Finding the right life insurance policy to fit your needs and budget can be a challenge. Legal & General is one of the largest providers of life insurance in the UK, offering a range of policies including term life, whole life, critical illness, and income protection insurance. This article will provide an in-depth look at Legal & General, the types of life insurance they provide, costs, customer service, and how their policies compare to competitors. Read on for everything you need to know about Legal & General life insurance.
Types of Life Insurance from Legal & General
There are various life insurance products available from Legal & General, so you can choose one that best fits your needs and budget.
Term Life Insurance – This is temporary life insurance designed to provide coverage for a set period of time, such as 10 to 30 years. Term life insurance is the most affordable type of life insurance and ideal if you need coverage for a specific need like paying off a mortgage.
Whole Life Insurance – Also called permanent life insurance, this offers lifetime coverage as long as you pay the premiums. Your premiums remain fixed throughout the policy. Whole life accumulates cash value you can borrow against. It costs a lot more than term life insurance.
Over 50s Life Insurance – Legal & General offers guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for people aged 50 to 80. You don’t need a medical exam and can get coverage amounts from £1,000 to £15,000.
Critical Illness Insurance – This supplementary policy pays out a lump sum if you are diagnosed with a specified critical illness like cancer, stroke, or heart attack. It does not cover death. You can use the payout to cover costs like loss of income.
Income Protection Insurance – Designed to replace income if you can’t work due to illness or injury, this coverage pays out monthly benefits after an initial waiting period when you make a claim.
Mortgage Life Insurance – A decreasing term policy designed to cover an outstanding mortgage, with the benefit amount decreasing over time as you pay off your loan. Premiums remain level.
Legal & General Life Insurance Quotes and Sample Rates
The kind and extent of coverage, your age, and your health state all affect the cost of your Legal & General life insurance premiums. An example of a monthly rate is:
- £25,000 term life, 30 years – £16/month for 30 year old male non-smoker
- £100,000 decreasing term, 25 years – £24/month for 35 year old female non-smoker
- £50,000 whole life – £47/month for 45 year old male non-smoker
- £300,000 critical illness – £38/month for 40 year old female non-smoker
To get a customized quote for the coverage you need, visit Legal & General’s website and use their life insurance quote tool. Expect to answer questions about your age, health, lifestyle, coverage amount desired, and term length if applicable.
Getting a Free Quote for Legal & General Life Insurance
Before committing to a policy, get quotes from multiple providers. Legal & General offers free, no-obligation life insurance quotes. To get a quote:
- Visit the Legal & General website and use the instant quote tool.
- Speak to an advisor over the phone – have personal details ready like your date of birth.
- Use an online comparison platform like MoneySuperMarket or Confused.com.
- Speak to an independent broker who can provide quotes from multiple insurers.
Always answer the quote questions honestly to get accurate pricing. Getting life insurance quotes from 3-5 different providers ensures you don’t overpay.
Comparing Term vs Whole Life Insurance
Term and whole life insurance serve different needs. Term life is best if you need affordable coverage for a set time period. Whole life costs significantly more but provides permanent coverage and builds cash value. Consider:
- Term life premiums are 5-10X lower than whole life for equivalent coverage. A £250,000 20-year term policy may cost £20/month vs. £200/month for whole life.
- Term life covers you for a set period like 20 or 30 years. Whole life covers you for life as long as you pay premiums.
- Term life has no cash value accumulation. Whole life builds cash value you can borrow against.
- Term life is ideal for temporary needs like paying off a mortgage. Whole life is better for permanent protection and leaving a legacy.
For many, a term life policy provides sufficient coverage at an affordable rate. Get quotes for both from Legal & General to compare and see which meets your needs.
Legal & General Life Insurance Customer Reviews
What do customers have to say about Legal & General’s life insurance products and customer experience? Here are excerpts from reviews on third-party sites:
“Legal & General’s term life rates were very reasonable compared to other insurers. The application process was simple and hassle-free. I would recommend them.”
“I had to submit a Legal & General critical illness claim. The claims team was very supportive and kept me updated throughout the process. I received my payout faster than expected.”
“It was a nightmare to cancel my policy because Legal & General made it difficult and took months to reimburse me for the money I owed.”
“Any pre-existing medical conditions should cause you to exercise caution. I was refused coverage, while other insurers were more flexible.”
“Sometimes the customer service at the call center is helpful, and other times the information is untrustworthy.”
Reviews highlight that Legal & General offers competitive rates but customer service experiences can be mixed, so this is something to consider when choosing a provider.
How Legal & General Compares to Other Insurers
How does Legal & General compare to some other top UK life insurance providers? Key points of comparison are as follows:
- Premium Cost – Legal & General offers competitive pricing, though not always the cheapest quotes. Smaller insurers may offer cheaper rates.
- Financial Strength – Legal & General has strong financial ratings as a large established insurer. This gives confidence they can pay out claims.
- Customer Service – As reviews show, Legal & General’s customer service is average. Some rivals like AIG have better reputations for service.
- Range of Products – With term, whole life, critical illness and income protection policies, Legal & General offers a wide range of options.
- Claims Process – Legal & General has streamlined technology for a smoother claims process. However, some customer complaints indicate claims can be tedious.
While not always the cheapest, Legal & General is competitive on premiums and offers a wide range of policy options. Customer service could be better, so comparing insurers is key.
Additional Life Insurance Options from Legal & General
Beyond core life insurance, Legal & General offers additional riders and options you can add onto a policy for an extra premium:
- Waiver of Premium – Waives your premiums if you become disabled according to policy terms.
- Conversion Option – Option to convert a term policy to permanent life insurance.
- Joint Life – Benefits from a single policy for two people.
- Critical Illness – Pays out a lump sum if diagnosed with a specified illness.
- Income Protection – Provides monthly payout if you can’t work due to illness/injury.
- Accidental Death Benefit – Additional payout if death is due to an accident.
- Terminal Illness – Early payout of death benefit if terminally ill.
These supplementary benefits can provide protection against disabilities, critical illnesses, loss of income, and accidental death. Consider adding them to enhance your coverage.
Buying with Pre-Existing Conditions
If you have pre-existing health conditions, getting life insurance can be challenging. Legal & General may offer coverage in some cases, but you will likely pay higher premiums. Tips when applying with pre-existing conditions:
- Disclose all medical history upfront – nondisclosure could make your policy void.
- Apply for guaranteed issue policies available to older age groups that don’t require medical exams.
- Seek specialty high-risk insurers that offer impaired life coverage for health conditions.
- Look into “simplified issue” life insurance which has limited medical questions.
- Reduce coverage amount requested which can lower premiums.
- Accept exclusions on pre-existing conditions if offered on a policy.
While Legal & General may insure some pre-existing conditions, you may get better rates with insurers specializing in impaired risk policies. Be open on your medical history.
How to File a Life Insurance Claim with Legal & General
If faced with filing a life insurance claim, Legal & General has a streamlined process:
- Call Legal & General as soon as possible to start the claims process.
- Provide documentation like a death certificate and proof of your identity.
- Complete the claim form provided and submit it with any requested medical records.
- You will be assigned a case manager who will update you on the claim status.
- Payouts are made within 5 days of claim approval, directly into your desired bank account.
- For complex cases, the claims process typically takes about 1 month, though it can vary case-by-case.
Legal & General also allows you to register a beneficiary during the application process so payouts are made directly to them, avoiding the need for probate delays.
Changing Your Life Insurance Policy
Over time, your life insurance needs may change. Legal & General allows you to make certain changes to your policy:
- Decrease/increase coverage – You can lower or raise your death benefit, adjusting premiums accordingly.
- Convert term to whole life – If your needs become permanent, you may be able to convert term life to whole life.
- Change beneficiaries – Update who receives your payout if your life situation changes.
- Take payment holiday – You may be able to temporarily stop premium payments if facing financial hardship.
- Reduce premiums – Some options like extending term length can lower your premiums.
Contact Legal & General to discuss required forms and documentation when requesting policy changes. Some changes may require new medical screening.
Lowering Your Legal & General Premiums
There are also ways you may be able to reduce your Legal & General policy premiums and save money:
- Extend your term length – Going from 20 to 30 years could significantly lower monthly premiums.
- Kick the smoking habit – Life insurers charge much higher premiums for smokers.
- Improve your health – Losing weight, lowering blood pressure/cholesterol can lead to lower rates.
- Bundle policies – You may get a discount by combining life insurance with other coverage.
- Review annually – Rates could improve as you age, so compare quotes yearly at renewal.
- Pay annually – Opting for annual premium payments avoids monthly fees.
If your budget is tight, discuss these options with your Legal & General agent to maximize savings on your policy without reducing your coverage.
Canceling or Surrendering a Legal & General Life Insurance Policy
You may decide to cancel and surrender your Legal & General life insurance policy for a refund of premiums paid. Be aware:
- Term life has no surrender value, you cannot get premiums refunded.
- You can surrender whole life policies in the first 2-5 years to get some premiums back.
- Surrender values for whole life diminish over time – after 6-7 years you get very little back when canceling a policy.
- There are usually surrender fees taken from any refund amount on whole life policies.
- Cancelling term life means losing your coverage, make sure you no longer need life insurance first.
- If cancelling whole life, consider reduced paid-up options that maintain some coverage.
Consult Legal & General on the specific surrender value and fees for your policy before cancelling any coverage.
Buying Legal & General Life Insurance at Older Ages
Legal & General offers competitive life insurance options for seniors:
- Over 50s life insurance requires no health exams for instant approval of up to £15,000 in coverage.
- Term life policies are available up to age 85, though maximum coverage decreases with age.
- Whole life remains available at any age, though premiums become increasingly expensive.
- Guaranteed acceptance whole life is available for impaired risks but has high premiums.
- Funeral plans help cover burial costs and are available through age 90.
Seniors should maximize guaranteed issue life insurance offerings that don’t require health screening. Costs are higher but worth it to ease financial burdens on loved ones.
Pros and Cons of Legal and General Life Insurance
Some key advantages and disadvantages of Legal & General life insurance:
Pros:
- Competitive pricing on term life and whole life policies.
- Wide range of policy types and add-on options.
- Strong financial strength as a longstanding leading UK insurer.
- Basic coverage available for older applicants without medical exams.
Cons:
- Mixed reviews of customer service and claims experiences.
- Not the most affordable provider for all health profiles.
- Pre-existing conditions can still face rejections or exclusions.
- Surrendering whole life gets little money back after the first few years.
Overall, Legal & General is a leading choice for life insurance in the UK if you want comprehensive options at fair rates. But compare quotes carefully and weigh customer service reputation before purchasing a policy.
The Takeaway
Legal & General offers an array of life insurance products like term, whole life and critical illness suitable for many needs and budgets. Getting quotes makes it easy to find competitive rates. Consider customer service reviews and alternative insurers to ensure you find the right provider. Use this guide to make an informed choice for your life insurance needs.
