5 reasons to consider over 60s life insurance
Last updated 15th January 2024 by the SunLife Content Team
3 min read
What is over 60s life insurance?
An over 60s life insurance plan is usually a whole-of-life insurance policy that covers you for the rest of your life. They are designed with people over 60 in mind. The policies are affordable, simple to apply for and don’t require a medical exam.
Having an over 60s life insurance policy in place can help give you and your family peace of mind. If you have the policy for one or two years, then your loved ones could receive a cash sum when you die.
Your family might use it to help with funeral costs, put it towards bills or save it for a rainy day.
Is there a difference between over 50s and over 60s life insurance?
It’s rare to see life insurance for over 60s advertised, as it’s usually called an over 50s life insurance policy. It's sometimes called ‘over 60s life insurance’ to make its features and benefits for people over 60 clear. But the policy is the same for people over 60 as it is for everyone over 50.
How does over 60s life insurance work?
An over 60s life insurance plan is usually a whole-of-life insurance policy. This means it covers you for the rest of your life.
If you're a UK resident aged between 50 to 85, most providers guarantee to accept you for an over 50s plan.
Many providers won't ask you any medical questions to get cover for an over 50s plan. So, if you're worried you've left it too late or have health concerns, it could be a good option for you.
Is over 60s life insurance right for me?
Here are the top five reasons why over 60s life insurance might be right for you:
1. To help with funeral costs
A lot of people choose over 60s life cover to help pay for their funeral.
SunLife's Cost of Dying report found that the cost of an average funeral in the UK is now around £4,000. (We use the cost of both burials and cremations from across the UK to calculate this figure).
If you don't already have funeral cover in place, or savings that your family can dip into, over 60s life cover might be the right choice for you.
No one likes talking about death. But putting off key end-of-life decisions could leave your loved ones having to plan and pay for your funeral.
2. To leave some money for loved ones
For some, over 60s life cover provides a straightforward way to leave money behind as a gift for children or grandchildren.
SunLife's Guaranteed Inheritance Plan is one such product. It provides a nest egg for your family after you've gone.
3. To leave some money to a good cause
Some people choose to leave it as a donation to their favourite charity or cause.
4. To help settle outstanding debts
The average age of a first-time buyer now stands at 33 years old[1]. So it's not unusual for people to still be paying off debts and mortgages into their later years.
Life insurance can help your partner or children deal with outstanding debts or cover monthly mortgage payments if the worst was to happen.
5. It can still be affordable
Generally, life insurance gets more expensive as we get older. But don't let this put you off. Life insurance might cost less than you think.
Over 60s life insurance plans can start from £4 a month.
If your family still relies on you or you have outstanding debts, life insurance can make sense.
It's not too late to help loved ones feel more prepared for the future – and to enjoy some extra peace of mind yourself.
To find out more, visit our comprehensive guide to over 50s life insurance.
[1] Money.co.uk (2023), First-time buyer statistics and facts: 2023(www.money.co.uk opens in a new tab)
The thoughts and opinions expressed in the page are those of the authors, intended to be informative, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SunLife. See our Terms of Use for more info.