What Is The UK’s Best Relevant Life Insurance in 2026?

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09/01/2026
7 mins
IMPORTANT❗️
Our “best” insurer lists reflect our independent analysis of product features, service quality, and value. They are intended as a guide only – the right provider for you may differ depending on your needs and circumstances.

Finding the best Relevant Life Insurance in the UK can feel complex. There are a range of different insurers and plans available, each with their own unique policy options and levels of cover. This can make the decision-making process overwhelming, and it can be difficult to know where to begin.

This 2026 guide reviews leading insurers side by side – highlighting claim rates, unique benefits and extra cover – so you can make an informed choice and secure the right protection for your circumstances.

Which Relevant Life Insurance Is Best In 2026?

Most personal Life Insurance providers also offer Relevant Life Insurance, and there are a few major UK insurers to choose from. However, to benefit from the favourable tax position, it’s important the policy is structured in the correct way.

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to insurance. The “best” product for you won’t necessarily be the best for someone else, as it all depends on your unique situation. That’s why it’s important to compare quotes and policies from different providers. And the cheapest quote isn’t always the best.

Our list of “top” insurers has been put together by considering product offering, company size, longevity, and customer reviews.

GOOD TO KNOW 🤓
As an FCA-authorised firm, you can trust Drewberry to guide you with integrity and knowledge. You can find us on the Financial Services Register.

Aviva

Aviva is one of the UK’s leading insurance providers, offering a wide range of financial services such as insurance, investments, pensions, and retirement planning.

  • Claims payout rate: 98.8% in 2024
  • Cover options: Level or increasing
  • Maximum entry age: 73 (for life cover only)

Key Features

Life change benefit
Employees may be able to get more cover without further health and lifestyle questions if their circumstances change

Business protection promise
Aviva provides complimentary Life Cover of up to £1million if they can’t make a decision on an application straight away

Continuation benefit
Policies can be transferred to an individual/individual’s new employer if they leave your business, without the need for medical underwriting

Free wellbeing support
Access to Aviva DigiCare+, offering annual health checks, Bupa 24/7 helpline, mental health support, personal nutritionists, bereavement and legal support

What Aviva Customers Say

As of November 2025, Aviva currently has over 52,000 reviews on Trustpilot (73% of them giving 5⭐), giving them an average “Excellent” score of 4.3/5 stars. Note that this is for the company as a whole, rather than just the protection division.

Enquire about an Aviva Relevant Life policy.

Legal & General

Founded in 1836, Legal & General is the UK’s top Life Insurance provider with over 180 years of experience.

  • Claims payout rate: 97% in 2024
  • Cover options: Level or increasing
  • Maximum entry age: 73

Key Features

Guaranteed insurability
Employees may be able to get more cover without providing medical evidence if their circumstances change

Accidental death benefit
L&G will pay a cash sum if you die of an accident within 90 days of your application starting

Continuation benefit
Policies can be transferred to an individual/individual’s new employer if they leave your business, without the need for medical underwriting

Free wellbeing support
L&G’s RedArc support services are included free with your policy. Features include: mental health support, rehabilitation and recovery, dietary and lifestyle advice, advice for pre-existing conditions

What L&G Customers Say

As of November 2025, Legal & General currently has over 26,000 reviews on Trustpilot (57% of them giving 5⭐), giving them an average “Excellent” score of 4.3/5 stars. Note that this is for the company as a whole, rather than just the protection division.

Enquire about a Legal & General Relevant Life policy.

LV=

Liverpool Victoria (LV=) is a large provider of protection and financial products in the UK. Founded in 1843, LV started out as “The Liverpool Independent Legal Victoria Burial Society” and sold Life Insurance at the cost of a penny per month. Now with over 180 years of experience, it offers a range of protection products and has acquired over 1.28 million customers.

  • Claims payout rate: 97% in 2024
  • Cover options: Level or inflation-linked
  • Maximum entry age: 69

Key Features

Guaranteed increase options
Employees can get more cover without providing medical evidence if their circumstances change (within certain limits)

Business care
Policyholders have access to LV= Business Care, offering free practical advice on business legal advice, tax and VAT advice

Continuation option
Policies can be transferred to an individual/individual’s new employer if they leave your business, without the need for medical underwriting

Free wellbeing support
LV= Doctor Services are included free with your policy. Features include: Unlimited 24/7 Virtual GP consultations, private prescriptions, remote physiotherapy, second opinion service, mental health therapy, discounted health MOTs

What LV= Customers Say

As of November 2025, LV= currently has over 81,000 reviews on Trustpilot (80% of them giving 5⭐), giving them an “Excellent” score of 4.5/5 stars. Note that this is for the company as a whole, rather than just the protection division.

Enquire about an LV= Relevant Life policy.

Royal London

Royal London is the UK’s largest mutual insurance and pensions provider, trusted by over 8.6 million customers. Since 1861, they’ve been protecting families, homes, and businesses with a wide range of customisable Life Insurance options.

  • Claims payout rate: 98.7% in 2024
  • Cover options: Level, increasing, or decreasing
  • Maximum entry age: 73

Key Features

“Underwrite later” feature
Royal London will cover your employees immediately while waiting for medical evidence, following an assessment by an underwriter

Cover increase options
Employees may be able to get more cover without further health and lifestyle questions if their circumstances change

Free wellbeing support
Royal London’s Helping Hand services are included free with your policy when going through an adviser (like us!). Features include: recruitment helpline, legal helpline, access to dedicated nurses for employees’ partners and children, second medical opinion services, bereavement counselling and support

What Royal London Customers Say

As of November 2025, Royal London currently has over 4,500 reviews on Trustpilot (77% of them giving 5⭐), giving them an “Excellent” score of 4.6/5 stars. Note that this is for the company as a whole, rather than just the protection division.

Enquire about a Royal London Relevant Life policy.

Scottish Widows

Part of the Lloyds Banking Group, Scottish Widows is one of the UK’s oldest financial institutions, founded in 1815. With over 200 years of experience, they have built a strong reputation for stability and customer care, offering a wide range of protection, pension, and investment products.

  • Claims payout rate: 98% in 2024
  • Cover options: Level or increasing
  • Maximum entry age: 73

Key Features

Terminal illness and accidental death cover
Payouts upon an accidental death or diagnosis of a terminal illness are included at no extra cost

Cover increase options
Employees can get more cover without providing medical evidence if their circumstances change (within certain limits)

Continuation option
Policies can be transferred to an individual/individual’s new employer if they leave your business, without the need for medical underwriting

Free wellbeing support
Scottish Widows RedArc support services are included free with your policy. Features include: mental health support, rehabilitation and recovery, dietary and lifestyle advice, advice for pre-existing conditions

What Scottish Widows Customers Say

As of November 2025, Scottish Widows currently has over 10,000 reviews on Trustpilot (71% of them 5⭐), giving them an “Excellent” score of 4.5/5 stars. Note that this is for the company as a whole, rather than just the protection division.

Enquire about a Scottish Widows Relevant Life policy.

Vitality

VitalityVitality combines comprehensive cover with innovative benefits. With over 1 million members, it offers a unique rewards system, helping policyholders to live a healthier, more rewarding life.

  • Claims payout rate: 98.9%
  • Cover options: Level or indexed
  • Maximum entry age: 75

Key Features

Guaranteed insurability options
Employees may be able to get more cover without providing medical evidence if their circumstances change

“Optimiser” add-on
Vitality’s “Optimiser” option provides a 25% lower premiums compared to their standard fixed-term cover (depends on employee age and term length). Premiums can be kept low by keeping healthy habits

Continuation option
Policies can be transferred to an individual/individual’s new employer if they leave your business, without the need for medical underwriting

Unique rewards and savings
Vitality offers unique discounts and perks from top brands like Apple, PureGym, Vue Cinemas, Amazon Prime, and more

What Vitality Customers Say

As of November 2025, Vitality currently has almost 59,000 reviews on Trustpilot (71% of them 5⭐), giving them an “Excellent” score of 4.4/5 stars.

Enquire about a Vitality Relevant Life policy.

IMPORTANT❗️
We have taken care to ensure that information in this review is accurate. However, the market changes frequently, and we do not guarantee 100% accuracy and accept no liability for any losses. For the most up-to-date information, give our friendly advisers a call on 02084327333.

How To Choose The Best Relevant Life Insurance

Finding the “best” Relevant Life Insurance will depend on your business’s unique requirements. Here are some aspects to consider.

Step 1: Think About Your Business’s Needs

Your best Relevant Life Insurance policy depends on factors like:

  • Business size
    Most Group Life Insurance providers will cover a minimum of 10 employees, so Relevant Life Insurance is a good option for if you’re a smaller business, contractor, or company directors.
  • Existing employee benefits
    If you already have certain benefits, you might not need to double up on cover – but gaps are common, especially for the self-employed. Review your existing rewards to see how a Relevant Life policy would fit.
  • Employee needs
    Is your team made up of mostly young, single professionals? Or do many have families who could benefit from protection? Different providers’ additional benefits will also be more suitable for certain demographics.

Step 2: Compare the Key Features

When comparing policies, look closely at:

  • Policy wording
    Check how clearly the policy is worded. What type of things might be excluded from your cover?
  • Premium type
    Will your monthly premium stay the same over the years, or increase annually?
  • Term type
    You can choose between decreasing, increasing, and level term insurance. All will vary in cost, and some may be more suitable for your needs than others
  • Additional benefits
    Most protection policies come with a suite of additional services included alongside your core cover. These usually include perks such as: Virtual GP services, mental health support, and probate support – but will differ between providers.

Step 3: Understand the Cost

The price of Relevant Life Insurance depends on a number of factors unique to your business and your employees. Premiums vary a lot between providers, so always get multiple quotes and make sure you’re comparing like-for-like.

It’s crucial to understand what’s not covered before you buy, and the policy needs to be set up in a certain way to benefit from the tax efficiency. This is why we always recommend speaking to an independent adviser before taking out a policy. We’ll take the time to understand your unique needs, and will search the market to find you the most suitable policy. Call 02084327333 to chat through your options with one of our friendly advisers.

Samantha Haffenden-Angear, Independent Protection Expert at Drewberry

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to Insurance. The “best” Relevant Life Insurance for your business won’t necessarily be the best for someone else’s, as it all depends on your unique situation. It’s crucial to compare quotes and policies from different providers. And the cheapest quote isn’t always the best.

Samantha Haffenden-Angear
Independent Protection Specialist

Which Life Insurance Companies Have The Best Payout Rates?

Another area to consider is the claims payout rate of a potential Life Insurance insurer. Claims stats are higher than most people think, most insurers publishing consistently high payout rates.

As you can see in the table below, in the last few years, nearly all insurers have paid out more than 90% of the claims they received.

Insurer 2022 2023 2024
Aviva 99% 99.3% 98.8%
Legal & General 96.7% 97% 97%
LV= 97% 97% 97%
Royal London 99.4% 94.1% 98.7%
Scottish Widows 99% 99.4% 98%
Vitality 99.7% 99.7% 98.9%
Zurich 98% n/a 99.8%

IMPORTANT NOTICE 🧐
You shouldn’t use payout statistics alone to decide which insurer offers the best life insurance. Instead, use them as a rough guide to compare successful claims across the industry as a whole.

How To Get The Best Relevant Life Insurance

You have two options when it comes to getting the best Relevant Life Insurance policy for your needs. You can either go directly to an insurer, or buy cover through an adviser, such as Drewberry.

Go Direct To An Insurer – Best If You Know What You Want

With this method, you’ll need to approach every UK insurer and compare quotes/policy details from all of them to get the best deal.

Once you have some figures, you’ll also need to compare Relevant Life Insurance policies to ensure you get the most suitable cover. This involves a lot of fine print and insurance jargon.

Get Independent Advice – Best If You Need Help Deciding

This is the smart choice. An independent adviser (like our Drewberry specialists) will consider your circumstances fully to make sure you get the best Life Insurance for your needs.

We do all the hard work for you, comparing leading insurers on your behalf so you can be sure you’ve got the best deal for your needs. Where we provide a regulated advice service, we’re responsible for the advice we provide to you – giving you protection and peace of mind.

The cheapest policy isn’t always the best one. Your protection adviser can work with you to balance out the right policy features with a price that fits your budget.

Danny Gill
Independent Protection Specialist

Get Relevant Life Insurance Quotes and Specialist Advice

With a number of UK Relevant Life Insurers to compare, there’s a lot of information to sift through. Luckily, we live and breathe protection, and are ready to chat about what’s best for you.

We’ve helped thousands of people to protect their most important asset – themselves. Call 02084327333, email help@drewberry.co.uk, or compare quotes to get started.

Why Speak to Us?

You give so much to your business. That’s why you deserve first class service when it comes protecting it. Here’s why you should talk to us:

  • No fee for our service
  • Award-winning 🏆 independent insurance advisers, working with leading UK insurers
  • You’ll speak to a dedicated specialist from start to finish
  • 4084 and growing independent client reviews rating us at 4.92 / 5
  • Claims support when you need it most
  • Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Find us on the financial services register.

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