Comparing life insurance: step by step

What you'll need to have ready

To get a life insurance quote, you'll need the date of birth of the other applicant if you're applying for a joint life policy. If you'd like to apply for life insurance right away, you'll need to have your bank details ready.

Step 1: tell us a little about yourself

You'll need to tell us:

• your gender

• your date of birth

• if you've smoked or used nicotine replacement products in the past three years. 

• your postcode and contact details

If you're applying for joint life insurance, you'll need to give these details for both applicants.

Step 2: choose the type of policy you need

You can read explanations of all the different types of life insurance and choose the type that suits you best.

You might want a life insurance policy that pays out a set amount of money, or one designed to help cover the remainder of your mortgage that shrinks as you pay off more of your debt.

You can also choose a policy that pays out if you're diagnosed with a critical illness. Some life insurance companies offer to pay the premiums for you if you become ill and can't work. You can choose whether to go for this option.

Step 3: tell us the amount and term of the life insurance

The amount you pay for life insurance depends on:

• the amount of money that's paid out if you make a claim

• the term - how many years the policy lasts

• Your health and any medical conditions that run in your family can also affect your life insurance premium.

You can choose any amount and term within a wide range - but long life insurance policies for large amounts will be more expensive.

Step 4: tell us a little about your medical history

Sometimes we'll need to ask a couple of medical questions before we give you a quote - they should take you less than a minute to answer.

To get an accurate quote, it's important that you answer truthfully. If you don't answer the questions honestly, the insurance company will be within its rights to refuse any claims you make on your policy.

Step 5: see a list of insurers and switch life insurance

Based on the information you provide, we'll show you a list of insurance providers that offer the lowest premiums (the amount you'll need to pay each month).

For each policy, you can download key facts to make sure you're getting exactly what you're looking for.

Then you just pick the policy that suits you.

Step 6: apply online or over the phone

After you compare life insurance with Uswitch, we'll help you through the whole application process. You can either fill in our online form, or call us to speak to someone directly.

You'll need to give us details about your health, your job and your lifestyle - for example, whether you have any illnesses or dangerous hobbies like rock climbing. We'll keep all this information confidential.

In most cases, we'll get in touch with your chosen insurance provider and get your cover set up right away.

If we need any more medical information, we'll ask your permission to contact your doctor. This might take around 14 days.

Depending on the information you give us, you might need to pay a different amount to the original quote. We'll keep you informed and you can change your mind at any stage.

What happens afterwards?

Can I change my mind? Yes you can. If you change your mind within 30 days you can cancel your life insurance policy and get a refund on any premiums you paid. After 30 days you can still cancel your life insurance at any time with no penalty - but you won't get a refund on your premiums.

How do I pay my premiums? Most people choose to pay monthly by direct debit.

What happens if I stop paying my premiums? If you stop paying your premiums, your life insurance cover will stop. To restart your cover, you'll have to set up a new policy.

Will the amount I pay ever change? Not usually. Most life insurance policies guarantee that your premiums will stay the same. Some policies are reviewable - meaning that the premium will be re-calculated after a set amount of time. These policies will be clearly marked in our list. They are often cheaper at the outset.

Will my policy always pay out if I die during the term? Your policy should pay out, as long as you answered all the medical questions truthfully when you applied. There are a few exceptional situations when your policy won't pay out. These will be clearly listed in the key details of your policy.

Can you change life insurance providers? Yes, if you find that your current policy needs to be reviewed it's important to update it, or take the steps to switch your life insurance policy. Check with your insurance provider if you can change your policy, not all providers allow for changes, check your terms and conditions.

It's important to keep reviewing your insurance policy to make sure that it still suits your needs, and your family. Especially if circumstances change due to new situations. Changes can impact your premiums, as higher payout amounts might lead to increased monthly payments.

Reasons for switching life insurance policies:

• You might have purchased a new house, or purchased a larger house, which means that the mortgage amounts are now higher than before

• Growing your family - new babies can be a reason to review your policy, as you might decide the amount you plan to leave behind will need to be increased

• Job changes can mean that you need more or less on your policy. Some jobs offer life insurance to their permanent staff members. So you might consider this when deciding on the final payout on your policy

*Based on £150,000 of level-term cover for 25 years for a 30-year-old non-smoking male with no pre-existing medical conditions (March 2023)

The life insurance comparison service is provided by Direct Life & Pension Services Ltd who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (155312). Registered Office; Friars House, 52A East Street, Chichester, West Sussex PO21 2PJ. By using this system you are also agreeing to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 

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