Life insurance can keep your family afloat should the worst happen to you or your partner, or it can help you repay your mortgage if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness. In other words, it can be a vital safety-net.
Yet there are so many different policies out there it can be hard to work out which type of deal you should go for, and which provider you should buy from.
Maybe you’ve been taking a look at Zurich’s life insurance options? Well this guide will help you decide whether Zurich is the provider for you and your family.
Zurich Insurance Group is one of the biggest global insurers, with around 55,000 employees in more than 170 countries worldwide.
In 2018 it paid out 96% of its life insurance claims in the UK and, as a company, aspires to be the leading provider of financial services in the UK by offering high quality customer service.
Zurich has a few types of “term life insurance” deals, which will pay out a lump sum if you die, or are diagnosed with a terminal illness and only have 12 months to live.
That is if you die during your agreed term of cover, which could be as little as a year or as long as 50 years.
With all of its products, you’ll have to choose between level, increasing or decreasing cover.
By paying extra you can get critical illness cover as an add-on policy too, which could offer your family a vital safety-net if you can’t work due to ill health.
Other optional extras include cover for broken bones or ligament damage, which will potentially pay out thousands of pounds for an injury. If you’re a tough-tackling footballer or you cycle into work this might give you some peace of mind.
Meanwhile, you can get protection for your children too, which can offer you a vital financial safety net should they develop a serious condition.
Zurich term life insurance covers you for a set amount of time, from 1 to 50 years. So it can offer you peace of mind while you pay off a mortgage. Or it can make sure your family is covered while your children grow up.
You can buy it as a standalone policy or add Zurich’s critical illness cover, which will offer financial support should you suffer from a serious illness or injury.
Zurich also offers income protection insurance, which will plug the gap in your income if you can’t work due to injury or illness.
While this might seem similar to critical illness cover, there are some differences.
One main one is that it might not protect the same injuries and illnesses. Plus income protection insurance offers you regular payments in a steady drip.
Critical illness, on the other hand, provides a lump sum – and then no more cash thereafter.
With a Zurich life insurance and critical illness policy you can also get serious illness cover for your children. This could help pay for medical fees or to substitute your income if you need to take time off to look after your child.
A Zurich policy can pay out thousands of pounds for broken bones, dislocations and ligament damage too, which might be useful if you are quite active and prone to injuries.
The specific reasons Zurich may refuse to pay out will depend on the type of policy you have, so you’ll need to go through your Zurich policy document with a fine-tooth comb. However, some general exclusions include:
You can claim by calling 0370 243 0827 or by emailing Bereavements.Zurich@uk.zurich.com, or by filling out its online claim form, which you can find on the Zurich life insurance claims page.
Having any relevant information such as a policy number, doctors’ contact details or proof of death will help speed up the claims process.
Zurich won the life insurance category in the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards in 2024, with 92% of customers saying they’d recommend the brand to a friend. Feedback included praise for its customer service, with many customers describing Zurich as “professional”.
One customer commented: “Zurich brand is excellent..they value customers and provide premium services.”
Not all comments were totally positive. Another customer put it plain and simple: “Nobody is perfect.”
Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.
To find out more, read our full methodology.
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