Life insurance for teachers

As a teacher, it’s important to have the right life insurance in place to protect your loved ones, in case the worst were to happen.

While it’s likely that you receive death in service through your employment, a personal life insurance policy can complement this benefit, helping to provide a greater level of protection for your loved ones.

By using an award-winning broker service, like the one we provide at Reassured, you can compare personal life insurance quotes from multiple providers to find the right policy to meet your needs.

We can secure affordable life insurance for teachers from as little as 20p-a-day † .

Continue reading to find out how to secure suitable teachers life insurance…

Topics covered in this guide include:

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Do teachers have life insurance UK?

Unfortunately, most teachers don’t get life cover through their employment.

In the UK, it’s more common for teachers to be eligible for a death in service benefit.

This is a pay out from your employer if you pass away during your time in service.

Being a teacher won’t affect the life insurance options available to you, meaning there’s a wide variety of policies at your disposal.

Use our fee-free broker service today to find our most suitable policies for teachers.

Do teachers need life insurance?

Whether you need life insurance as a teacher will depend on your own personal needs.

Generally speaking, we believe most people would benefit from some form of life cover to help protect their loved ones financially if they were no longer around.

A personal life insurance policy could help to ‘top up’ any death in service benefits you receive. Allowing you to provide a sufficient pay out to cover larger costs such as a mortgage.

A pay out from life insurance could help to cover:

  • Mortgage or rent payments
  • Daily family living costs
  • Additional childcare
  • Outstanding debts in your name
  • The cost of your funeral

In recent years, large numbers of teachers have been leaving the profession, with 40,000 teachers leaving the workforce in 2023[1].

So, it’s also important to consider that if you leave the teaching profession, you’ll no longer receive the death in service benefits from this role.

Not all employers offer death in service so it’s not guaranteed that you would receive this benefit at a new job.

Taking out personal life insurance can give you peace on mind that, regardless of your employment, your family are financially protected.

How much life insurance do you need?

Use this handy calculator to find out much life insurance you may need as a teacher. Simply enter the costs you would like your policy to cover. Don’t forget to input your death in service benefit as this could reduce your sum assured.

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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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What’s the best life insurance for teachers?

There are many life insurance options available, the best one for teachers will depend on individual needs and circumstances.

The options available to you include:

Level term policies for teachers

Level term life insurance

  • You’ll be covered for a specified period of time (up to 40 years)
  • A fixed lump sum pay out will be made to your loved ones if you pass away during this time
  • Pay out sum can be up to £1,000,000
  • Ideal for teachers who want to help protect large assets such as an interest-only mortgage and future family living costs
  • You’ll need to provide key information, such as medical details, during the application
  • Can be taken out through Reassured from just 20p-a-day †
Decreasing term policies for teachers

Decreasing term life insurance

  • You’ll be covered for a specified period of time (up to 40 years)
  • A pay out will be made to loved ones if you pass away during the term, however the amount they receive will reduce throughout the policy term
  • Ideal for helping protect a repayment mortgage as your sum assured can reduce in line with your remaining mortgage balance
  • You’ll need to provide key information, such as medical information, during the application process
  • Can be taken out through Reassured from 20p-a-day ¥
Whole of life policies for teachers

Whole of life insurance

  • You’ll be covered for the rest of your life
  • A fixed lump sum pay out will be made when you pass away (not if)
  • Pay out sum can be up to £1,000,000
  • Ideal for providing your loved ones with a pay out to help cover funeral costs or leave an inheritance
  • Could become costly if taking out cover at a young age. This policy type is better suited to older teachers still in good health
  • Can be taken out through Reassured from 27p-a-day through Reassured's advised team ±
Family income benefit policies for teachers

Family income benefit

  • You’ll be covered for a specified period of time (up to 40 years)
  • If you pass away during this time, monthly income payments are made to your loved ones for the remainder of the policy term
  • Monthly payments could be up to £5,000 a month
  • Ideal for teachers with a young family to help with long term family budgeting after your passing
  • You’ll need to provide key information, such as medical information during the application process
  • Can be taken out through Reassured from 20p-a-day through Reassured's advised team ¤

Use our award-winning broker service to compare multiple quotes. We can present you with the best deals from our panel of insurers, free of charge.

What is the cost of life insurance for teachers?

Teachers’ life insurance can start from as little as 20p-a-day through Reassured.

However, the exact price you pay for your monthly life insurance premiums will be calculated based on the level of risk you pose to the insurer.

Providers will take into consideration the following factors when calculating the cost of your premiums:

  • Age
  • Health & wellbeing
  • Smoking status
  • Occupation
  • Lifestyle
  • Type of policy
  • Level of cover
  • Length of term

The table below shows example pricing for a non-smoker in good health.

Quotes are based on a level term life insurance policy with a 20 year term and £150,000 of cover:

AgePrice per month
20£3.72
25£4.52
30£5.59
35£7.86
40£11.00
45£16.25
50£26.80


Occupation is one of the factors that insurers take into account when calculating your premiums.

For most teachers, your occupation won’t influence the price you pay for your cover.

However, if you’re a teacher that frequently works overseas (particularly in countries with disease outbreak or countries that are in the midst of war) or you work in another dangerous environment (such as a lab with harmful chemicals), you may experience inflated premiums with certain insurers.

In these instances, providers may ask for more information about your job to understand the level of risk you pose.

Compare teachers life insurance quotes through Reassured. Quotes start from just 20p-a-day.

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What’s the difference between life insurance and death in service?

Life insurance is individual protection that you secure for yourself, whereas death in service is a benefit that is provided by an employer.

Many teachers benefit from death in service, which pays out a lump sum to your loved ones if you pass away while in service with your employer.

Typically, this is a multiple of your salary (for teachers this is normally 3x your salary). While a generous benefit, it may not cover everything for your loved ones.

With a personal life insurance policy you can choose a sum assured to meet your needs, which could be paid out upon your passing.

This allows you to factor in all current costs and any future expenses.

Life insuranceDeath in service
Personal protectionProtection offered by an employer
You can choose your level of cover (this could be up to a maximum of £1,000,000)The amount paid out is most commonly a multiple of your salary (for example 3 x)
Cover remains in place until the end of a specified term or for the rest of your lifeCover will stay in place while you’re in service (if you leave the profession your benefits will cease)
Could help your loved ones to cover larger costs such as a mortgage and/or an inheritanceCould help to cover some living costs and/or funeral costs


Compare personal life insurance through Reassured, we can help you find an ideal policy to go alongside any death in service benefits you receive.

What other forms of cover should teachers consider?

Life insurance is just one form of protection, that will only pay out after your passing. You may also wish to consider additional protection which could help you during your working life:

Income protection

Income protection could help to protect a percentage of your income while you’re unable to work due to illness or injury.

You could receive up to 70% of your usual earnings in monthly payments to mimic your income.

Available through Reassured's advised team.

Why not read this dedicated income protection for teachers guide for more information?

Teachers insurance

Teachers insurance is specialist insurance for those in the independent teaching profession.

While it doesn’t provide life cover it can protect you against risks that could occur while carrying out your profession (for example, theft of equipment or injury to a student).

This form of cover isn’t something that’s available through Reassured.

Are there life insurance options for retired teachers?

Yes, there are a variety of life insurance options available for retired teachers.

As a retired teacher, you’ll still receive death benefits as part of the teacher pension scheme which you may wish to factor in when securing your own personal cover.

Death benefits will pay out a lump sum to your loved ones. However, this is unlikely to cover all costs so it’s wise to also have your own personal cover in place.

At this stage in your life, you may want to consider one of the following options:

Whole of life policies for teachers

Whole of life insurance

  • Can be well suited to retired teachers who’re still in good health
  • You’ll be required to provide medical information during the application process
  • Sum assured can be higher than that of an over 50s plan so you could leave a larger inheritance for your loved ones to enjoy, as well as helping to cover funeral costs
  • You’ll be covered for the remainder of your life
  • Whole of life insurance through Reassured's advised team starts from £8 a month ±
Over 50s life insurance for retired teachers

Over 50s plan

  • An over 50s plan can be ideal for retired teachers as acceptance is guaranteed if you’re aged between 50 - 85
  • No medical information is required so this can be a great option if you’ve struggled to secure cover in the past due to ill health
  • Sum assured tends to be lower and is usually up to £20,000
  • Guarantees a pay out after a 12 - 24 month waiting period, which can be used to help cover funeral costs and/or provide a small inheritance
  • Over 50s plans through Reassured start from just £5 a month +
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Can teachers get a discount on life insurance?

Teachers often benefit from a range of discounts across many services, products and days out.

As a teacher, you’re eligible for a discount on life insurance through the website discountsforteachers.co.uk. This includes an offer from Reassured..

This includes an offer from Reassured. Teachers can obtain free quotes and save up to £1,760*.

The offers available include:

  • Save 10% on life and critical illness insurance with Zurich[2]
  • Up to 20% discount and up to £100 cashback on life insurance and critical illness cover[3]
  • 5% discount on life, income and critical illness insurance with Future Proof[4]
  • Save up to £1,760 on life and critical illness cover with Reassured[5]

The discounts stated are correct as of 20/11/24, please note they may be subject to change

While a discount on your policy may seem like an attractive offer, it’s not the most important thing to consider when taking out life cover.

What’s more important is finding a provider that offers cover that meets all of your needs.

At Reassured we can compare multiple policies to ensure you’re getting the right cover at the best available price from our panel of insurers.

Compare life insurance for teachers

To secure the most affordable teachers life insurance, it’s crucial to compare quotes as prices can vary significantly.

Using our FCA-regulated broker service you can compare quotes from some of the UK's leading life insurance providers.

Our award-winning team can take you through all the available options so you can find your ideal policy.

By comparing quotes, you can save money on your policy as well as ensuring the right cover is in place to protect your loved ones.

Life insurance for teachers through Reassured starts from 20p-a-day so why not put us to work today and save yourself time and money?

Compare Life Insurance Quotes for Teachers »

Other frequently asked questions about teachers life insurance

Does the teachers pension scheme include life insurance?

The teachers’ pension scheme doesn’t include life insurance; however, it does include death benefits and death in service.

Death benefits will allow a payment to be made to your spouse in the event of your passing during retirement.

The amount paid out will depend on how much pensionable service you have and what agreement you’re a part of.

Although this payment can ease some financial stress for your loved ones, it’s likely that it won’t cover all expenses.

Does the teachers pension scheme include critical illness?

The teachers’ pension scheme doesn’t provide critical illness cover but it does provide ill health cover.

This will pay out an early proportion of your pension should you be unable to work due to ill health.

This is similar to critical illness cover, which can be added to a life insurance policy for an additional cost in your monthly premium.

Critical illness cover will provide you with an early pay out if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness (that’s listed within your policy).

You can find full information on what a teacher's pension includes here »

What happens to my teachers pension when I die?

If you pass away and are receiving a teachers’ pension, your pension will automatically be paid to your spouse.

If you don’t have a spouse, you’ll need to make a known nomination to teachers’ pensions to declare who you’d like the funds to go to.

This is known as a death benefit.

Sources:

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/jun/08/teachers-england-schools-figures-department-education-survey

[2] https://www.discountsforteachers.co.uk/offer?offer=life-critical-illness-insurance-14734

[3] https://www.discountsforteachers.co.uk/offer?offer=life-search-20-discount-up-to-ps100-cashback-on-life-critical-illness-cover-11632

[4] https://www.discountsforteachers.co.uk/offer?offer=future-proof-insurance-16600

[5] https://www.discountsforteachers.co.uk/offer?offer=life-critical-illness-insurance-24647

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