Founded in 1836, Legal & General (L&G) is a FTSE 100 giant and the UK's leading provider of life insurance by market share. They are often described as the "safe pair of hands" in the industry, boasting a massive claims history and some of the most competitive rates for straightforward term insurance.
Whether you are a first-time buyer looking to protect a mortgage or a parent seeking a fixed safety net for your children, L&G’s products are designed for clarity, simplicity, and high payout reliability.
If you are wondering whether L&G are the right life insurance provider for you, get in touch below and one of our independent protection advisers will compare their deals against the rest of the market to find the ideal policy for you.
Get a bespoke life insurance quote today
Use our free service to access bespoke quotes and a market comparison from a protection insurance specialist today.
We will compare Legal & General life insurance deals against the entire market to help you find your ideal insurance coverage without the stress.
To get started, fill in our quick online form below and one of our expert protection advisers with be in touch today!
At a Glance: Legal & General
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Financial Strength: Extremely stable; A-rated by Standard & Poor's.
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Claims Record: Consistently pays out over 96% of all individual protection claims.
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Unique Selling Point: Highly competitive pricing for "standard" risks and a "Price Beater" tool for advisers.
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Best For: Families, mortgage holders, and those who want a trusted, traditional brand with no-nonsense policy definitions.
Types of Life Insurance Offered
L&G focuses on core protection products that offer a tax-free lump sum or income upon death or terminal illness.
1. Level Term Life Insurance
The most common form of family protection. You choose a fixed amount of cover and a fixed term (e.g., £250,000 for 20 years).
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Guaranteed Premiums: Your monthly cost remains the same throughout the entire term.
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Flexibility: Can be taken out as a single policy or a joint policy for couples.
2. Decreasing Term Life Insurance (Mortgage Protection)
Specifically designed to cover repayment mortgages. The amount of cover reduces over time, roughly in line with your outstanding mortgage balance.
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Cost-Effective: Because the payout decreases, the premiums are usually lower than level term insurance.
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Free Life Cover: If you're moving house, L&G often provides free life cover between the exchange of contracts and completion (up to 90 days).
3. Family & Personal Income Plan
Instead of a one-off lump sum, this policy pays out a regular, tax-free monthly income to your family for the remainder of the policy term. This is often easier for families to manage for ongoing costs like rent, groceries, and school fees.
4. Over 50s Fixed Life Insurance
A "Whole of Life" plan for UK residents aged 50–80.
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Guaranteed Acceptance: No medical questions or health exams are required.
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Fixed Payout: Designed for smaller needs, such as funeral costs or leaving a small gift to grandchildren.
Critical Illness Cover
L&G offers one of the most comprehensive "binary" Critical Illness policies in the UK.
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Standard vs. Extra: Their "Critical Illness Extra" plan covers more conditions and offers higher "additional payments" for less severe illnesses.
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Children’s Cover Included: When you take out adult Critical Illness cover, your children (including future children) are automatically covered for most of the same conditions at no extra cost.
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Survival Period: Unlike some insurers, L&G has a 14-day survival period (you must survive 14 days post-diagnosis for the claim to be valid).
Additional Wellbeing Benefits
L&G includes several "Umbrella Benefits" as standard with their protection policies:
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Wellbeing Support (RedArc): Access to a dedicated registered nurse who provides long-term practical and emotional support for chronic illness, bereavement, or trauma.
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Care Concierge: A telephone service that helps you and your family navigate the complexities of later-life care, from finding care homes to understanding funding.
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Nurse-Led Claims: For serious illness claims, L&G often assigns a nurse to the case to ensure the claimant gets medical support alongside the financial payout.
Pros and Cons
The Pros
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Volume & Reliability: They pay out billions in claims every year; they are the "safe bet" of the UK insurance world.
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Price: Regularly tops the charts for the lowest monthly premiums for healthy non-smokers.
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Joint Life Separation: If a couple divorces or separates, L&G allows you to split a joint policy into two single policies without new medical evidence.
The Cons
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Strict Underwriting: While great for healthy applicants, they can be stricter (or more expensive) for those with complex pre-existing medical conditions compared to "specialist" insurers.
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Terminal Illness Definition: Their standard terminal illness benefit only pays out if you are expected to live for less than 12 months (some competitors have "earlier" triggers).
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Traditional Approach: L&G doesn't offer the "lifestyle rewards" (like gym discounts) found with providers like Vitality.
How to get a L&G life insurance quote
The best way to get a life insurance quote tailored to your needs and circumstances is through an independent life insurance adviser, like the ones on our team. They will compare every deal that fits your requirements and offer bespoke advice on which one to choose.
Get started here to book a free, no-obligation chat with one of our life insurance brokers today to find out what your options are and begin your application.