Why might you wish to buy life insurance?

Most importantly, to provide a secure future for those you love by:

1. Covering any final expenses such as medical bills or funeral costs up to £500,000;
2. Arranging for your mortgage to be paid off or for the repayments to be reduced; and
3. Funding your children's education.
4. It doesn't have to be complicated.
5. It doesn't have to be expensive – typically, the sooner you start, the lower the cost and the easier it is to get approved.
6. Cover is flexible with Barclays Life Insurance from Aviva – you can choose the policy you want based on your situation.

Don't ignore the small print. This will spell out what's covered and what's not covered. It's normally included in a Key Facts or Key Features document, and you should compare various policies' features to determine which one is best for you.

• Think about the exclusions. Your policy may not pay out if you take part in dangerous sports, die from drug or alcohol abuse or have an existing medical condition.
• Confirm the age limits on your life insurance quote. Some policies will stop providing cover once you reach a certain age.
• Terminal illness. Some term insurance policies may pay a lump sum if you're diagnosed with a terminal illness during the policy.
• Consider the tax implications. Your beneficiaries could end up paying inheritance tax on any sum paid out unless you put your plan in trust. This can be a complicated area of the law and tax policy can change from one year to the next, so it's important to get financial advice if you're considering this.
• Flexibility. Does your life insurance policy allow you to skip a payment or two without penalty? And what happens if you want to cancel altogether?
• Cash-in value. Check whether your policy has one or not. Not all do and you may decide that you don't want a cash-in value on your policy.
• Extra benefits. Some policies may offer additional benefits such as critical illness cover, but you may need to pay extra premiums for these.

Confused about the different types of life insurance?

We have a detailed explanation of each type that explains each type in clear and simple English.

Learn about the costs of Life insurance

We think transparency is important. Break down the cost of your policy.