What is Sorted Life Insurance?

Sorted Life Insurance can give your family financial security if you were to pass away or suffer a terminal illness. The cash sum of between £60,000 to £750,000 (depending on your age) can be used in any way that your family chooses; to pay the mortgage or rent, the household bills, the car, the school trips… all the expenses that they could face.

There’s also an advance pay-out of your chosen cash sum if you were to be diagnosed with a terminal illness with 12 months or less to live; even if you were to go into remission, the cash sum would be yours to keep.

Why would I need Sorted Life Insurance?

We’re all used to insuring our home, our car, our pets and even our mobile phones, but sometimes we forget about Life Insurance. Just imagine what could happen to your family financially if you’re no longer around?

Nobody knows what’s around the corner. If you were to pass away or suffer a terminal illness, the last thing you’d want your family worrying about is how they’ll cope with the rent or mortgage and all the bills to keep family life going.

Now’s the time to get your life insurance sorted, and help your family avoid those money worries if you’re no longer there to provide for them.

What does Sorted Life Insurance cover?

Sorted Life Insurance covers death due to any cause, except if death is the result of self-inflicted injury in the first 12 months.

There’s also an advance pay-out of your chosen cash sum if you were to be diagnosed with a terminal illness with 12 months or less to live; even if you were to go into remission, the cash sum would be yours to keep.

Are there any exclusions?

Sorted Life Insurance and all optional covers have exclusions and limitations, which you can find in the Sorted Life Insurance Key Facts and Terms & Conditions document. For example, you’re immediately covered for death, except if death is the result of self-inflicted injury in the first 12 months

If you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness, the cash sum benefit will not be paid if the terminal illness is the result of a self-inflicted injury.

We will not pay any benefits where we have agreed a special term with respect to your cover that specifically excludes the event or condition leading to the claim. Special terms will be agreed with you before your Policy is issued and will appear on your Schedule.

Am I eligible for Sorted Life Insurance?

If you are a UK resident and are aged 18 to 64, you can apply for immediate cover of between £60,000 and £750,000 depending on your age.

There's no medical or blood test, just a series of health and lifestyle questions.

Certain medical conditions are excluded - for more information, please download the Sorted Life Insurance Key Facts and Terms & Conditions document.

Will I be asked any questions about my health and lifestyle?

Yes – as part of the application process for Sorted Life Insurance, you will be asked some health and lifestyle questions over the phone.

Please note that certain medical conditions are not covered. Based on your answers to the health and lifestyle questions, there are five possible outcomes.

The insurer may:

• Approve your Policy with no changes;
• Approve your Policy with a ‘loading’*;
• Approve your Policy with a ‘loading’* and additional exclusions;
• Approve your Policy with additional exclusions; or
• Decline your cover.

*The loading reflects the increase in risk associated with the answers you have provided, and will result in an increased monthly premium.

Please call us on 0800 093 3510 for more information.

Can I cover my partner and children too?

Your Sorted Life Insurance Policy can be a Single Policy covering your own life, or you can take out a Joint Policy that covers your partner too. Each life insured on the Policy can be insured for a different cash sum, so if one of you is the main breadwinner, they can be insured for a larger amount to cover all the expenses that they’re currently paying. Even if one of you doesn’t have an income, perhaps because they’re looking after the kids, it may be worth considering the cost of childcare and running the home, should that person no longer be around.

You can also add optional Children’s cover which provides a cash sum for each dependent child of the Policy holder or their partner (if it’s a Joint Policy). It’s to help cover extra costs for things like medical expenses if your child suffers any of the following serious injuries or illnesses; paralysis, blindness, deafness, loss of hands or feet, encephalitis, bacterial meningitis or traumatic head injury. The chosen cash sum is also paid in the event of accidental death.

How much cover can I apply for?

You can tailor your Sorted Life Insurance cash sum to suit your budget and needs. The minimum cash sum is £60,000, up to the maximums shown below:

How much does Sorted Life Insurance cost?

The Life Insurance quote which Sorted Insurance gives you will depend on:

• the cash sum you choose
• any optional covers you choose
• whether you select a Single or Joint plan
• the Policy type you choose
• the term you select (if applicable)
• your personal circumstances (e.g. your age, your health, family history and occupation)

What optional covers are available?

Depending on your situation, you may want more protection than Life Insurance on its own. For an additional premium, there are 3 optional covers that you can include with your Sorted Life Insurance, for even more peace of mind:

• Children’s cover provides a cash sum of £10,000 to £30,000 for each dependent child of the Policy holder or their partner (if it’s a Joint Policy). It’s to help cover extra costs for things like medical expenses if your child suffers any of the following serious injuries or illnesses; paralysis, blindness, deafness, loss of hands or feet, encephalitis, bacterial meningitis or traumatic head injury. The cash sum is also paid in the event of accidental death.
• Critical Illness cover provides a cash sum in the event of one of the following serious illnesses during your policy; cancer (excluding less advanced cases), stroke, heart attack or coronary artery bypass surgery. The minimum cash sum is £30,000 and the maximum is 50% of your chosen Sorted Life Insurance cash sum.
• Accidental Death cover can offer protection to your family from the risk of accidents, providing an extra cash sum in the event of accidental death. You can get a cash sum up to £650,000, depending on your age.

What is an age based Policy?

With an age based Policy, your premium is based on your age. The premium is recalculated each year at your Policy anniversary; gradually increasing in line with your age. With an age based Policy, your monthly premium will start lower compared to its equivalent on a level Policy type, so this may appeal to you if you’re on a tight budget during the early years of holding the Policy. Plus, with an aged based Policy, you can keep it for the rest of your life (whole of life) rather than deciding on a fixed term.

The age based Policy also features a 5% automatic annual increase to your chosen cash sum for your Life Insurance and any optional covers you have. This increase is automatic so you don’t have to answer any more health and lifestyle questions. It’s added to your Policy on your policy anniversary each year, for 10 consecutive years from the Policy start date.

The cash sum increase is a great way of increasing your cash sum gradually over the years, for example, as your family or mortgage grows. You can opt out of the 5% increase if you prefer, so your cash sum will stay the same. If you change your mind, you can always opt back into it during the first 10 years of holding your Policy; whatever suits you best.

What is a level Policy?

The level Policy may appeal to you if you want certainty, knowing that your increasing age won’t affect your monthly premium – it will stay the same each month. With the level Policy, you have the choice of a fixed term from 10 to 40 years. Once you have been covered for the length of the term you choose, your Policy will end.

The 5% automatic cash sum increase is not available on a level Policy, so your chosen cash sum will stay the same. It’s important to note that as your chosen cash sum will not increase, it may not keep up with inflation.

What is the 5% automatic cash sum increase?

The age based Policy also features a 5% automatic annual increase to your chosen cash sum for your Life Insurance and any optional covers you have. This increase is automatic so you don’t have to answer any more health and lifestyle questions. It’s added to your Policy on your Policy anniversary each year, for 10 consecutive years from the Policy start date.

Example: If you have chosen a £100,000 cash sum at the start of the Policy, the next year you will be covered for £105,000. At the end of 10 years, as long as you don’t opt out of the increase, your cash sum would be £150,000.

The cash sum increase is a great way of increasing your cash sum gradually over the years, for example, as your family or mortgage grows. You can opt out of the 5% increase if you prefer, so your cash sum will stay the same. If you change your mind, you can always opt back into it during the first 10 years of holding your Policy; whatever suits you best.

Unlike the age based Policy, the 5% automatic increase to your cash sum is not available on a level Policy.

Does the 5% automatic cash sum increase apply to the optional covers?

Yes, if you choose an age based Sorted Life Insurance Policy, then the chosen cash sum for any optional covers you select will also increase by 5%.

Which is better – age based or level?

We know that everyone has different needs, so we offer two Policy types - two different ways of getting sorted life insurance. Both Policy types are flexible. Whether you choose an age based or level Policy, you’ll be able to make changes at any time, as your circumstances change. For example, you’ll be able to increase your cash sum if you move to a larger home, or decrease it when the children leave home and you decide it’s time to downsize. Maybe your financial situation changes and you decide you’d like even more peace of mind by adding Critical Illness cover, adding Children’s cover or increasing your Accidental Death cover.

One advantage of an age based Policy is the lower initial monthly premium. So if you have a tight budget, an age based Policy may be right for you, but you will need to consider that as you grow older, you will pay a higher premium each year. An age based Policy can be a good way to keep the premiums low in the early years. It also comes with an automatic 5% cash sum increase which can be a great way of increasing your cash sum gradually over the years with no further health or lifestyle questions to answer. This could be useful to cover a larger mortgage or increasing family expenses as your family grows.

In contrast, a level Policy may appeal if you prefer the certainty of a fixed monthly premium. With fixed premiums, you will know how much you are going to pay in the future and you won’t need to worry about it increasing. It’s important to bear in mind that the level Policy option does not include a 5% automatic increase to your cash sum and, as such, the value of the cover may decrease over time.

Can I increase/decrease my cash sum at a later date?

Yes!  We understand that things change and you may need to increase or decrease your cash sum. You might move to a bigger house and want to cover a larger mortgage, or your children may leave home so you downsize and reduce your mortgage. Our age based and level Policies both allow you to increase or decrease your cash sum at a later date, at which point your new monthly premium will be calculated for you.

Can I add or remove optional covers at a later date?

All of the optional covers can be added to your Sorted Life Insurance Policy at any time, for extra peace of mind. Or, if your circumstances change and you decide you’d like to remove an optional cover from your Policy, just give us a call and we’ll get it sorted for you.

How long can I keep my Policy?

With an age based Policy, as long as you pay your premiums, the cover is for the rest of your life and you’ll be covered anywhere in the world, 24/7 – even if your health and circumstances change.

If you select the level Policy type, you can choose the length of time that you want to keep your Policy in place, from 10 years to 40 years.

How long do I need to have my Policy before I can make a claim?

With Sorted Life Insurance, there is no waiting period and you’re covered from day one. You can make a claim for death by any cause, except if death is the result of self-inflicted injury in the first 12 months.

Am I insured while I wait for the underwriter’s decision?

When you apply for Sorted Life Insurance by phone and the underwriter requires further information to assess your application, you (and your partner, if applicable) will automatically be provided with interim cover against accidental death whilst your application is assessed. The amount of interim accidental death cover is equivalent to the Sorted Life Insurance cash sum you apply for. This cover is provided at no additional cost to you, and your interim accidental death cover will end on the date you are informed of the outcome of your application or 30 days from the date of your application, whichever is sooner.

How does my family actually get my Life Insurance cash sum benefit if I die?

There are 3 ways for your family to make a claim in the event of your death:

• Call us FREE on 0800 093 2854
• E-mail us at service@Sortedinsurance.co.uk
• Write to us at: Customer Services, Sorted Insurance, PO Box 4555, Slough, SL1 0TT

We will send out a claim form to be completed, signed and returned to us.

Note: If the claim is accepted, the insurer will pay the cash sum to the person who is legally entitled to it and they will refund any premiums paid between the date of death or confirmation of terminal illness, and the date the claim is paid.

Does Sorted Life Insurance cover extend around the world?

Once your application is accepted, you're covered anywhere in the world, 24/7.

Will I get anything back if I cancel my Sorted Life Insurance Policy?

You have 30 days from the receipt of your Policy documents, during which time you can cancel your Policy by writing to us or giving us a call. You can still cancel your Policy after 30 days, but you will not get anything back.

How do I put my Policy into trust?

You can put your Sorted Life Insurance policy into trust after you take out the policy. If you are thinking about putting your policy into trust, download a Trust form or you can seek independent legal advice. We are unable to give you any advice or recommendation on the suitability of Trusts.

What is a Will Pack?

When you take out a Sorted Life Insurance Policy, you will automatically receive a Will Pack from us. A will is a legal document that contains your instructions on how you want your property (including assets such as your home, car, cash, etc.) to be distributed after you have died.

Please see the Will Pack tab on this page for more information.

I’m healthy, why would I need Life Insurance now?

No one expects to die at a young age, but life is unpredictable and we never know what’s around the corner. The reality is that accidents and illnesses can strike at any age, with devastating consequences.

If you wait until you are unwell, the cost of life insurance could substantially increase, and it may also be difficult to be accepted. 

Who is Scottish Friendly?

The Sorted Life Insurance product is provided by Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited, one of Scotland’s longest standing Life Insurers, who have over 150 years of experience, so you can be sure your Policy is in the right hands.