Legal & General Life Cover Options for Young Families
Starting a family is one of life’s most exciting adventures. From the joy of a first home to the pitter-patter of tiny feet, each milestone brings new responsibilities. Amidst the excitement, a crucial question emerges for many young parents: "How do we protect our family's future if the worst should happen?"
This is where life insurance steps in, acting as a financial safety net for your loved ones. In the UK, Legal & General (L&G) is one of the most recognised names in the insurance landscape, offering a range of products designed to provide peace of mind. But with so many providers vying for your attention, how do you know if L&G is the right fit for your family's unique needs?
This comprehensive guide is designed to demystify Legal & General's life insurance offerings for young families. We'll delve into their core products, explore their value-added benefits, and crucially, compare them against key rivals in the market. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge to make an informed decision, ensuring your family's financial security is in safe hands.
WeCovr explains how L&G’s family life insurance compares with rivals
Legal & General is a titan of the UK insurance industry, with a history stretching back to 1836. Their sheer size and brand recognition mean they are often the first port of call for families seeking protection. For many, their reputation for reliability and paying claims is a significant draw. In 2023, Legal & General paid out over £883 million in life, critical illness, and income protection claims, supporting more than 19,500 individuals and their families.
However, the UK protection market is fiercely competitive. Innovative insurers like Aviva, Royal London, Vitality, and Zurich continually challenge the status quo with enhanced policy features, broader critical illness definitions, and integrated wellness programmes.
Choosing the "best" insurer isn't about picking the most famous name. It's about finding the policy that offers the most relevant protection for your specific circumstances, health profile, and budget. At WeCovr, we help families navigate this complex market every day. We analyse the small print, compare the critical differences between providers, and match your needs to the policy that delivers the most robust and appropriate cover. This guide will give you a head start, using our expertise to shine a light on where L&G excels and where other providers might offer a better solution for you.
Understanding the Basics: The Building Blocks of Family Protection
Before we dive into L&G specifically, let's clarify the key types of protection that form the foundation of a solid family financial plan.
Term Life Insurance
This is the most common and straightforward type of life insurance. You choose a lump sum amount (the 'sum assured') and a policy length (the 'term'), typically aligned with your mortgage or until your children are financially independent. If you pass away within the term, the policy pays out the lump sum to your beneficiaries. If you outlive the term, the policy expires, and there is no pay-out.
There are two main variants:
- Level Term Assurance: The pay-out amount remains the same throughout the policy term. This is ideal for covering an interest-only mortgage, providing a lump sum for your family to live on, or covering education costs.
- Decreasing Term Assurance (DTA): The pay-out amount reduces over time, usually in line with a repayment mortgage. As you pay off your mortgage, the amount of cover needed decreases. This makes DTA a very cost-effective way to ensure your mortgage is cleared if you die.
Critical Illness Cover (CIC)
Often added to a life insurance policy for an extra premium, Critical Illness Cover pays out a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of a specific list of serious medical conditions, such as some types of cancer, heart attack, or stroke.
This money can be a lifeline, helping you to:
- Cover lost income while you recover.
- Pay for private medical treatment or home modifications.
- Clear debts, reducing financial stress at a difficult time.
- Allow your partner to take time off work to care for you.
The quality of a CIC policy is determined by the number of conditions covered and, more importantly, the specific definitions for those conditions.
Family Income Benefit (FIB)
Instead of a single lump sum, Family Income Benefit pays out a regular, tax-free income to your family if you pass away. This income is paid from the time of the claim until the end of the policy term.
FIB can be an excellent option for young families as it replaces the lost monthly salary, making budgeting much easier for the surviving partner. It's often more affordable than an equivalent lump sum policy because the total potential pay-out decreases as the policy term progresses.
A Deep Dive into Legal & General's Life Insurance Portfolio
Legal & General's protection products are designed to be straightforward and accessible. Let's break down their core offerings for families.
Legal & General Life Insurance (Level or Decreasing Term)
This is L&G's flagship product. It's a flexible term assurance policy that can be set up to provide a level or decreasing sum assured.
Key Features:
- Terminal Illness Cover: Included as standard. If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness and have a life expectancy of less than 12 months, the policy will pay out the sum assured early. This is a standard feature across most UK insurers.
- Joint Life, Second Death Option: Most joint policies pay out on the first death and then end. L&G offers an option (for an additional cost) on some policies where a pay-out occurs on the second death, which can be useful for Inheritance Tax planning.
- Accidental Death Benefit: If you apply for cover, you are often protected against accidental death for free while your application is being underwritten (subject to terms and conditions).
Legal & General Critical Illness Cover
L&G's CIC can be added to their life insurance policies. They offer a comprehensive list of conditions, but it's the definitions that matter.
What's Covered? L&G's standard CIC policy covers a wide range of conditions. Below is a simplified table of some key conditions they cover.
| Category | Example Conditions Covered by L&G |
|---|---|
| Cancer | Cancer (excluding less advanced cases) |
| Heart | Heart Attack, Coronary Artery By-pass Grafts |
| Brain/Nervous System | Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson's Disease |
| Organs | Kidney Failure, Major Organ Transplant, Liver Failure |
| Disability | Total Permanent Disability (TPD), Traumatic Brain Injury |
Children's Critical Illness Cover: This is automatically included at no extra cost if you add CIC to your policy. It typically covers a percentage of the adult's sum assured (e.g., up to £25,000) if a child is diagnosed with a specified condition. L&G's children's cover is highly regarded and includes a childbirth benefit for certain complications.
L&G's Value-Added Benefits: Umbrella Benefits
This is an area where insurers are increasingly competing. Beyond the core promise of a pay-out, what other support is available? L&G's "Umbrella Benefits" package provides access to a range of wellbeing services.
- Wellbeing Support: Access to registered nurses who can provide emotional support, guidance after a diagnosis, or help with navigating the NHS.
- Second Medical Opinion: If you're diagnosed with a serious illness, you can get a second opinion from a world-leading expert to confirm your diagnosis and treatment plan.
- Rehabilitation Support: Support to help you get back to work after an illness or injury, even if it doesn't result in a claim.
These services are valuable and provide tangible support at a time of immense stress. However, as we'll see, other providers offer different, sometimes more digitally-integrated, support packages.
How Does Legal & General Stack Up? A Competitive Analysis
No insurer is the best at everything. An insurer might be very competitive for a 30-year-old non-smoker but more expensive for someone with a pre-existing medical condition. Here's how L&G compares to some major rivals on key features beyond just price.
Feature Comparison: L&G vs. Key Rivals
| Feature | Legal & General | Aviva | Royal London | Zurich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core CIC Conditions | Strong, covers key conditions. | Very comprehensive, often with enhanced definitions. | High number of full pay-out conditions. | Strong core list, with optional enhancements. |
| Partial CIC Payouts | Covers a good range of less severe conditions. | Strong list of additional payment conditions. | Known for a very generous list of partial payouts. | Good, with a focus on early-stage cancers. |
| Children's CIC | Excellent, includes a childbirth benefit. | Enhanced cover includes educational support and advance payments for hospital stays. | Very comprehensive, often covering more child-specific conditions. | Strong cover, convertible to an adult policy at age 21. |
| Value-Added Service | Umbrella Benefits (Nurse support, Second Opinion). | Aviva DigiCare+ (incl. digital GP, nutrition & mental health consults). | Helping Hand (Dedicated nurse support from RedArc). | Support Services (Counselling, legal & financial guidance). |
| TPD Definition | Typically 'Own Occupation' for many roles. | Often offer a strong 'Own Occupation' definition as standard. | A market leader in providing 'Own Occupation' cover. | Strong definitions, especially for professional occupations. |
| Claims Payout Rate | Consistently high (e.g., ~97% for Life Claims). | Consistently high. | Consistently high. | Consistently high. |
Key Takeaways from the Comparison:
- For Comprehensive CIC: While L&G's CIC is robust, providers like Aviva and Royal London are often lauded for their more extensive condition lists and more generous definitions for both full and partial pay-outs. If your primary concern is the breadth of your critical illness cover, it's essential to compare these policies side-by-side.
- For Integrated Wellness: Aviva's DigiCare+ is a powerful digital offering, providing app-based access to GPs, mental health support, and more. If you value this kind of ongoing, tech-driven wellness support, Aviva might have the edge.
- For 'Own Occupation' Cover: This is a crucial definition for both Critical Illness and Income Protection. It means the policy will pay out if you are unable to do your own specific job, rather than just any job. Royal London is particularly well-regarded for offering this superior definition to a wide range of occupations.
- For Simplicity and Brand Trust: Legal & General excels in providing a straightforward, reliable product from a brand that people know and trust. Their pricing is often very competitive, especially for younger, healthy applicants seeking simple life cover.
This is where working with a broker like WeCovr is invaluable. We have access to the detailed policy documents for all these insurers and can quickly identify which provider's definitions and features best match your personal and professional circumstances.
Calculating Your Family's Needs: How Much Cover is Enough?
One of the biggest hurdles for young families is figuring out the right amount of cover. It's easy to pluck a number out of the air, but a more structured approach ensures you're not under-insured.
A common rule of thumb is to seek cover equal to 10 times your annual gross salary. However, a more precise method is the D-E-A-D calculation:
- D - Debts: Add up all your debts, starting with the largest. This includes your mortgage, car loans, credit card balances, and any personal loans. The primary goal is to clear these so your family starts with a clean slate.
- E - Education: Think about future costs for your children. Do you want to provide for university fees, help with a first car, or a deposit on a future home? Estimate these costs.
- A - Annual Expenses: How much income would your family need to replace each year to maintain their current lifestyle? Multiply this amount by the number of years you want to provide for them (e.g., until your youngest child turns 21).
- D - Death Expenses: Consider the immediate costs associated with death, such as funeral expenses. The average cost of a basic funeral in the UK is now over £4,000, according to SunLife's 2024 Cost of Dying Report.
A Real-Life Example: The Sharma Family
Let's imagine the Sharma family. Raj is 35 and earns £55,000. Priya is 34 and earns £40,000. They have two children, aged 4 and 2.
- Debts: Their repayment mortgage has £250,000 outstanding. They have a £10,000 car loan. Total = £260,000.
- Education: They'd like to set aside £25,000 for each child for university. Total = £50,000.
- Annual Expenses: If Raj were to pass away, they'd want to replace at least £3,000 per month (£36,000 a year) of his income for the next 17 years, until their youngest is 19. This is a huge number (£612,000), which is why many people use a combination of a lump sum and Family Income Benefit. Let's aim for a lump sum to cover 5 years of expenses: 5 x £36,000 = £180,000.
- Death Expenses: They budget £5,000 for funeral costs.
Total Lump Sum Needed for Raj: £260,000 (Debts) + £50,000 (Education) + £180,000 (Expenses) + £5,000 (Funeral) = £495,000.
They might decide to cover this with a £250,000 Decreasing Term policy to clear the mortgage, and a separate £250,000 Level Term policy to cover the other costs. They might also consider a Family Income Benefit policy to provide a monthly income instead of the lump sum for expenses.
This calculation shows that your "number" is personal. An expert adviser can help you run through these calculations and structure your policies in the most cost-effective way.
The Application Process Explained
Applying for life insurance involves a detailed look at your health and lifestyle. Insurers need this information to assess the level of risk you present and calculate your premium fairly.
What to Expect:
- Personal Details: Name, age, address.
- Cover Details: The type and amount of cover you want, and for how long.
- Health & Medical History: Questions about your height, weight (BMI), smoking status, alcohol consumption, past illnesses, and any family medical history (e.g., hereditary conditions like heart disease or cancer).
- Occupation & Hobbies: Some jobs (e.g., working at heights) or hobbies (e.g., mountaineering) are considered higher risk and can affect your premium.
The Golden Rule: Full and Honest Disclosure It is absolutely vital that you answer every question truthfully and completely. Failing to disclose something, like a previous medical consultation or that you're a smoker, constitutes 'non-disclosure'. If you were to make a claim and the insurer discovered this, they would have the right to reduce the pay-out or void the policy entirely, leaving your family with nothing.
Underwriting: The Insurer's Assessment Once you submit your application, it goes to an underwriter. This is the person who assesses your risk. For most young, healthy applicants, the process is quick and automated. In some cases, the underwriter might:
- Request a GP report: Ask your doctor for more details about your medical history.
- Require a medical screening: Ask you to undergo a mini-medical, which usually involves a nurse visiting you at home to check your height, weight, blood pressure, and take a blood or urine sample.
This process ensures the premium you pay is fair and accurately reflects the risk.
The Financial Bedrock: Protection for Self-Employed Parents & Business Owners
If you're a freelancer, contractor, or a director of your own limited company, your protection needs are more complex. Your family's financial security is often intrinsically linked to the health of your business. Standard family protection is essential, but you should also consider business-specific cover.
Income Protection (IP)
Often described by financial experts as the most important protection policy of all, Income Protection is designed to replace a portion of your income (usually 50-70%) if you're unable to work due to any illness or injury.
Unlike Critical Illness Cover, which pays a lump sum for a specific condition, IP pays a regular monthly benefit until you can return to work, the policy term ends, or you retire. It covers a far wider range of eventualities, from a bad back or mental health issues to more serious conditions. For a self-employed person with no access to sick pay, it's a non-negotiable safety net.
Executive Income Protection
If you're a company director, you can have your business pay for your Income Protection policy. This is known as Executive Income Protection.
Key Advantages:
- Tax Efficiency: The premiums are typically considered an allowable business expense, meaning they can be offset against your company's corporation tax bill.
- No P11D Benefit: It's not usually treated as a P11D benefit-in-kind, so there's no extra income tax for you to pay personally.
- Higher Cover Levels: Insurers often allow for a higher percentage of your total remuneration (salary and dividends) to be covered.
Key Person Insurance
What would happen to your business if you, or another crucial member of staff, were to die or become critically ill? Would profits fall? Would you lose clients? Would you struggle to repay a business loan?
Key Person Insurance is a life and/or critical illness policy taken out by the business on a key employee. If a claim is made, the pay-out goes directly to the business to help cover lost profits, recruit a replacement, or clear debts. This protects the business's stability, which in turn protects your family's income stream.
Legal & General, along with providers like Liverpool Victoria (LV=) and Scottish Widows, offer a strong range of business protection solutions. An adviser can help you determine the right structure for your company.
Wellness & Your Premiums: How a Healthy Lifestyle Can Save You Money
Insurers are not just interested in your health when you apply; they are increasingly invested in helping you stay healthy. This isn't just altruism – a healthier client is less likely to claim, which is good for business. This creates a win-win scenario for you.
The Big Three Factors Affecting Your Premiums:
- Smoking: Being a smoker is the single biggest factor that will increase your life insurance premiums, often doubling them or more. This includes vaping and other nicotine replacement products. If you quit smoking for over 12 months, you can apply to have your premiums reduced.
- BMI (Body Mass Index): A high BMI can indicate an increased risk of health problems like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Insurers have specific BMI bands, and a higher reading can lead to higher premiums or even a request for a medical screening.
- Alcohol Consumption: Consuming alcohol above the recommended weekly units (currently 14 units per week in the UK) can also lead to increased premiums.
Taking proactive steps to manage your health can lead to significant long-term savings on your insurance. Small changes to your diet, increasing your physical activity, and ensuring you get enough quality sleep can have a big impact.
As part of our commitment to our clients' long-term health, WeCovr provides complimentary access to our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app, CalorieHero. It's a simple, effective tool to help you understand your eating habits and make positive changes, supporting you on your journey to a healthier lifestyle and potentially lower insurance costs.
WeCovr's Verdict: Is Legal & General the Right Choice for Your Family?
Legal & General offers a solid, dependable, and often competitively priced range of life insurance products that are a very suitable choice for many young families. Their brand strength, high claims pay-out record, and straightforward product design provide a great deal of reassurance. Their children's critical illness cover is a particularly strong feature.
However, the UK protection market is rich with choice, and L&G is not always the "best" option for everyone.
- You might find more comprehensive critical illness cover with a provider like Aviva or Royal London, who may cover more conditions or have more generous definitions.
- You might be drawn to the integrated digital health services offered by a provider like Aviva or Vitality.
- If you have a specific health condition or a higher-risk occupation, a specialist insurer might offer you more favourable terms.
The ultimate decision depends on a detailed analysis of your individual needs, health, and budget. Price is important, but the quality of the cover and the small print in the policy document are what truly matter at the point of a claim.
The best way to navigate this choice is to seek independent advice. A specialist protection broker like us can compare the entire market for you, highlighting the crucial differences between policies from Legal & General and all its main competitors. We'll help you find the provider that offers the most robust protection for your family, at the best possible price.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I put my Legal & General life insurance policy in trust?
Do I need to take a medical exam to get life insurance with Legal & General?
What happens if I stop paying my premiums?
Does a Legal & General life insurance policy have any cash-in value?
How does inflation affect my life insurance cover?
Why life insurance and how does it work?
What is Life Insurance?
Life insurance is an insurance policy that can provide financial support for your loved ones when you or your joint policy holder passes away. It can help clear any outstanding debts, such as a mortgage, and cover your family's living and other expenses such costs of education, so your family can continue to pay bills and living expenses. In addition to life insurance, insurance providers offer related products such as income protection and critical illness, which we will touch upon below.How does it work?
Life insurance pays out if you die. The payout can be in the form of a lump sum payment or can be paid as a replacement for a regular income. It's your decision how much cover you'd like to take based on your financial resources and how much you'd like to leave to your family to help them deal with any outstanding debts and living expenses. Your premium depends on a number of factors, including your occupation, health and other criteria.The payout amount can change over time or can be fixed. A level term or whole of life policy offers a fixed payout. A decreasing term policy offers a payout that decreases over the term of the cover.
With critical illness policies, a payout is made if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness with a remaining life expectancy of less than 12 months. While income protection policies ensure you can continue to meet your financial commitments if you are forced to take an extended break from work. If you can’t work because you’ve had an accident, fallen sick, or lost your job through no fault of your own, income protection insurance pays you an agreed portion of your salary each month.
Income protection is particularly helpful for people in dangerous occupations who want to be sure their mortgage will always be covered. Income protection only covers events beyond your control: you’re much less likely to be covered if you’re fired from your job or if you injure yourself deliberately.
Questions to ask yourself regarding life insurance
Just ask yourself:👉 Who would pay your mortgage or rent if you were to pass away or fall seriously ill?
👉 Who would pay for your family’s food, clothing, study fees or lifestyle?
👉 Who would provide for the costs of your funeral or clear your debts?
👉 Who would pay for your costs if you're unable to work due to serious illness or disability?
Many families don’t realise that life, income protection and critical illness insurance is one of the most effective ways to protect their finances. A great insurance policy can cover costs, protect a family from inheriting debts and even pay off a mortgage.
Many would think that the costs for all the benefits provided by life insurance, income protection insurance or critical illness insurance are too high, but the great news is in the current market policies are actually very inexpensive.
Benefits offered by income protection, life and critical illness insurance
Life insurance, income protection and critical illness insurance are indispensable for every family because a child loses a parent every 22 minutes in the UK, while every single day tragically 60 people suffer major injuries on the UK roads. Some people become unable to work because of sickness or disability.Life insurance cover pays out a lump sum to your family, loved ones or whomever you choose to get the money. This can be used to secure the financial future of your loved ones meaning they would not have to struggle financially in the event of your death.
If it's a critical illness cover, the payout happens sooner - upon diagnosis of a serious illness, disability or medical condition, easing the financial hardship such an event inevitably brings.
Income protection insurance can be very important for anyone who relies on a pay check to cover their living costs, but it's especially important if you’re self-employed or own a small business, where your employment and income is a bit less stable. It pays a regular income if you can't work because of sickness or disability and continues until you return to paid work or you retire.
In a world where 1 in 4 of us would struggle financially after just four weeks without work, the stark reality hits hard – a mere 7% of UK adults possess the vital shield of income protection. The urgency of safeguarding our financial well-being has never been more palpable.
Let's face it – relying on savings isn't a solution for everyone. Almost 25% of people have no savings at all, and a whopping 50% have £1,000 or less tucked away. Even more concerning, 51% of Brits – that's a huge 27 million people – wouldn't last more than one month living off their savings. That's a 10% increase from 2022.
And don't even think about state benefits being a safety net. The maximum you can expect from statutory sick pay is a mere £109.40 per week for up to 28 weeks. Not exactly a financial lifeline, right?
Now, let's tackle a common objection: "But I have critical illness insurance. I don't need income protection too." Here's the deal – the two policies apply to very different situations. In a nutshell:
- Critical illness insurance pays a single lump sum if you're diagnosed with or undergo surgery for a specified potentially life-threatening illness. It's great for handling big one-off expenses or debts.
- Income protection, on the other hand, pays a percentage of your salary as a regular payment if you can't work due to illness or injury. It's the superhero that tackles those relentless monthly bills.
Types of life insurance policies
Common reasons for getting a life insurance policy are to:✅ Leave behind an amount of money to keep your family comfortable
✅ Protect the family home and pay off the mortgage in full or in part
✅ Pay for funeral costs
Starting from as little as a couple of pounds per week, you can do all that with a Life Policy.
Level Term Life Insurance
One of the simplest forms of life insurance, level term life insurance works by selecting a length of time for which you would want to be covered and then deciding how much you would like your loved ones to receive should the worst happen. Should your life insurance policy pay out to your family, it would be in a lump sum amount that can be used in whatever way the beneficiary may wish.
Decreasing Term Life Insurance
Decreasing term life insurance works in the same way as level term, except the lump sum payment amount upon death decreases with time. The common use for decreasing term life cover is to protect against mortgage repayment as the lump sum decreases along with the principal of the mortgage itself.
Increasing Term Life Insurance
Increasing term life insurance aims to pay out a cash sum growing each year if the worst happens while covered by the policy. With increasing term life cover amount insured increases annually by a fixed amount for the length of the policy. This can protect your policy's value against inflation, which could be advantageous if you’re looking to maintain your loved ones’ living standards, continue paying off your mortgage in line with its repayment schedule and cover your children’s education fees.
Whole of Life Insurance
Whereas term life insurance policies only pay out if you pass away during their term, whole of life insurance pays out to your beneficiaries whenever this should happen. The most common uses for whole life insurance are to cover the costs of a funeral or as a vehicle for your family's inheritance tax planning.
Family Income Benefit
Family income benefit is a somewhat lesser-known product in the family of life insurance products. Paying out a set amount every month of year to your beneficiaries, it is the most cost-effective way of maintaining your family's living standards to an age where you'd expect them to be able to support themselves financially. The most common use would be for a family with children who are not working yet so are unable to take care of themselves financially.
Relevant Life Insurance
Relevant Life Insurance is a tax-efficient policy for a director or single employee. A simple level term life insurance product, it is placed in a specific trust to ensure its tax efficiency. The premiums are tax deductible and any benefit payable should a claim arise is also paid out tax free, which makes it an attractive product for entrepreneurs and their businesses.
Important Fact!
We can look at a more suitable option mid-term!
Why is it important to get life insurance early?
👉 Many people are very thankful that they had their life, income protection, and critical illness insurance cover in place before running into some serious issues. Critical illness and income protection insurance is as important as life insurance for protecting your family's finances.👉 We insure our cars, houses, bicycles and even bags! Yet our life and health are the most precious things we have.
Easily one of the most important insurance purchases an individual or family can make in their lifetime, the decision to buy life, income protection, critical illness and private medical health insurance can be made much simpler with the help of FCA-authorised advisers. They are the specialists who do the searching and analysis helping people choose between various types of life insurance policies available in the market, including income protection, critical illness and other types of policies most suitable to the client's individual circumstances.
It certainly won't do any harm if you speak with one of our experienced FCA-authorised insurance partner experts who are passionate about advising people on financial matters related to life insurance and are keen to provide you with a free consultation.
You can discuss with them in detail what affordable life, income protection, critical illness or private medical health insurance plan for the necessary peace of mind they would recommend! WeCovr works with some of the best advisers in the market.
By tapping the button below, you can book a free call with them in less than 30 seconds right now:
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WeCovr is an insurance specialist for people valuing their peace of mind and a great service.👍 WeCovr will help you get your private medical insurance, life insurance, critical illness insurance and others in no time thanks to our wonderful super-friendly experts ready to assist you every step of the way.
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