National Friendly life insurance review 2026
A look at National Friendly’s term and over 50s life insurance, income protection, included benefits, claims record and ratings.
- Trustpilot
- 4.3 / 5
- 648 reviews · whole company
- Defaqto
- 3 out of 5 stars
- Level & decreasing term
- Over 50s claims paid
- 100%
- Period not stated
- Entry age
- 18–77
- Friendly Life Cover, 5–50 year terms
In a nutshell
National Friendly is a Bristol mutual society established in 1868 and owned by its members. It sells Over 50s Life Cover, income protection, private medical insurance and care plans, and launched Friendly Life Cover term insurance for advisers in September 2026.
- Friendly Life Cover pays a lump sum on death or terminal illness during the term, with level or decreasing cover on a single or joint life basis. At launch, Iress’ The Exchange was the only portal hosting it for advisers to access and compare cover.
- Over 50s Life Cover is a whole of life policy with guaranteed acceptance for UK residents aged 50 to 80, or 50 to 75 if you smoke. You can buy it online, by phone or through an adviser.
- Terminal illness benefit is included as standard on Friendly Life Cover. On Over 50s Life Cover, you can choose to claim half the payout if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness two years or more after taking it out.
- Customers rate National Friendly 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot across the whole company, not just life insurance. Defaqto gives its level and decreasing term cover 3 stars, its Over 50s Life Cover 2 stars, and its income protection 4 stars.
- National Friendly’s claims page says it paid 100% of Over 50s Life Cover claims, without stating which period the figure covers.
- National Friendly also designs, underwrites and administers the over 50s plans sold by Assurity and National Assurance, say their policy summaries effective from April 2022. Both are trading names of Assured Futures Ltd.
Who are National Friendly?
National Friendly is a mutual society based in the centre of Bristol with a national membership. It’s a trading name of National Deposit Friendly Society Limited and is owned by its members. It says its profits go back into member benefits and service rather than shareholder dividends.
- Life insurer
- National Deposit Friendly Society Limited
- FCA / PRA firm reference
- 110008
- Registered in England and Wales
- No. 369F
- Registered office
- 11-12 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4NT
- Members
- 70,516 (2025)
- Chief executive
- Graham Singleton
Rev. Canon Portal founded the society in 1868 at Albury Rectory so members could co-fund medical help through a deposit system. It registered as a friendly society on 27 August 1872 and moved to Bristol in 1982 after several homes around the country.
National Deposit Friendly Society Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the PRA. The FCA register shows it as authorised since 1 December 2001.
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1868
Founded by Rev. Canon Portal at Albury Rectory
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1872
Registered as a friendly society on 27 August
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1930
Membership has reached one million, according to Wikipedia
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1982
Moves to Bristol, where it has stayed since
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2023
Launches Accident Only Income Protection and four levels of My PMI
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2025
Secures €15 million of Tier 2 capital
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2026
Launches Friendly Life Cover, its term assurance product
Today National Friendly sells private medical insurance, income protection, Over 50s Life Cover and care plans. Its annual report says members come to it through a wide range of professional intermediary firms. In September 2026 it added Friendly Life Cover, its first term assurance policy.
It also designs, underwrites and administers the Over 50s Whole of Life Product for Assurity and the Simple Over 50s Life Product for National Assurance, according to their policy summaries effective from April 2022. Both brands are trading names of Assured Futures Ltd.
In 2025 its membership grew by 21% to 70,516. Its solvency ratio rose from 140% in 2024 to 168% in 2025 (up from 148% in 2023), mainly after raising €15 million of Tier 2 capital in October 2025.
According to Wikipedia, the society stopped writing new health insurance policies in 2011 because of capital inadequacy and resumed in 2016. At the Cover Excellence Awards 2025 it won Outstanding Protection Product Innovation and Outstanding Individual Income Protection.
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National Friendly ratings and reviews
National Friendly is rated 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot, while Defaqto scores its policies from 2 to 4 stars. The Trustpilot score covers the whole society, not just its life insurance.
| Review site | Rating | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 4.3 / 5 · Excellent | Based on 648 reviews across the whole company, including 360 in the last 12 months. 80% of reviewers give 5 stars and 11% give 1 star. National Friendly invites positive and negative reviews and has replied to 93% of negative ones. View on Trustpilot (opens in a new tab) |
| Smart Money People | 4.16 / 5 · Good | Based on 3 product reviews, which are for National Friendly’s income protection rather than its life cover. View on Smart Money People (opens in a new tab) |
| Defaqto | 2–4 stars | Defaqto rates products from 1 to 5 stars. National Friendly gets 3 stars for term life cover, 2 stars for Over 50s Life Cover and 4 stars for income protection. View on Defaqto (opens in a new tab) |
| Fairer Finance | 1–2 stars | Fairer Finance awards 2 stars to National Friendly’s Guaranteed Life Assurance “With optional medical questions” and 1 star to the version listed without that note. National Friendly’s fair value document calls Over 50s Life Cover its Guaranteed Life Assurance product. However, its member pages list Guaranteed Life Assurance separately, so it isn’t clear if these ratings apply to today’s plan. View on Fairer Finance (opens in a new tab) |
Defaqto ratings for each National Friendly policy
Defaqto rates each product from 1 to 5 stars. It lists National Friendly’s term insurance under the product name “National Friendly”, with 3 stars for level and decreasing cover. Over 50s Life Cover has 2 stars, and both income protection policies have 4.
| Policy | Range | Defaqto rating |
|---|---|---|
| Level term life insurance | National Friendly | 3 out of 5 stars |
| Decreasing term life insurance | National Friendly | 3 out of 5 stars |
| Over 50s life insurance | Over 50s Life Cover | 2 out of 5 stars |
| Income protection | Income Protection | 4 out of 5 stars |
| Income protection | Accident Only Income Protection | 4 out of 5 stars |
Ratings checked on 24 September 2026 and may have changed since. Defaqto ratings: defaqto.com (opens in a new tab)
Overall, customer feedback on Trustpilot is largely positive, though 11% of reviewers leave 1 star. Trustpilot’s AI-generated summary notes that reviewers report sharply contrasting experiences when making a claim.
In its 2025 annual report, National Friendly said its own Net Promoter Score rose from 59 to 63.
Customer reviews often focus on specific moments like making a claim, so it helps to read recent comments alongside the headline score.
What does National Friendly life insurance cover?
National Friendly’s term policy, Friendly Life Cover, pays a lump sum if you die or are diagnosed with a terminal illness during the term. You can take it out on your own or jointly with someone who lives at the same address. A joint policy pays out once, on the first person to die or be diagnosed.
Cover runs for a fixed term of 5 to 50 years and can last up to age 90, with fixed premiums and a defined benefit. You can choose level cover for family protection or decreasing cover for a mortgage or debt. Your family could use the payout for:
- Mortgage or rent payments
- Household bills and everyday living costs
- Childcare, school or university costs
- Outstanding loans and credit cards
- A cash gift or inheritance for the people you love
Over 50s Life Cover is National Friendly’s over 50s life insurance: a whole of life policy for UK residents aged 50 to 80, or 50 to 75 if you smoke. It pays a sum of money when you pass away, as long as you’ve kept up your payments.
It isn’t a funeral plan and doesn’t guarantee to cover the full cost of a funeral. Instead, it pays a lump sum that can go towards funeral costs or be spent however you or your loved ones wish.
What policies does National Friendly sell?
National Friendly sells Friendly Life Cover (term insurance through advisers) and Over 50s Life Cover (whole of life cover for ages 50 to 80, or 50 to 75 for smokers). It also offers 45+ Protection in partnership with ST&R Limited, alongside income protection, private medical insurance and care plans.
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Level termFriendly Life Cover with level cover, a fixed term and fixed premiums, for family protection.
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Decreasing termFriendly Life Cover with decreasing cover, designed for mortgage or debt protection.
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Over 50s whole of lifeWhole of life cover that pays a lump sum when you pass away, with guaranteed acceptance and two optional health questions.
Friendly Life Cover (level and decreasing term)
Friendly Life Cover launched in September 2026 as National Friendly’s first term assurance policy. It’s sold through advisers, and at launch Iress’ The Exchange was the only sourcing portal hosting it.
According to trade press reports of the launch, you can apply from age 18 to 77 for a term of 5 to 50 years, ending by age 90. Premiums are guaranteed from the start and begin at £4 a month.
Terminal illness benefit is included as standard and, as reported by Money Marketing at launch, pays the full sum assured on diagnosis. It isn’t available in the last 12 months of the term, and the policy ends once a death or terminal illness claim is paid.
Decreasing cover assumes a 6% interest rate, so the payout may not clear a mortgage or debt with a higher rate.
You must provide your GP’s name and contact details when you apply. National Friendly says most straightforward applications are processed straight away and others within a few days, depending on the evidence needed. It works with Company Medical Advisers Ltd on complex underwriting and claims.
Over 50s Life Cover
Over 50s Life Cover is a single-life whole of life policy that pays a cash sum when you die, provided you keep paying your premiums. Acceptance is guaranteed for UK residents aged 50 to 80 (or 50 to 75 if you smoke), even with existing medical conditions.
The policy doesn’t ask about your health unless you choose to answer two optional questions. Full cover starts after a standard two-year qualifying period, which can drop to six months depending on your answers to those questions.
Income protection
National Friendly’s Income Protection is for people aged 18 to 59 when cover starts. You choose a benefit of £500 to £6,000 a month, up to 70% of your earnings when the policy starts, paid for 1, 2 or 5 years. On the 5-year option the cap is £2,000 a month.
It also sells Accident Only Income Protection, which covers accidents only and doesn’t ask about your health when you apply. Defaqto rates both income protection policies 4 stars.
Friendly Life Cover vs Over 50s Life Cover
Friendly Life Cover is term cover and Over 50s Life Cover is whole of life cover, so they work differently:
| Feature | Friendly Life Cover | Over 50s Life Cover |
|---|---|---|
| Type of cover | Term (level or decreasing) | Whole of life |
| Age when you apply | 18–77 | 50–80 (50–75 if you smoke) |
| Single or joint | Both | Single only |
| Health questions | Underwritten; GP details needed | Two optional questions |
| Terminal illness benefit | Included | Half the payout, after 2 years |
| Friendly GP+ | Optional | Included |
| Premiums | Guaranteed, from £4 a month | From £10 to £100 a month |
| Cash-in value | No cash-in value | No surrender value |
| How you buy | Through an adviser | Online, by phone or through an adviser |
Friendly Life Cover details from National Friendly’s adviser page and trade press reports of its launch; Over 50s Life Cover details from its product pages, policy summary, policy conditions and fair value assessment, checked 25 September 2026.
What affects the cost of National Friendly life insurance?
What you pay depends on the policy you pick and your personal details. For term life insurance, insurers typically look at:
- Your age
- Your health and medical history
- Whether you smoke or vape
- Your height and weight
- Your job and any hazardous hobbies
- The type of policy
- How long you want cover for
- How much cover you want
According to launch reports in the trade press, Friendly Life Cover premiums are guaranteed from the start for the whole policy and begin at £4 a month.
National Friendly says Over 50s Life Cover starts from £10 a month, with a maximum premium of £100 a month. It says the price depends on your age, smoker status, life expectancy, cover amount and whether you choose a Fixed or Benefit Builder plan. Answering the two optional health questions satisfactorily can also give you lower payments or a higher payout.
Because Over 50s Life Cover payments continue until you die, you could pay in more than the policy pays out. Your Policy Schedule shows the age at which that happens.
In general, term life insurance costs less when you’re younger and healthier, and decreasing cover usually costs less than level cover for the same starting payout.
National Friendly life insurance benefits and extras
What’s included depends on whether you take out Friendly Life Cover or Over 50s Life Cover:
| Benefit | What it does | Available with |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal illness benefit | Pays the full sum assured on diagnosis of a terminal illness, according to trade press launch reports. It isn’t available in the final 12 months of the term. | Available with: Friendly Life Cover, as standard |
| Terminal illness benefit | Lets you claim half your payout if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness two years or more after taking out the policy. You can’t claim it if the policy is in trust. | Available with: Over 50s Life Cover |
| Accidental death benefit | Doubles your payout if you die as a result of an accident within 30 days of the accident. This cover applies from day one of the policy. | Available with: Over 50s Life Cover |
| Friendly GP and GP+ | Gives you 24/7 phone or online access to a virtual GP, plus health and wellbeing support, counselling, legal advice and financial guidance for you and your family. These services are non-contractual and can be changed or removed at any time. Between January and July 2025, 94% of members rated Friendly GP as excellent, very good or good. | Available with: Over 50s Life Cover |
| Nomination | Lets you name one or more people to receive up to £5,000 of your payout without waiting for probate or letters of administration. The £5,000 cap applies across all policies you hold with National Friendly. | Available with: Over 50s Life Cover |
Friendly Life Cover also offers four optional add-ons. National Friendly says these optional benefits and services are non-contractual and may be changed or withdrawn.
| Optional extra | What it does |
|---|---|
| Waiver of premium | Available on Friendly Life Cover. It covers the first life assured only, who must also be the person paying the premiums. |
| Fracture cover | National Friendly’s fracture cover page isn’t specific to Friendly Life Cover. It says the cover pays £1,000 for a mild fracture, £2,000 for a moderate one or £3,000 for a major one, up to £3,000 in total each policy year. You must be aged 18 to 59 when your policy starts. |
| Friendly GP+ | Provides online GP support for you and your family. |
| Friendly Dentist | Provides virtual dental support for the policyholder or policyholders only. |
National Friendly over 50s life insurance
Over 50s Life Cover is a whole of life plan that pays a lump sum when you die, provided your payments are up to date. Acceptance is guaranteed for UK residents aged 50 to 80 (50 to 75 for smokers), even with existing health conditions. You must live at a UK address for at least six months a year, excluding the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
You can buy the policy online on National Friendly’s website (which it says takes less than 5 minutes), over the phone with its sales team, or through an adviser.
The plan doesn’t ask about your health unless you choose to answer two optional questions. Answering them could give you a higher payout, lower payments, and a six-month qualifying period instead of the standard two years.
The first question asks whether you’re having or waiting for GP or specialist consultations, investigations or test results for a condition that hasn’t been diagnosed. It also asks about heart disease, a stroke, cancer, COPD, dementia, liver failure or a terminal illness in the last 12 months. The second asks about heart disease, a stroke, cancer, COPD or emphysema, dementia or liver failure in the last five years.
If you die from a non-accidental cause during the qualifying period, National Friendly refunds the payments you’ve made. Accidental death is covered from day one at double the payout if you die within 30 days of the accident. Suicide, self-harm, activities such as motor sport, diving or mountaineering, and deaths where too much alcohol or drug misuse is a major factor don’t count as accidental.
You can pick a Fixed payout policy, where your cover and payments stay level, or Benefit Builder. With Benefit Builder, payments and cover rise by 10% a year for the first 10 years and double by year 11. National Friendly’s example is £20 a month for £5,000 of cover, rising to £40 a month for £10,000. You can’t switch from Fixed to Benefit Builder once the policy has started.
You pay monthly by direct debit (on any date from the 1st to the 28th) or yearly, and payments continue for life. If you miss three payments in a row, National Friendly closes the policy, your cover ends and you get nothing back.
If you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness after holding the policy for at least two years, you can claim half your payout early. The illness must not result from an accident, must be incurable, and your UK hospital consultant must expect it to cause death within 12 months. After a terminal illness claim, the remaining half isn’t doubled on accidental death.
- Entry age
- 50–80 (50–75 if you smoke)
- Guaranteed acceptance
- Yes, even with existing medical conditions
- Qualifying period
- 2 years, or possibly 6 months if you answer two optional health questions
- Accidental death
- Double the payout from day one
- Payments
- From £10 up to £100 a month
- Joint policies
- Not available
- Cooling-off period
- 30 days
- Defaqto rating
- 2 stars
National Friendly has also partnered with ST&R Limited on 45+ Protection, a guaranteed whole of life policy for non-smokers aged 45 to 80 and smokers aged 45 to 75. Full cover starts after three years.
National Friendly also designs, underwrites and administers the Over 50s Whole of Life Product for Assurity and the Simple Over 50s Life Product for National Assurance, according to their policy summaries effective from April 2022. Both are trading names of Assured Futures Ltd, and National Friendly handles their claims.
Compare other insurers’ over 50s plans in our guides to over 50s life insurance, guaranteed life insurance and over 60s life insurance.
Writing a National Friendly policy in trust
You can put a National Friendly policy in trust or, because it’s a friendly society, make a nomination under the Friendly Societies Act 1992. A nomination lets you name one or more people to receive up to £5,000 across all your National Friendly policies without waiting for probate or letters of administration. Marrying after making a nomination cancels it, and National Friendly recommends nominees are over 16.
For trusts, National Friendly publishes forms for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The England and Wales form offers a choice of a discretionary trust or an absolute trust for new or existing single and joint policies.
National Friendly’s trust guide notes that a trust allows immediate payout on death without waiting for probate, but warns that a trust can’t be cancelled once created. Your trust may need to be registered with HMRC, and all trustees must give written authority before a payout is made.
On Over 50s Life Cover, you have to choose between a nomination and a trust. To set up a trust you return a trust form, and you may want a solicitor’s help. The payout can then normally go to your chosen people without them paying inheritance tax, but you won’t be able to claim the terminal illness benefit.
Read how trusts work, and what other insurers offer, in our guide to life insurance in trust.
National Friendly gift card offers
Note: Free gifts are offered by select brokers only, our life insurance brokers do not offer free gifts.
National Friendly’s Recommend a Friend scheme gives both you and a friend or relative a £25 Amazon.co.uk gift card if they take out a plan. The gift cards are sent after the new member has paid for three months, and Over 50s Life Cover is included on the referral form.
Between 17 October and 30 November 2024, National Friendly also ran a £60 Amazon e-gift card promotion on new Over 50s Life Insurance policies. That offer was only available through selected financial intermediaries, not direct, and the e-gift card was emailed after six months’ premiums were collected.
See other insurers’ offers and their conditions in our guides to life insurance with a free gift and over 50 life insurance with a free gift.
Does National Friendly pay out?
National Friendly says on its claims page that it paid 100% of Over 50s Life Cover claims, though it doesn’t state which period the figures cover. Its 2025 annual report also gives a dated figure for assurance payouts:
- Over 50s Life Cover claims paid
- 100%
- Paid in claims
- £14.7m
- Total claims handled
- 4,361
- Assurance claims paid in 2025
- £5.94m
Source: National Friendly’s claims page, checked 25 September 2026, and its 2025 annual report.
Its annual reports show gross claims paid on its assurance business rising each year, from £5.107m in 2022 to £5.512m in 2023, £5.628m in 2024 and £5.940m in 2025. Across all products, gross claims paid rose 28% in 2025, from £26.825m to £34.333m (they were £22.968m in 2023).
On the same undated claims page, National Friendly reports paying 79% of Income Protection claims and 86% of Accident Only Income Protection claims. It also reports paying 82% of Friendly Shield claims and 97% of private medical insurance claims.
National Friendly says it reaches claims decisions within 3 working days once it has the required information, with one dedicated handler throughout. In the first half of 2025 it assessed 95% of claims within that three-day target and recorded a claims Net Promoter Score of 76.
It signed the Protection Distributors Group’s 2025 Claims Charter, which requires signatories to assess claim forms within three working days and evidence within five. In 2025 it also launched an enhanced digital claims portal.
Answering every question fully and honestly when you apply helps make sure your policy pays out when your family needs it.
How to contact National Friendly and make a claim
To make a claim on an over 50s policy, call or email National Friendly’s customer team. They’ll ask for proof of death and proof that you’re entitled to the payout. On Over 50s Life Cover, probate or letters of administration may be needed for payouts over £25,000, and approved claims are paid straight into a UK bank account.
For death claims, National Friendly says its claims handlers will guide you through the next steps at your own pace. If the policy is in trust, all the trustees must give written authority before it pays out. You can also tell National Friendly about a bereavement on its vulnerable members support form.
- Customer team
- 0333 014 6244
- Opening hours
- Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm, excluding bank holidays
- Registered office
- 11-12 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4NT
- Claims information
- nationalfriendly.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
Key policy terms
These key terms come from the Over 50s Life Cover policy summary and conditions, plus National Friendly’s adviser page and trade press launch reports for Friendly Life Cover. Always check the documents for the exact policy you’re offered.
| Term | National Friendly policies |
|---|---|
| Cooling-off period | Over 50s Life Cover: 30 days from receiving your welcome pack, with a refund of any payments made |
| Cancelling later | Over 50s Life Cover: nothing back after the first 30 days |
| Reducing your cover | Over 50s Life Cover: not until you’ve held the policy for at least 2 years |
| Moving to another provider | Over 50s Life Cover: no exit fees, but all cover is lost as there’s no surrender value |
| Missed payments | Friendly Life Cover: may reduce the amount paid or mean no claim is payable. Over 50s Life Cover: three missed in a row close the policy, with no money back |
| Terminal illness | Friendly Life Cover: full sum assured (as reported at launch), but not in the final 12 months of the term. Over 50s Life Cover: half the payout, if diagnosed 2 years or more after the start |
| Accidental death | Over 50s Life Cover: double the payout from day one, if death is within 30 days of the accident |
| Suicide | Over 50s Life Cover: suicide or deliberate self-harm isn’t treated as an accidental death |
| Joint cover | Friendly Life Cover: single or joint, paying out once. Over 50s Life Cover: single life only |
| Health questions | Over 50s Life Cover: guaranteed acceptance, with two optional health questions. Friendly Life Cover: you give your GP’s details when you apply |
| Cash-in value | Neither policy has a cash-in or surrender value |
| Write in trust | Yes, with trust forms for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland |
| Nomination | Up to £5,000 across all your National Friendly policies |
| Tax on the payout | Over 50s Life Cover: free from UK income tax and capital gains tax on death |
| Selling the policy | Over 50s Life Cover can’t be assigned, sold or traded |
| Accessible formats | Friendly Life Cover documents are sent digitally, and in print, large print, Braille or audio on request |
| Complaints | A final written response within eight weeks; National Friendly is covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service |
| FSCS protection | National Deposit Friendly Society Limited is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme |
Is National Friendly life insurance good?
National Friendly is a Bristol mutual established in 1868, with a new term life policy and an over 50s plan. Friendly Life Cover offers single or joint level and decreasing cover with terminal illness benefit included, plus optional waiver of premium, fracture cover and virtual GP and dental support. Over 50s Life Cover guarantees acceptance for UK residents aged 50 to 80 (50 to 75 for smokers). Its claims page reports 100% of over 50s claims paid, without saying for which period.
On the downside, Friendly Life Cover only launched in September 2026, for advisers, and Defaqto rates National Friendly’s term cover 3 stars. Over 50s Life Cover is rated 2 stars by Defaqto and has a two-year qualifying period, unless your answers to two optional health questions reduce it to six months. Over 50s payments also last for life, so you could pay in more than the payout, and neither policy has a cash-in value.
Whether National Friendly is right for you comes down to the cover you need and how its quotes compare with other insurers.
Pros
- Mutual owned by its members, established in 1868
- Terminal illness benefit included as standard on Friendly Life Cover
- Level or decreasing term cover, on a single or joint life basis
- Guaranteed acceptance on Over 50s Life Cover, even with existing medical conditions
- Over 50s qualifying period can be cut to six months, depending on your answers to two optional health questions
- Free Friendly GP and GP+ services with Over 50s Life Cover
- Rated 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 648 reviews
Cons
- Friendly Life Cover is new and aimed at advisers
- Defaqto rates the term cover 3 stars and Over 50s Life Cover 2 stars
- Over 50s payments last for life and could add up to more than the payout
- Missing three over 50s payments in a row closes the policy with no money back
- Over 50s Life Cover is single life only
- No cash-in value on either policy
- Friendly GP and other optional services can be changed or withdrawn
National Friendly life insurance policy documents
Before you take out a policy, it’s worth reading the policy summary and policy conditions for the exact product you’re offered. These official National Friendly documents are a good place to start. Friendly Life Cover documents are sent digitally, and are available on request in print, large print, Braille or audio.
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Over 50s Life Cover policy summary (opens in a new tab)
Who can apply, the qualifying period, Fixed and Benefit Builder payouts, nominations and trusts.
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Over 50s Life Cover policy conditions (opens in a new tab)
The full terms of the policy, including accidental death, terminal illness, missed payments and cancelling.
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Over 50s Life Cover application form (opens in a new tab)
The application, including the two optional medical questions.
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Pure protection fair value assessment (opens in a new tab)
National Friendly’s August 2026 fair value assessments of its protection products, including Over 50s Life Cover’s target market, price factors and value.
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A guide to declarations and deeds of trust (opens in a new tab)
How National Friendly’s trusts work, their advantages and what to consider.
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Trust form – England and Wales (opens in a new tab)
Declaration and deed of trust, with a discretionary or absolute trust option.
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Income Protection policy summary (opens in a new tab)
Benefit amounts, waiting and benefit periods, and exclusions for Income Protection.
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Accident Only Income Protection policy summary (opens in a new tab)
How the accident-only income protection policy works and what it covers.
Documents are published by National Friendly and open on its website. National Friendly may update them — the version you receive with your policy is the one that applies.
National Friendly life insurance FAQs
You can apply for Friendly Life Cover from age 18 to 77, with cover running up to age 90 (as reported at launch). Over 50s Life Cover is open to UK non-smokers aged 50 to 80 and smokers aged 50 to 75.
Yes, for Over 50s Life Cover: you can buy it on National Friendly’s website, by calling its sales team, or through an adviser. Friendly Life Cover is sold through advisers, and at launch Iress’ The Exchange was the only adviser portal hosting it.
National Friendly’s claims page says it paid 100% of Over 50s Life Cover claims and £14.7 million in claims, without stating which period those figures cover. Its 2025 annual report shows £5.94 million of gross claims paid on its assurance business in 2025.
National Friendly says it reaches claims decisions within 3 working days once it has all the information it needs. In the first half of 2025, it assessed 95% of claims within that three-day target.
When you apply for cover you will be asked questions about your health and lifestyle, and based on this and the amount of cover requested, the insurer will decide if a medical is required or not.
For Friendly Life Cover, you must give your GP’s name and contact details when you apply. Over 50s Life Cover guarantees acceptance for eligible UK residents and doesn’t ask about your health unless you choose to answer two optional questions.
If you die from a non-accidental cause during the qualifying period, National Friendly refunds all the payments you’ve made. If you die from an accident within 30 days of it happening, the policy pays double the sum assured from day one. The standard qualifying period is two years, or possibly six months if you answer two optional health questions.
Yes. National Friendly provides trust forms for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, or you can nominate someone to receive up to £5,000 across your policies without probate. On Over 50s Life Cover you must pick either a trust or a nomination, and putting the policy in trust means you can’t claim the terminal illness benefit.
Yes. Cancel within 30 days of receiving your welcome pack and National Friendly refunds any payments you’ve made. If you cancel after the first 30 days, you get nothing back. Neither Over 50s Life Cover nor Friendly Life Cover has a cash-in value.
National Friendly is a trading name of National Deposit Friendly Society Limited, a mutual owned by its members. Over 50s Life Cover policyholders automatically become members, with voting rights and the right to attend the Annual General Meeting.
Yes. It designs, underwrites and administers the Over 50s Whole of Life Product for Assurity and the Simple Over 50s Life Product for National Assurance, according to their policy summaries effective from April 2022. Both brands are trading names of Assured Futures Ltd, and National Friendly’s claims page covers both policies.
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources.
- Wikimedia Commons — Wikimedia Commons file page - National Friendly's Head Office.jpg (photo of 11-12 Queen Square, Bristol, 20 April 2016, CC BY-SA 4.0) (opens in a new tab), commons.wikimedia.org, accessed 25 September 2026.
- National Friendly (National Deposit Friendly Society Limited) — National Friendly - About us and history (member site), with site footer legal and regulatory statement (opens in a new tab), nationalfriendly.co.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
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