Archive context: this page began as a report on insurance claims during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Its old payout totals, acceptance rates and statements about every insurer were time-specific; they are not a forecast of a current or individual claim. The title and body have been revised so the archive does not imply a present-day £200 million figure.
Life insurance and a death claim
A life insurance policy may provide a benefit after a valid death claim during its term. Whether a death involving Covid-19 is covered depends on the actual policy, the circumstances and the insurer’s claims assessment. No archive statistic guarantees the outcome of an individual claim. Keep policy details available to the people who may need to contact the insurer.
Critical illness cover is different
Critical illness policies pay for specified conditions that meet their definitions and other terms. Covid-19 itself should not be assumed to trigger a payout, and complications are not automatically covered. Check the named conditions, exclusions and severity requirements in the policy and ask the insurer or adviser to explain uncertainty. See our Critical Illness Cover guide.
Applying after an illness
An insurer may ask about current and past health, including relevant symptoms or treatment. Answer the questions fully and accurately. Eligibility, any additional information requested, terms and price depend on the insurer and your circumstances; a past Covid-19 diagnosis alone does not establish a universal outcome.
Plan from current policy information
Review the Life Insurance guide and your own policy documents rather than relying on early-pandemic figures. If you want to discuss new cover, start a no-obligation adviser enquiry. It does not generate an instant online price. For industry-level historical data, consult the Association of British Insurers’ protection statistics; those figures do not determine any one claim.
