of post-mortem notes/medical records and allows the insurer to determine whether any information was withheld during the application.
Life insurance policies also tend to have a suicide clause where a payout will be denied if the policyholder commits suicide within a certain time frame, (usually 2 years).
Therefore, if the policyholder dies of suspected suicide during this period, a payout will be delayed until the cause of death is confirmed.
Finally, if the policyholder dies as a result of homicide a payout will usually be delayed until a verdict has been reached.
Each of these causes for delay can vary significantly and in all instances, a payout won't be made until the insurer is certain the policy is valid.
It has already been identified that payout rates are significantly higher than most believe, however, it's inevitable that there'll be times when they're declined.
17% of people believed unsuccessful claims were due to insurance companies 'avoiding paying out'[1].
In reality, the three main reasons life insurance payouts are refused include:
Please note, an instance of any of the above may result in a payout being declined.
As a result, it's important to be honest during the application process and ensure you always remain up to date with your payments.
We've written a dedicated article on when life insurance doesn't payout if you require more information and detail.
Generally speaking, a life insurance payout is made to the following:
The best way to ensure your life insurance payout is received by who you desire is by writing the policy in trust.
This allows you to specify someone (a trustee) to carry out your wishes after you're gone, ensuring your loved ones receive the payout. Much like an executor of a will.
If married, by default, the proceeds of your life insurance will automatically be paid to your spouse.
When no beneficiary is stated on a life insurance policy, the payout usually goes to your next of kin.
The sum assured will form part of your estate and will undergo the same processes as other assets.
This includes probate and being subject to inheritance tax.
The proceeds of your estate will then be distributed as stated in your will.
Where a will is not present, again it'll fall to your next of kin.
Upon your passing, the value of your life insurance policy forms part of your estate.
Therefore, anything over the value of £325,000 is subject to 40% inheritance tax.
However, it's possible to avoid/reduce the amount your loved ones pay in inheritance tax by writing your life insurance in trust.
This detaches the policy proceeds from your estate, ensuring your loved ones receive 100% of your selfless investment.
It also reduces the overall value of your estate decreasing, if not eliminating altogether, the amount of inheritance tax paid.
Whilst it's most common for a payout to be made to your beneficiaries after you've passed away, it's possible to receive a payout before dying.
All life insurance policies provided through Reassured come with terminal illness cover as standard.
This means that if you're diagnosed with a terminal illness and given less than 12 months to live, you can make an early claim.
If you have critical illness cover you can also make an early claim.
These funds can then be used to put future arrangements in place for your family, such as:
When arranging life insurance cover, the sum assured is specified at application.
This is the amount your loved ones will receive upon your passing and remains fixed throughout the policy.
However, the exception to this is decreasing term life insurance.
Designed to cover a repayment mortgage, the sum assured with decreasing term policies is set to decline in line with the remaining mortgage balance.
As a result, the further into the policy you pass away, the smaller the payout received.
Some people are unsure of how the payout process works.
To obtain a life insurance payout, a simple claims process must be followed.
This can vary between insurers, but as a general rule:
It's a common occurrence that upon the death of a loved one, the life insurance details are unknown.
In this instance, you should refer to the register of consolidations on the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
Here you'll find the information required to identify whether your loved one had life cover, and if so, with whom the cover was held.
For more information read our article on how to find out if someone has life insurance.
The use of a life insurance payout is solely at the discretion of the beneficiaries.
Typically a payout is used for:
But it's possible to use the funds for whatever you desire.
Ultimately, the likelihood and process of a life insurance payout vary between insurers, as does the cost of premiums.
To ensure you receive the right cover to meet your needs, at the best price, it's essential to compare quotes from multiple insurers.
At Reassured, we can do all the hard work on your behalf - helping you to save time and money.
We compare quotes from the top providers, some of which have a 99% payout rate.
Our award-winning broker service can provide you with free quotes.
Simply get in touch to start your life insurance journey today.
[1] http://www.pacificlifere.com/content/dam/paclife_corp/pre/public/publications/pacific_momentoftruth_8pp_LOW.pdf
[2] https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2020/05/record-98.3-of-protection-claims-paid-out-in-2019/
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