Why do mums need life insurance?

Life for mums can be unpredictable, but you can ensure your family’s financial security by taking out life insurance.

Many mums use life insurance to help cover the following if they were to pass away:

  • Mortgage payments (help protect your family home)
  • Future family living costs (avoid lifestyle changes for your loved ones)
  • Funeral costs (take care of this financial obligation so your family don’t have to)
  • Childcare costs (so your partner doesn’t have to reduce their working hours)
  • Provide an inheritance (leave a financial gift for your children)

As a mum, putting in place adequate family life insurance means even after you’re gone you can protect all the important milestones in your children’s lives.

While the emotional void of losing a mum can never be filled, it’s at least possible to lessen the financial burden for your family.

No two mums are the same, so securing the right financial protection is essential whether you’re a:

Watch our short animated video to gain a greater understanding of what life insurance actually is and why you might need it as a devoted mum.

At Reassured we can compare quotes from some of the UK's best life insurance providers to help you find the right option for your family.

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How much life insurance do mums need?

Having a child is often a major life event that triggers the need for life insurance.

How much life insurance you need as a mum will depend on your family’s unique needs.

You’ll need to consider your family’s existing costs, as well as any new costs that may occur as a result of your passing.

The cost of raising a child until the age of 18 currently stands at £157,562[1].

As a mum, this is a cost that you may want reflected in your sum assured (pay out amount) to help ensure there are enough funds for your children to live comfortably if you were to pass away.

You’ll also need to consider:

Existing family costs

  • Monthly mortgage or rental payments (mirror your remaining mortgage balance)
  • Day-to-day family living expenses (food and drink, clothing, leisure activities, education)
  • Household bills (gas, electricity, water, council tax, broadband, TV, home maintenance)

New family costs as a result of your passing

  • Funeral and other associated costs (£9,658 total cost of dying)[2]
  • Loss of household income (due to reduced working hours)
  • Additional childcare fees (£302.10 per week is the average cost for full-time childcare)[3]

Alternatively, speak to our life insurance experts who can help you gather all the information you need to make a fully informed decision.

How much life insurance do you need?

Mums, please enter your financial commitments below to help understand the level of life insurance cover you need.

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£137,934 is the estimated mortgage debt per household in the UK.

The purchase of a home is likely to be the largest financial commitment any of us will make in our lifetime. Your life insurance should cover your remaining mortgage balance to allow your loved ones to stay in the family home should anything happen to you.

Source: Moneynerd.co.uk
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The average monthly household budget in the UK is £2,548 (that’s £30,576 per year), which is spent on transport, food & drink, utilities (gas, electricity, water etc), clothing, council tax and leisure activities.

With energy prices hitting a record high and the cost of living rising sharply in the UK, you may wish to factor in utility bills and family living expenses into your cover.

Source: Nimblefins.co.uk
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The average personal debt of UK adults has risen to £34,566 (not including mortgage debt), with credit cards, personal loans and overdrafts being the most common forms of debt.

Factoring in any debts into your life insurance cover means that, if they need to be paid back from your estate after your passing, your loved ones won’t miss out financially.

Source: Money.co.uk
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According to SunLife, the average cost of a funeral in the UK is £3,953 (with the overall cost of dying at £9,200).

Funeral costs have increased by 116% since 2004 and are a significant cost which should be factored into the amount of life insurance you secure.

Source: SunLife.co.uk
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When factoring in cover for your children, you may wish to calculate the amount based on how long it is until they reach financial independence.

This could include childcare (£7,000 per year for part-time care), school expenses (£1,519 per school year for uniforms, lunches, stationary etc), as well as an additional sum for further education (this could be a contribution of up to £5,000 per year).

Sources: Daynurseries.co.uk, Primarytimes.co.uk & Savethestudent.org
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2 in 5 adults say they are relying on an inheritance to fund their retirement.

Factoring in an inheritance to your sum assured could allow loved ones to live a more financially comfortable life. Alternatively, you could leave a cash gift to a charity of your choosing.

Source: Moneyage.co.uk
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If you’re lucky enough to have your own savings or are part of the 30% of UK residents who already have a life insurance policy in place, this can provide financial protection for loved ones.

By entering your current cover, savings or death in service amount you can reduce the sum assured you require.

Source: Scottishbusinessnews.net
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How long should mums take out cover for?

As a mum, the length of your policy will usually be determined by three key factors:

  1. The age of your children
  2. Whether you intend on having more children
  3. The length of your mortgage term

When taking out cover, you may choose to have your policy term align with when your kids become financially independent.

This helps to ensure any large financial commitments are taken care of should you pass away, minimising any potential lifestyle changes for your family at an already difficult time.

It’s also important to consider whether your children are likely to attend university, increasing the age at which they’ll reach financial independence.

Alternatively, you could have your policy mirror your mortgage term to ensure your family can afford to remain in their home.

The best option for one mum may be different to another, by speaking to a member of our friendly team we can provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision on which protection may be best for your loved ones.

Source: Child Poverty Action Group (https://cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/policypost/Cost_of_a_child_2022.pdf)

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What’s the best life insurance for mums?

The right life insurance policy for you will depend on what it is you need to protect.

There are a number of different life insurance options available, the most common among mums include:

Each policy type is well suited to protecting different aspects of your life.

If you’re looking to provide more than one level of cover for your family, it’s possible to take out more than one life insurance policy.

Let’s take a look into these policy types…

Level term life insurance

  • Affordable cover for mums starting from 20p-a-day †
  • Provides a fixed pay out sum
  • Cover for a specified period of time (up to 40 years)
  • Provides a lump sum pay out for your family
  • Cover amount up to £1,000,000

Level term life insurance provides a fixed sum assured, this makes it an ideal option for helping to cover large expenses for your family.

For example, it can provide the funds to help cover an interest-only mortgage to ensure your loved ones can remain in the family home, cover future family living costs or simply provide an inheritance for your children to spend how they wish.

Below you’ll find the average cost for level term life insurance for mums based on a non-smoker in good health, for a 20-year term with £100,000 worth of cover:

AgeMonthly premiums from
20£3.61
25£4.73
30£4.82
35£6.00
40£7.87
45£11.07
50£16.18


Why not use our award-winning broker service to compare level term life insurance to secure our best deal?

Decreasing term life insurance

  • Affordable cover for mums starting from 20p-a-day ¥
  • Pay out sum decreases over time
  • Cheaper than level term cover
  • Cover for a specified period of time (up to 40 years)
  • Provides a lump sum pay out for your family
  • Cover amount up to £1,000,000

A decreasing term life insurance policy provides a sum assured that reduces over time.

For this reason, it’s ideal for helping to cover a repayment mortgage as you can have your sum assured reduce in line with your remaining mortgage balance.

This can help to give you peace of mind that your children can remain in their family home should you pass away.

As a mum, a decreasing term life insurance policy could also be used to reduce in line with when your children becoming financially independent. The older they get, the less money they may need.

For mums on a budget, decreasing term life insurance is often the most affordable form of cover as your risk to the insurer reduces with time.

Below you’ll find the average cost for decreasing term life insurance for mums based on a non-smoker in good health, for a 20-year term with £100,000 worth of cover:

AgeMonthly premiums from
20£4.36
25£4.92
30£4.99
35£5.09
40£6.05
45£8.10
50£10.99


At Reassured we can compare decreasing term life insurance from some of the UK's leading providers, simply get in touch for your free and no-obligation quotes.

Compare Our Best Quotes for Mums »

Whole of life insurance

  • Provides lifetime cover
  • Loved ones are guaranteed a pay out
  • Provides a fixed pay out sum
  • Affordable cover for mums starting from 27p-a-day ±
  • Cover amount up to £1,000,000

Whole of life insurance covers you for life and will guarantee your family a pay out after your passing.

Therefore, whole of life insurance is a form of life assurance.

A pay out from whole of life insurance can be used to help cover large expenses for your family (such as mortgage payments or funeral costs), or it can be used to guarantee your children an inheritance.

It’s important to be aware that if taking out whole of life insurance as a young mum, you could end up paying more into the policy than it will pay out as you’ll be required to pay premiums for the remainder of your life.

Below you’ll find the average cost for whole of life insurance for mums based on a non-smoker in good health, for £100,000 worth of cover:

AgeMonthly premiums from
20£61.03
25£64.86
30£71.01
35£82.93
40£100.90
45£124.34
50£150.50


Reassured's advised team can compare quotes to find you an affordable whole of life insurance solution.

Family income benefit

  • Ideal for long-term family budgeting
  • Provides your family with monthly tax-free payments up to £5,000
  • Cover for a specified period of time (up to 40 years)
  • Low-cost monthly premiums

Family income benefit differs from a traditional life insurance policy as it won’t provide your loved ones with a lump sum pay out.

Instead, they’ll receive monthly (tax-free) income payments.

Payments will commence after your passing and will continue until the policy comes to an end.

For example, if you take out a policy with a 20-year term and pass away 5 years into the policy, your family will receive payments for the remaining 15 years of the policy.

For this reason, family income benefit is ideal for helping to replace lost income and allowing your family to continue with their current lifestyle.

Income protection

  • Help protects your income if you’re unable to work due to accident or sickness
  • Pays out between 50 and 70% of your gross salary
  • Cover for a specified period of time
  • Provides monthly, tax-free payments
  • Affordable cover for working mums starting from 20p-a-day ‡

Income Protection is an insurance policy that’s designed to help protect your income should you become unable to work for a prolonged period of time due to sickness or injury.

Typically, up to 70% of your usual gross salary can be paid out to you in monthly instalments to help you make ends meet for your family while you’re unable to work.

Income Protection payments aren’t tied to any specific financial commitment, so you can use them however you see fit.

Most commonly, they’re used to help cover anything your usual monthly income would cover to help reduce financial strain for your family.

This could be covering mortgage or rental payments, daily family living costs as well as childcare costs.

Compare income protection insurance quotes through Reassured's advised team.

How much does life insurance cost for mums?

It’s possible for mums to secure cover from as little as £5 a month † .

However, the price you pay for your life insurance premium as a mum will largely depend on what you want to cover for your family, as well as how long for.

At the point of application, you’ll be asked some questions relating to your health and lifestyle. This will help insurers assess the level of risk you pose.

It’s likely you’ll be asked to provide information regarding:

  • Your age
  • Your medical history / any pre-existing conditions
  • Smoking status
  • Your weight/BMI
  • Level of cover
  • Policy length

This information along with your chosen policy type will help to determine the price you’ll pay for your policy.

Below you’ll find some example prices for each policy type. Quotes are based on a 30-year-old non-smoker in good health, for £100,000 of cover:

Cover typeMonthly premiums from
Level term (20-year term)£4.82
Decreasing term (20-year term)£4.99
Whole of life insurance£71.01


To secure a policy that meets all of your needs at a price that’s right for you, it’s essential to compare quotes.

Why not save yourself time and money by letting Reassured compare quotes for you?

Do I need life insurance if I’m a young mum?

Yes. Did you know that the younger you are the cheaper your monthly life insurance premium will be?

Mums who’re young and in good health are likely to experience more favourable premiums due to the reduced risk you pose to the insurer.

As a result, it’s often beneficial to secure cover as early as possible to lock in a low monthly price.

Why not use our award-winning broker service to compare quotes from some of the UK’s leading providers?

What if I’m a single mum?

Do you make up the nearly 50% of UK adults who don't have life insurance protection?[4]

As a single parent, you could be your children’s only source of financial support and if you were to pass away this could result in other major life changes for your children.

Life insurance can help to prevent this upheaval by providing the funds to cover living costs or a lump sum inheritance for your children.

As a single mum getting by on a single salary can be difficult and as a result, many single mums don’t think they have the disposable income to afford life insurance.

But life insurance doesn’t have to be expensive.

Using an award-winning broker, like Reassured, to compare quotes means you can find a suitable policy within your budget.

Source: https://www.childbereavementuk.org/death-bereavement-statistics

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What if I get divorced?

Unfortunately, sometimes divorce happens. But what happens when you share a family and financial commitments with your now ex-spouse?

If you have a joint life insurance policy with your ex-spouse, this could cause some complications as not all providers will allow the policy to be signed over to one party.

In this instance, you’ll need to cancel the policy and you’ll both need to secure a new policy to meet your new circumstances.

If you have two single policies in place, you’ll simply need to change your beneficiaries if you named each other to protect shared assets.

When big life changes happen, that may impact your cover, it’s always best to inform your provider as they’ll be able to provide you with your options.

Read our comprehensive joint life insurance after divorce guide if you require more detailed information »

What if I’m a working mum?

As a working mum, your passing would not only mean the devastating loss of a parent but also a major financial loss to your family.

Your family would be missing an income, potentially leaving them unable to continue paying the mortgage as well as daily family living costs.

Securing life insurance can leave your family with a cash lump sum to help cover these costs and much more.

By securing a family life insurance policy you can have peace of mind that your children won’t suffer financially as a result of your passing.

Simply get in touch with our award-winning team to get your free life insurance quotes.

Working mums may also want to consider Income Protection, which is a form of financial protection that will pay out to you should you become unable to work due to accident, sickness or unemployment.

What if I’m a stay-at-home mum?

We believe life insurance is equally as important for stay-at-home mums as it is for mums who work.

It’s a common misconception that stay-at-home mums (or dads) don’t require life insurance as they don’t earn a tangible salary.

However, as a stay-at-home mum:

The work of a mum is irreplaceable, highlighting their need for life cover.

If you’re a stay-at-home mum and wondering whether you should secure life insurance, think about all the roles you fulfil and what the implications would be if you were no longer around.

Alternatively, you could speak to a member of our friendly team. We’ll take your personal circumstances into account to help you understand your options.

Will pregnancy effect my cover options?

On occasions, your application may be postponed if there have been complications during your pregnancy.

For more information on securing life insurance when pregnant see this dedicated article.

What if I’m an older mum?

It’s not uncommon these days to become a mum later on in life or, perhaps, your children are all grown up and no longer require as much financial support as they once did.

As a mature mum, you may want to consider an over 50s plan.

With an over 50s plan you’ll:

  • Be guaranteed acceptance (aged 50 - 85)
  • Benefit from life insurance with no medical questions
  • Have a sum assured of up to £20,000 (depending on your personal circumstances and budget)
  • Be covered for the remainder of your life
  • Guarantee your loved ones a pay out

A pay out from an over 50s plan can help to ease financial stress for your family if you were to pass away, be used to help pay for your funeral or be left as an inheritance for your children.

It’s important to note that there will likely be a waiting period added to your policy due to the unknown risk you pose. This refers to the first 12 - 24 months of your policy where if you pass away due to natural causes, no pay out will be made.

However, any premiums paid will be refunded to your loved ones.

The table below shows the price per month for an over 50s plan, as well as the potential sum assured you could secure. Quotes are based on a non-smoker:

AgeMonthly premiumSum assured
50£57.56£18,000
55£66.05£18,000
60£70£17,898
65£75£15,733
70£75£11,229


Some over 50s providers have a maximum sum assured they can offer, for example £75. Once you reach this threshold, the premium price offered will remain the same and the level of cover you can secure will vary depending on your age.

At Reassured we can compare over 50s plans to see if we can help you save money.

What if I smoke?

If you’re a mum who smokes, you may pay more for your cover. This is because insurers inflate the cost of premiums for smokers due to the increased health risks.

This makes comparing quotes even more necessary, as some insurers may deem you as riskier than others.

At Reassured, we have arranged life insurance for over 100,000 UK smokers - so rest assured you’re in good hands.

Quitting smoking can help you to secure a more favourable premium, although it’s likely you’ll need to have been free from cigarettes for some time before this will influence your premium.

We have written this article on life insurance for smokers if you require further information »

The table below shows the difference between the average cost of life insurance for mums who smoke vs a non-smoking mum over a 20-year level term for £100,000 of cover:

AgeSmokerNon-smoker% Saving
20£4.02£3.61-10%
25£5.45£4.73-13%
30£6.76£4.82-29%
35£9.69£6.00-38%
40£15.52£7.87-49%
45£24.71£11.07-55%
50£39.57£16.18-59%


Why not use our broker service to compare quotes for free?

We have a specialist impaired life insurance team who have helped mums who have been declined life insurance previously.

What if my family grows?

Family life is ever-changing and thankfully, there are a number of instances where your life insurance can be changed to meet your new needs.

If you’re planning on growing your family or even moving to a bigger family home, you’ll need to consider whether your current policy will provide enough cover to meet your new needs.

Some policies include a ‘special events’ option, which allows you to increase your sum assured without the need to supply new medical information.

Not all insurers offer this option, and the terms and conditions may vary between providers.

Alternatively, to provide enough cover for your family, you could cancel your existing policy and take out a new one (depending on your age and health).

At Reassured we can provide you with all the information you need to understand your options.

Should I take out a joint policy?

A joint life insurance policy can be a cost-effective way for both you and your partner to secure cover to protect your children.

There’s only one application form to complete and one premium to pay.

Due to this, you could save between 25% - 30% compared to taking out two separate policies.

However, as one policy covers both lives simultaneously, there’ll only be one pay out (most commonly after the first death).

Not only does this leave the surviving partner unprotected but also needing to secure new cover at an older age - which could lead to less favourable premiums.

While two single policies can be more expensive, it could provide a more comprehensive solution for your family should the worst happen.

The following table shows a price comparison between the cost of a joint policy compared to two single policies. Quotes are based on non-smokers in good health, over a 20-year term for £100,000:

AgeTwo single policiesJoint policy% Saving
20£7.22£6.25-13%
25£9.46£7.13-25%
30£9.64£8.79-9%
35£12.00£10.58-12%
40£15.74£14.30-9%
45£22.14£21.08-5%
50£32.36£31.53-3%


At Reassured we can compare both single and joint policies to help you decide which option may be best to protect your family.

How can my family make the most of my policy?

Writing your life insurance in trust can help your dependants benefit as much as possible from your selfless investment.

As a mum, writing your policy in trust will offer the following benefits:

  • Avoid/minimise inheritance for your family (40% over the £325,000 threshold)
  • Give your loved ones a full and fast pay out by avoiding a lengthy probate process
  • Have more control over who gets the money and when (easily split your pay out between children)

At Reassured, we offer a FREE trust writing service on the majority of policies we sell, so we can help you through the process and answer any questions you may have.

Critical illness cover

Critical illness cover can be added to a life insurance policy for an additional fee, or it can be purchased as a standalone product from some providers (but not through Reassured).

Statistically, you’re more likely to become ill than pass away during your working life, so as a mum critical illness cover can be extremely beneficial for your family.

Critical illness cover will allow you to make an early claim on your life insurance policy if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness (listed within your policy).

Often, this includes cancer, heart attack and stroke.

If you’re left unable to work, the pay out you receive can help to replace lost income, so your family won’t struggle financially.

Below you will find a comparison of a life insurance policy with critical illness cover added vs without critical illness cover. The quotes are based on a 30-year-old non-smoker in good health for a 20-year term and £100,000 of cover:

AgeLife insurance with critical illnessLife insurance without critical illness
20£15.17£3.61
25£18.98£4.73
30£25.26£4.82
35£35.31£6.00
40£48.90£7.87
45£75.19£11.07
50£116.05£16.18


At Reassured we can arrange life insurance with critical illness cover.

Terminal illness cover

Terminal illness cover comes as standard with all term life insurance policies provided by Reassured.

Becoming terminally ill can have devastating effects on your family, but terminal illness cover can help to ease any financial stress.

It provides an opportunity for you to make an early claim on your life insurance policy if you’re diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and are predicted to pass away within 12 months.

You can use the pay out to help get your financial affairs in order for your loved ones or simply use the funds to enjoy your remaining time with your family.

Free life insurance for mums

Many life insurance providers offer free life insurance for mums during the first year of their child’s life.

While this can seem like a tempting offer for mums on a budget, it’s unlikely to provide the amount of cover needed to protect you and your new family (free cover amounts rarely exceed £10,000).

To put this into perspective, the average funeral costs £4,141[2] which would leave very little to help cover other necessary outgoings such as the mortgage, living costs and childcare.

By using our Reassured service you can secure the right financial protection for your family starting from just 20p-a-day.

Life insurance for women

Due to EU gender neutral ruling, women no longer pay less for female life insurance.

Traditionally women would pay lower premiums for the same level of cover due having a higher life expectancy than men[5].

However, on 21st December 2021, the EU gender ruling was put in place to stop men and women paying different premiums[6].

Despite the UK leaving the EU, the gender neutral ruling is expected to remain in place.

Affordable life insurance for mums - Compare quotes

Just as no two mums are the same, no two life insurance quotes will be the same - making it essential for mums to compare quotes.

We know mums are always busy so finding the time to conduct this research on your own could be tricky.

Instead, why not let Reassured compare multiple quotes?

We can take you through the whole application process to help you find a suitable policy at our best price.

Using a life insurance broker also means we’re on hand to answer any questions and decode any confusing life insurance jargon.

We’ve been helping families in the UK for over 10 years, so you’re in safe hands.

Life Insurance Quotes for Mums »

Sources:

[1] https://cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/policypost/Cost_of_a_child_2022.pdf

[2] https://www.sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs/

[3] https://www.daynurseries.co.uk/advice/childcare-costs-how-much-do-you-pay-in-the-uk

[4] https://www.ftadviser.com/life-insurance/2023/08/02/nearly-half-of-uk-adults-do-not-have-life-insurance/

[5] https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151001-why-women-live-longer-than-men

[6] https://www.abi.org.uk/globalassets/sitecore/files/documents/publications/public/migrated/gender/abi-comment-on-eu-gender-directive.pdf

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