Our pick of helpful life insurance questions

• Can I have several life insurance policies at the same time?

  Yes, you can have more than one life insurance policy, and they don't need to all be with the same provider. When you apply for a new life insurance policy, you may be asked whether you already have life insurance, as certain restrictions may apply.

• Who receives the life insurance payout under this policy?

  This will depend on how you set up the policy. In the event of your death, the payment will normally go to:

  • Your spouse/partner if you have a joint policy with them.

  • Your estate, unless the policy is in a trust or is owned by someone else.

  • A trust, if that’s what you’ve specified. Trustees will distribute the money in accordance with your wishes.

  In the event of a terminal illness or critical illness claim the money usually goes to the person covered.

• How much life insurance should I get?

  You can choose how much life insurance you buy, subject to terms and conditions. You might want your policy to pay out the value of your mortgage, a specific lump sum for your dependants or provide enough to cover both. To help you get an idea of how much insurance you might need, take a look at our cover calculator.

• How long should my life insurance be for?

  You can choose your policy length, subject to that set out in the Key Facts document. You may wish to consider when you plan to retire, the length of any financial commitments like your mortgage, and the age of any dependents you may have. These are factors that may indicate how many years you'd like the policy to run.

• What is critical illness cover?

  Critical illness cover is designed to pay out if you’re diagnosed with a specific illness which would have a severe impact on your life. Churchill’s critical illness cover, provided by AIG is called Critical 3 and can be added for an extra cost when buying Life Insurance. Critical 3 gives you an extra level of cover for specific types of cancer, heart attack and stroke. Please refer to the policy documents for more information.