Cavendish Online life insurance: who they are, how the £25 fee works and how to claim
Who Cavendish Online are, how the broker charges, who holds the policies it arranges, and how to contact it, complain or make a claim.
- Company type
- Life insurance broker
- Not an insurer
- Owned by
- Lloyds Banking Group
- Acquired in 2022
- FCA reference
- 469385
- Authorised & regulated
- Claims go to
- Your insurer
- Not Cavendish Online
In a nutshell
Cavendish Online is a life insurance broker with its head office in Exeter. It was founded in 2000 and has been part of Lloyds Banking Group since 2022. It doesn’t issue policies itself: it arranges cover with insurers. Online, it charges a one-off £25 fee instead of taking commission, or offers a no-fee option paid for by commission.
- A policy taken out through Cavendish Online is with the insurer you applied to, and you pay the premiums straight to that insurer, usually by monthly Direct Debit.
- To make a claim, contact the insurer that issued the policy. Cavendish Online says claims are handled directly with the insurer.
- For help from Cavendish Online itself, call 03456 442 540 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5.30pm) or email info@cavendishonline.co.uk.
- On Trustpilot it scores 4.7 out of 5 from 3,234 reviews (checked 3 October 2026).
Who are Cavendish Online?
Cavendish Online was founded by Ian Williams in 2000. It says it started from a small office in Bath and has grown to a team of over 100 people based in Exeter, Fareham and Bristol.
- Founded
- 2000, by Ian Williams
- Incorporated
- 2 August 2000
- Company
- Cavendish Online Limited, no. 04045709
- Registered office
- 234 High Street, Exeter, EX4 3NL
- Business
- Insurance agents and brokers (SIC 66220)
- Offices
- Exeter, Fareham and Bristol
Ian Williams believed charges should fairly reflect the amount of work financial advisers did for their clients. On the online fee-based route, Cavendish Online asks the insurer to re-invest all of the commission into the policy and charges a £25 flat fee instead. It says it was the first broker to work this way, and that on average its fee-based quotes are around 30% cheaper than a commission model.
It calls itself a “life insurance discount broker”. Companies House lists Cavendish Online Limited under SIC code 66220, activities of insurance agents and brokers, and its 2025 annual report gives its principal activity as discount brokerage services for life insurance and other protection products. It says it has consistently been commended by consumer champions as a way to save money when buying life insurance.
There are three ways to buy through it: an online quote and apply service, a guidance service where a consultant helps you by phone, and an advice service from its own advisers. Lloyds Banking Group describes it as offering direct-to-consumer, guided and advised life insurance, critical illness and income protection services.
Compare quotes from a panel of UK insurers
- Quick 3 step process
- 60 second form
- Free quotes, no obligation
Is Cavendish Online an insurer?
No. Cavendish Online is a broker. When you apply online you are shown a panel of insurers, you choose one and complete the application with it, and you then pay your premiums to that insurer.
Its terms describe it as an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA), authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority with Financial Services Register number 469385. Sales on its website are non-advised: you complete the transaction yourself and decide whether the policy suits your needs. Advice is given by phone, for protection products only. Its terms say both services work on a whole of market basis.
Cavendish Online was acquired by Lloyds Banking Group in 2022. Companies House shows that Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Limited became its person with significant control on 30 November 2022, with 75% or more of the shares and voting rights. On the same day founder Ian Williams, who had held more than 50% but less than 75% of the shares, ceased to be a person with significant control and resigned as a director.
Its 2025 annual report describes the company as a wholly owned subsidiary of Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Limited, part of the Insurance, Pensions and Investments division of Lloyds Banking Group. The report says Cavendish Online Limited has no direct employees: its staff are employed by other companies in the group. Lloyds Banking Group lists Cavendish Online among its brands, alongside others such as Scottish Widows.
It is still in business: Companies House lists the company as active, and Cavendish Online’s website lists life assurance, critical illness insurance and income protection insurance among its services.
- Type of company
- Life insurance broker, not an insurer
- FCA reference
- 469385
- Owner
- Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Limited, part of Lloyds Banking Group
- Part of Lloyds Banking Group since
- 2022
- Companies House status
- Active
- Claims handled by
- The insurer that issued the policy
Cavendish Online history
-
2000
Ian Williams founds Cavendish Online. Cavendish Online Limited is incorporated on 2 August 2000.
-
2022
Lloyds Banking Group acquires Cavendish Online. On 30 November 2022 Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Limited becomes its person with significant control, and Ian Williams resigns as a director.
-
2024
The registered office moves from 20 Cathedral Yard to 234 High Street, Exeter, on 6 February 2024.
A policy you took out through Cavendish Online
If you bought cover through Cavendish Online, your policy is with the insurer you applied to. You pay your premiums straight to that insurer, usually by monthly Direct Debit, for the length of the policy. Cavendish Online says some insurers allow annual payments, which it can arrange by phone.
Cavendish Online says questions about a policy should be put to the insurer directly. If you are finding it hard to pay, it says to contact your insurer before cancelling or letting the policy lapse, as the insurer may have options to help you stay covered.
Cavendish Online says the insurance products it offers have no cash-in value at any time. If you stop paying, the cover stops and nothing is paid. If you haven’t claimed by the end of the policy term, the policy ends and nothing is paid.
If you’re not sure which insurer holds your policy, look at your bank statements: the premiums are paid straight to the insurer, usually by Direct Debit. Cavendish Online says it keeps records of all its business transactions for at least six years and will supply a list of transactions at no cost, though it may charge £25 per file for copies of records.
- Policy held with
- The insurer you applied to
- Premiums paid to
- The insurer, usually by monthly Direct Debit
- Cash-in value
- None
- Claims made with
- The insurer
- Cavendish Online’s records
- Kept for at least six years
- Over 50s cover: Cavendish Online gives over 50s quotes from OneFamily and Shepherds Friendly. It charges no fee for these, as commission is built into the quote, and it says the premiums are the same as applying to the insurer directly.
- Writing a policy in trust: Cavendish Online’s trust page provides the insurers’ own trust forms, from Aviva, Beagle Street, Budget Insurance, The Exeter, Guardian, HSBC, Legal & General, LV=, OneFamily, Royal London, Scottish Widows, Shepherds Friendly, Virgin Money, VitalityLife and Zurich. It says its Guidance team can help place a policy in trust when you apply through it.
Tracing a policy after a death: Cavendish Online’s guide suggests going through the person’s paperwork, including bank statements, wills and other legal documents, asking their employer about any group life insurance, and contacting the insurer directly with their full name, date of birth and, if you have it, the policy number.
If the insurer no longer exists, the guide says the Association of British Insurers (ABI) may be able to tell you which company acquired it. Cavendish Online’s advisers also offer help with finding and claiming a policy on 01392 436193 (Monday to Thursday 9am–5.30pm, Friday 9am–5pm).
Our guide to lost life insurance policies explains more ways to trace a policy, and our guide to life insurance claims explains how claims work.
Contacting Cavendish Online and making a claim
Claims: Cavendish Online says life insurance claims are handled directly with the insurer, so the family needs to contact the company that issued the policy. Its terms say it is permitted to assist in claims handling, and its claims guide says its advisers can talk you through the process if you have questions.
When you contact the insurer, Cavendish Online says to have the policyholder’s name, the policy number, the cause of death from the death certificate, and your own identity and relationship to the policyholder. It also says there is no time limit on making a life insurance claim.
Questions and help: for general help call 03456 442 540 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5.30pm) or email info@cavendishonline.co.uk. Online quote and apply queries go to 01392 53 97 79, and its advisers are on 01392 436 193.
Complaints: write to Cavendish Online Ltd, 234 High Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3NL, email info@cavendishonline.co.uk or call 0345 644 2540. Cavendish Online says it will do all it can to resolve a complaint by the end of the next working day, and if it can’t, it will write to you within five working days.
Its terms say that buying without advice affects your right to go to the Financial Ombudsman Service about whether a policy bought online was suitable. You can still take a complaint to the ombudsman about the service you received, unclear or misleading information, or being given what amounted to advice before an online sale.
- Claims
- Contact the insurer that issued the policy
- General help
- 03456 442 540
- General help hours
- Mon–Fri 9am–5.30pm
- Online quote & apply queries
- 01392 53 97 79
- Guidance
- 01329 24 87 35
- Advisers
- 01392 436 193
- Complaints phone
- 0345 644 2540
- Head office
- 234 High Street, Exeter, EX4 3NL
Cavendish Online ratings and reviews
Here is how Cavendish Online’s customers rate it on Trustpilot, and how MoneySavingExpert’s life insurance guide lists it.
| Review site | Rating | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 4.7 / 5 · Excellent | Based on 3,234 reviews of Cavendish Online. 89% of reviews were 5-star and 2% were 1-star. Trustpilot says Cavendish Online invites its customers to review it, replied to 96% of negative reviews and has a paid Trustpilot subscription. View on Trustpilot (opens in a new tab) |
| MoneySavingExpert | Listed | MoneySavingExpert’s level-term life insurance guide, updated 2 October 2026, lists Cavendish Online under “Cheapest execution-only brokers – if you know what you want”: brokers it says all charge a one-off £25 fee and have been its top picks for over a decade. It tells readers who call one to be clear whether they are getting “advice” or “information”. View on MoneySavingExpert (opens in a new tab) |
Ratings were checked on 3 October 2026 and may have changed since. Life Cover Quotes is not connected with Cavendish Online, Trustpilot or MoneySavingExpert.
Looking for life cover?
Cavendish Online still arranges new cover: online with a one-off £25 fee or a no-fee option paid for by commission, or by phone through its guidance and advice teams, which charge no fee but receive a reduced commission from the insurer.
Its online route is execution-only, so you choose the policy yourself. It recommends its advice route if you have medical conditions to disclose or a hazardous job or hobby.
However you buy, the policy is with an insurer. Before you apply, it’s worth comparing more than one quote and checking the amount of cover, the length of the term and whether the premiums are guaranteed or can be reviewed.
Life Cover Quotes is not connected with Cavendish Online. Our guides explain how term life insurance, over 50s life insurance and critical illness cover work, and our guide to life insurance brokers looks at how brokers work and are paid.
The insurer reviews below are of insurers whose trust forms Cavendish Online’s website provides.
Guides to life cover
- Term life insurance: Cover for a set number of years, with level or decreasing cover.
- Over 50s life insurance: Guaranteed acceptance for ages 50–85, and what to check before you buy.
- Critical illness cover: A lump sum on diagnosis of a serious illness your policy covers.
- Income protection: A monthly payment if you can’t work due to accident or illness.
- Life insurance in trust: How a trust works and how it can affect the payout.
Insurer reviews
- Aviva life insurance review
- Beagle Street life insurance review
- Guardian life insurance review
- HSBC Life life insurance review
- Legal & General life insurance review
- LV= life insurance review
- OneFamily life insurance review
- Royal London life insurance review
- Scottish Widows life insurance review
- Shepherds Friendly life insurance review
- The Exeter life insurance review
- Virgin Money life insurance review
- Vitality life insurance review
- Zurich life insurance review
- All insurer reviews: plain-English reviews of UK life insurers, listed alphabetically
Cavendish Online FAQs
No. It is a life insurance broker: it arranges cover with insurers, and the policy is with the insurer you apply to.
Lloyds Banking Group, which acquired it in 2022. Cavendish Online Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Limited.
Yes. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, reference 469385. Its terms say that if it cannot meet its own obligations you may be entitled to compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which covers personal protection advising and arranging for 90% of the claim with no upper limit.
Online, you can pay a one-off £25 fee after the policy is confirmed, in which case it asks the insurer to re-invest all of the commission. Or you can choose the no-fee option, where it receives 19% of the commission and the premium is generally slightly higher. It caps its fees at £100 per person for products bought at any one time.
Buying by phone through its guidance or advice teams carries no fee: it receives a reduced commission from the insurer instead. There is no fee for over 50s policies either.
If your application is declined, you can apply to another company or ask for a full refund. If your premium goes up for health or lifestyle reasons, or cover is deferred, you can apply elsewhere or ask for a refund if you don’t go ahead. There’s no refund if the premium didn’t change and you decide not to take the policy.
Contact the insurer that issued the policy. Cavendish Online says claims are handled directly with the insurer, and that its advisers can talk you through the process if you have questions.
The premiums are paid straight to the insurer, usually by Direct Debit, so your bank statements should show which company it is. Cavendish Online also says it keeps records of its transactions for at least six years and will supply a list of transactions at no cost: call 03456 442 540 or email info@cavendishonline.co.uk.
The policy is with the insurer, so speak to the insurer. If money is tight, Cavendish Online suggests contacting the insurer before cancelling or letting the policy lapse, as it may have options to help you stay covered. Cavendish Online also says the products it offers have no cash-in value, so if you stop paying, the cover ends and nothing is paid out.
Cavendish Online says that if a claim is already in progress, it is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and will be paid. If not, it says another insurer would be likely to take over the policies, though you may need to buy a new policy.
Its level-term life insurance guide, updated 2 October 2026, lists Cavendish Online under “Cheapest execution-only brokers – if you know what you want” and says these brokers have been its top picks for over a decade.
Life Cover Quotes is not connected with MoneySavingExpert or Cavendish Online.
Write to Cavendish Online Ltd, 234 High Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3NL, email info@cavendishonline.co.uk or call 0345 644 2540. It says it will do all it can to resolve a complaint by the end of the next working day, or write to you within five working days.
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources.
- Cavendish Online — FAQs (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Get in touch (Contact Us) (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — About Us (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Lloyds Banking Group — Cavendish Online (Our brands) (opens in a new tab), lloydsbankinggroup.com, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Cheap Life Insurance (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Terms and Conditions (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Frequently Asked Questions (page 2) (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Our Fees (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Trustpilot — Cavendish Online Reviews (Trustpilot) (opens in a new tab), uk.trustpilot.com, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Our Team (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Companies House — CAVENDISH ONLINE LIMITED - Company Overview (04045709) (opens in a new tab), find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online Limited (filed at Companies House) — Cavendish Online Limited Annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025 (opens in a new tab), find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Companies House — CAVENDISH ONLINE LIMITED - Persons with significant control (04045709) (opens in a new tab), find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Companies House — CAVENDISH ONLINE LIMITED - Officers (04045709) (opens in a new tab), find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Lloyds Banking Group — Our brands (opens in a new tab), lloydsbankinggroup.com, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Careers (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Companies House — CAVENDISH ONLINE LIMITED - Filing history (04045709) (opens in a new tab), find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Life Insurance for Over 50s (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Write your policy in Trust (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — How to check if your loved one had life insurance (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — How Long Does Life Insurance Take to Pay Out? (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- Cavendish Online — Feedback & Complaints (opens in a new tab), cavendishonline.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2026.
- MoneySavingExpert — Level-term life insurance - how it works & how to get it cheaply (opens in a new tab), moneysavingexpert.com, accessed 3 October 2026.