What Is Mortgage Life Assurance?

Mortgage Life Assurance is designed to pay off the remaining mortgage debt on repayment mortgages and interest only mortgages if you die within a set period. It helps to ensure that your dependants needn’t worry about repaying the mortgage if you die.

Is it worth having?

It is sensible to consider cover when you take out a mortgage. It can be useful protection if you have a repayment mortgage or interest only mortgage, and people who are financially dependent on you. 

How Much Does It Cost?

Mortgage Life Insurance has no investment element so is usually the cheapest form of protection. It is usually necessary to review the cover when moving home, or changing the terms on your mortgage

Costs depend on you

Policy costs increase with mortgage size and length as well as the likelihood of your death during the term. This means age and whether you smoke are big factors. For those who’ve quit smoking, once a year has passed, it is worth a re-quote as the price may have reduced substantially.

Again if you already have a policy and you have stopped smoking ask us for a re-quote as we may be able to find cheaper cover for you. Some Mortgage Life Insurance policies also factor in health, occupation and participation in risky sports. So a 21 year old, non smoking office worker, who enjoys healthy food and regularly visits the gym, will probably find their policy could have monthly premiums that cost less than they would for someone who is older and leads a less healthy lifestyle.

Consider writing in trust

If you die the life assurance payment will then form part of your estate. This may make the value of your estate liable to Inheritance Tax. In many cases you can avoid this by writing the policy in trust – which means the payment goes direct to the trustees for payment to your chosen beneficiaries, avoiding inheritance tax. This is relatively easy to do as with most insurance policies they include the option (and papers) for writing in trust directly, at no extra charge.