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Is this enough life insurance?

3 replies

Justaquickwash · 14/01/2019 22:09

We have a £264k mortgage to be paid off over the next 17 years, just before we retire. There's a reasonable chance that we will pay it off early through a combination of inheritances and share scheme bonuses, but we're not relying on that as a certainty. We have 2 DCs age 14 and 12.

Our current life cover is as follows:

150k joint life policy, expiring in 9 years time but can be extended subject to review - (we've had this a long time so at a premium of £15 per month it seems relatively cheap compared to what a new policy for the same amount would be)

DH: 325k death in service benefit + 33k annual widow's pension (this is job dependent but DH has no current plans to move job and isn't currently at risk of redundancy). He is the main breadwinner, with a good salary.

Me: 75k death in service benefit. I currently work part-time in a professional role at 0.5 FTE, but could increase these hours if needed as our DCs are old enough. I do a lot of community work, so have remained part-time out of choice.

In addition, we've just had a quote for a joint £120k policy that will cover the 17 year mortgage term, decreasing at a rate of 8%. I think this is probably the minimum we need to make sure our mortgage is covered, and it will cost us £24 pcm. The original quote was revised upwards because DH has had some health problems recently. If we take this policy, our total monthly outgoings on life insurance will be £39, which seems about right to me, and gives us a level of cover I feel comfortable with.

Does this seem reasonable? I know people will tell me to talk to a financial advisor, but I'm wary of them selling us insurance we don't need.

I've looked at Critical Illness cover, but the costs are extortionate, so we may just have to accept that we can't cover that risk.

OP posts:
TeaForDad · 14/01/2019 22:14

We both have work benefits that give 3x salary I think. I think that is plenty if it clears the mortgage.

Looking at it before I saw your post actually, as I might move work and want a private version... expensive though

Lightsabre · 15/01/2019 15:06

That sounds like a good level of cover.

Sophiesdog11 · 16/01/2019 13:03

I would be wondering whether you need the extra cover?

If your DH died at any time in next 17yrs, joint life insurance and DIS would more than cover the mortgage.

If you died within 9 yrs, the majority of mortgage would be covered by joint LI and DIS, leaving your DH with only about 40k - easily manageable if he has a high salary, and, given the DC ages, I am guessing he wouldn't need to give up work for childcare. Do you have any savings he would have access to too?

Which leaves the period after the 9 yrs policy expires but before mortgage is paid off - so 9-17yrs time. On the basis that the mortgage will surely be much lower in 9yrs, presumably your DIS would pay off a good chunk and then he would continue paying it off from salary. By then the DC will be 21 and 23 minimum, so should be more or less independent.

I think I would be looking at ways to save/invest money that could be used to pay any shortfall in mortgage, if you have any spare money each month. If not, then maybe review the need to extend the initial policy before the 9 years are up - depending on how much you lower the mortgage in that time?

You may get towards the 9yr date and find that you have almost cleared the mortgage from overpaying/inheritance/bonuses such that the extended policy was never needed.

I also don't think there is a need to see a FA, life insurance is pretty basic, you just need to consider any savings etc, likelihood of bonuses etc.

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