Nationwide life insurance review 2026
A look at Nationwide’s life insurance policies, provided by L&G, with their included benefits, claims record and independent ratings.
- Trustpilot
- 3.4 / 5
- 10,350 reviews · all Nationwide products
- Defaqto
- 3 out of 5 stars
- Level term · 5 stars as direct life
- Life claims paid
- 97.5%
- L&G retail protection, 2025
- Entry age
- 18–77
- Family cover, 1–50 yr terms
In a nutshell
Nationwide is a building society that arranges life insurance provided and managed by L&G (Legal & General), which underwrites the policies and handles claims. It sells family life insurance (level cover) and mortgage life insurance (decreasing cover), with critical illness cover available as a paid add-on.
- You can apply from age 18 up to 77 for family cover, 74 for mortgage cover and 67 with critical illness cover. Life cover can run until your 90th birthday.
- Both policies are sold as single or joint cover, with guaranteed premiums, terminal illness cover, and up to 90 days of accidental death cover while L&G considers your application.
- Defaqto rates the policy 5 stars in its direct life category and 3 stars in its level and decreasing term categories. Trustpilot scores Nationwide 3.4 out of 5 across all its products.
- L&G paid 97.5% of life insurance claims and 92.9% of critical illness claims in 2025 across all of its retail protection business.
- If you apply directly online through Nationwide, you can get a £75 Amazon.co.uk or M&S gift card. Terms apply: for example, you qualify six months after the policy starts, if it hasn’t been cancelled and your payments are up to date.
Who are Nationwide?
Nationwide is a UK building society owned by over 19 million members rather than shareholders, and its life insurance is provided by Legal & General (L&G). Nationwide describes itself as the world’s largest building society, with around 25,000 employees and its head office in Swindon.
- Building society
- Nationwide Building Society
- Mutual society number
- 355B
- FCA / PRA register number
- 106078
- Head office
- Nationwide House, Pipers Way, Swindon SN38 1NW
- Life insurer
- Legal and General Assurance Society Limited
- Insurer’s FCA / PRA number
- 117659
- Insurer registered in England and Wales
- No. 00166055
- Members
- Over 19 million
Nationwide acts as an insurance intermediary for L&G and only offers protection products from L&G. Its life insurance, critical illness cover and Income Protection Benefit are provided by L&G, and the insurer named in the policy summary is Legal and General Assurance Society Limited. L&G says it was established in 1836.
Nationwide doesn’t give advice or charge a fee for its life insurance services. It does receive commission from L&G on policies taken out through it. If you want help choosing cover, Nationwide offers a free appointment with an L&G financial adviser.
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1884
The Co-operative Permanent Building Society, where Nationwide’s origins lie, is founded
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1970
The society changes its name to Nationwide
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1987
Anglia Building Society merges with Nationwide
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2007
Merges with Portman Building Society
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2024
Completes its £2.9 billion acquisition of Virgin Money UK
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2026
Virgin Money’s business transfers to Nationwide
Virgin Money and Nationwide became part of the same group in October 2024. After High Court approval, Virgin Money’s business transferred to Nationwide on 2 April 2026, though accounts and products that moved across are still called Virgin Money for now.
When you apply through Nationwide, L&G underwrites your application, manages the policy and handles claims, and the published claims figures are L&G’s.
Whether it’s the right choice for you depends on the cover you need and the price you’re offered, so it’s worth comparing plans before you decide.
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Nationwide life insurance ratings and reviews
Nationwide scores 3.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot across all its products. Defaqto gives its life cover 5 stars in the direct categories and 3 stars for level and decreasing term. The Trustpilot, Smart Money People and Reviews.io scores cover the whole building society, and Fairer Finance rates Nationwide’s life insurance on its own.
| Review site | Rating | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 3.4 / 5 · Average | Based on 10,350 reviews across all Nationwide products. The profile is claimed, and Nationwide has replied to 60% of negative reviews. Because it hasn’t invited customers to review recently, Trustpilot says the reviews may not be representative. View on Trustpilot (opens in a new tab) |
| Smart Money People | 4.51 / 5 · Excellent | Based on 3,051 product reviews across Nationwide, which Smart Money People says have trended negatively over the past 90 days. Its Nationwide life insurance page scores 4.06 from 3 reviews, the last on 18 February 2023. View on Smart Money People (opens in a new tab) |
| Reviews.io | 2.1 | Based on 224 reviews of Nationwide as a whole, with 27% of reviewers recommending it. View on Reviews.io (opens in a new tab) |
| Defaqto | 3–5 stars | Defaqto rates each product from 1 to 5 stars. Nationwide’s Life & Critical Illness (Direct) gets 5 stars in two direct categories and 3 stars in four level and decreasing term categories. View on Defaqto (opens in a new tab) |
| Fairer Finance | 76% · No ribbon | Fairer Finance’s Spring 2026 customer experience score for Nationwide life insurance, with 69% for claims, 86% for complaints and 73% for transparency. The claims and complaints scores match Legal & General’s, which underwrites the policies. View on Fairer Finance (opens in a new tab) |
Defaqto ratings for each Nationwide policy
Defaqto lists one Nationwide product, Life & Critical Illness (Direct), across six categories. It gets 5 stars in the two direct categories and 3 stars in the level and decreasing categories for life and critical illness cover. Nationwide’s own pages describe the life insurance it offers as 5 Star rated by Defaqto.
| Policy | Range | Defaqto rating |
|---|---|---|
| Life assurance (direct) | Life & Critical Illness (Direct) | 5 out of 5 stars |
| Level term life insurance | Life & Critical Illness (Direct) | 3 out of 5 stars |
| Decreasing term life insurance | Life & Critical Illness (Direct) | 3 out of 5 stars |
| Critical illness (direct with life cover) | Life & Critical Illness (Direct) | 5 out of 5 stars |
| Critical illness (level term) | Life & Critical Illness (Direct) | 3 out of 5 stars |
| Critical illness (decreasing) | Life & Critical Illness (Direct) | 3 out of 5 stars |
Ratings checked on 24 September 2026 and may have changed since. Defaqto ratings: defaqto.com (opens in a new tab)
Smart Money People's page for Nationwide life insurance holds just 3 reviews, the latest from 18 February 2023. L&G handles the claims, and its claims figures are set out below.
What does Nationwide life insurance cover?
Nationwide life insurance pays a lump sum to the people you choose, such as your partner or children, if you die while the policy runs. You choose the cover amount and how long it lasts, and pay a monthly or annual premium.
You can take out a single policy for yourself or a joint policy with someone else. A joint policy pays out once on a valid claim and then ends, leaving the surviving partner without cover.
Nationwide says a family life insurance payout could help your family with:
- Everyday living expenses
- Childcare or education costs
- Rent or mortgage payments
- Household bills
- Debts or other financial commitments
Critical illness cover is a separate policy that you can add for an extra cost when you apply for life insurance. It pays a lump sum if you or your child become ill with a covered condition. Your life policy could still pay out later if you die during its term.
The policies have no cash value, so if a policy reaches its end without a valid claim, nothing is paid out.
Nationwide life insurance policy options
Nationwide offers two types of life cover: family life insurance (level cover) and mortgage life insurance (decreasing cover). You can add critical illness cover to either as a separate policy for an extra cost, and L&G’s Income Protection Benefit is available through an L&G adviser.
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Family life insuranceLevel cover: the payout stays the same throughout the policy.
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Mortgage life insuranceDecreasing cover: the payout reduces over time, roughly in line with a repayment mortgage.
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Critical illness coverA separate add-on that pays a lump sum if you or your child are diagnosed with a covered condition.
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Income protectionL&G’s Income Protection Benefit pays out monthly if you’re too ill or injured to work.
Family life insurance (level cover)
Family life insurance pays a fixed lump sum that stays the same throughout the policy. Because the payout doesn’t reduce over time, Nationwide says it’s designed to support a wide range of family needs rather than just a specific debt or mortgage.
You can apply from age 18 to 77 for a term of 1 to 50 years, and the policy must end before age 90. Premiums are guaranteed, so they stay the same unless you change your policy.
Mortgage life insurance (decreasing cover)
Mortgage life insurance is designed to help pay off a repayment mortgage if you die during the policy. L&G applies an interest rate to the policy to estimate your monthly mortgage repayments, and your cover reduces accordingly.
Your monthly payments stay the same throughout the policy, and Nationwide says decreasing cover is typically cheaper than level-term cover. However, if the interest rate L&G applies is lower than your actual mortgage rate, or your mortgage changes, the payout may not repay the mortgage in full.
You can apply from age 18 to 74, and the policy must end before age 90. The policy summary and the table on Nationwide’s mortgage life insurance page give a term of 5 to 50 years. The text on the same page says 1 to 50 years.
Critical illness cover
Critical illness cover is only available as an add-on when you first take out life insurance, and you can’t add it later. It’s a separate policy that can have a different term from your life cover and can protect you until your 75th birthday. Nationwide says the cover amount you choose is then fixed for the length of the policy.
It pays out if you’re diagnosed with, or have a medical procedure for, a covered condition and survive 14 days from diagnosis. The policy summary lists cancer (excluding less advanced cases), heart attack of specified severity, and stroke with symptoms lasting at least 24 hours. It also covers multiple sclerosis where there have been symptoms, and dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) of specified severity.
The plan automatically includes additional cover for carcinoma in situ of the breast treated by surgery and low grade prostate cancer requiring treatment. It pays 25% of your cover, up to £25,000. Children’s critical illness cover and Accident Hospitalisation Benefit are also included at no extra cost.
Joint life insurance
Couples can take out two single policies or one joint policy, and Nationwide points out that joint policies aren’t just for couples. A joint policy is usually cheaper than two single policies. It ends on the first person’s death, though, leaving the surviving partner without cover, and you can’t choose beneficiaries.
L&G has a replacement cover option that could let the surviving person take out a new single life policy if requested within six months of a valid claim being paid. Under L&G’s published terms, you can also separate a joint policy on divorce or civil partnership dissolution, for up to £1,000,000 or the original cover, whichever is lower.
Income Protection Benefit
L&G’s Income Protection Benefit pays out monthly when you’re too ill or injured to work, and is arranged by booking an appointment with an L&G adviser. You must be aged 18 to 59 and registered with a UK GP for 2 years or more. The policy ends on your 70th birthday or your chosen retirement age, whichever is earlier.
L&G offers a choice of waiting periods, limited benefit periods and an increasing plan. Its adviser policy summary, which Nationwide doesn’t link to, lists waiting periods of 4, 8, 13, 26 or 52 weeks and caps the monthly benefit at £20,000. The policy doesn’t pay out if you become unemployed or are made redundant.
Over 50s and whole of life cover
Nationwide’s life insurance guide describes only two types of cover: family and mortgage life insurance. Nationwide says people over 50 can still get its life insurance if they meet the product’s age limits. You can apply up to 77 for family cover, 74 for mortgage cover, or 67 with critical illness cover.
Nationwide’s insurance help page has a link titled ‘Make a Life Insurance or Whole of Life Insurance claim’, even though its life insurance guide describes only family and mortgage cover.
Nationwide family vs mortgage life insurance
Both are provided by L&G. Here’s how they compare:
| Feature | Family life insurance | Mortgage life insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Type of cover | Level | Decreasing |
| Payout | Stays the same | Reduces roughly in line with a repayment mortgage |
| Monthly payments | Stay the same | Stay the same |
| Relative cost | Typically costs more than mortgage cover | Typically cheaper than family cover |
| Terminal illness cover | Included | Included |
| Accidental death benefit (while you apply) | Included | Included |
| Critical illness add-on | Included | Included |
| Single or joint | Both | Both |
From Nationwide’s product pages and the L&G policy summary, checked 25 September 2026.
Nationwide life insurance at a glance
The minimum age to take out any policy is 18, and no policy can end before your 29th birthday. These are the key limits from the L&G policy summary that Nationwide links to:
| Limit | Family (level) | Mortgage (decreasing) | Critical illness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age when you apply | 18–77 | 18–74 | 18–67 |
| Cover must end | Before age 90 | Before age 90 | Before age 75 |
| Policy term | 1–50 years | 5–50 years | 2–50 years |
| Earliest end date | 29th birthday | 29th birthday | 29th birthday |
Limits from the L&G Life Insurance and Critical Illness Cover policy summary, checked 25 September 2026. The cover you’re offered depends on your circumstances.
What affects the cost of Nationwide life insurance?
Nationwide says its life insurance premiums start from £6 a month, and most online customers pay between £6 and £20 a month. What you pay depends on your personal details and the cover you choose:
- Your age: the earlier you take out cover, the cheaper premiums are likely to be
- Your health, including any pre-existing conditions
- Whether you smoke
- Your job and lifestyle
- How much cover you want
- How long the policy lasts
- The type of cover: mortgage cover is cheaper than family cover
- Whether you add critical illness cover
Premiums are guaranteed, so your payments stay the same for the length of the policy unless you make changes to your cover.
Nationwide doesn’t charge a fee for arranging cover, but it receives commission from L&G on each policy taken out through it, as a percentage of the policy’s total annual premium.
Comparing plans from several insurers is the simplest way to see what’s available for your circumstances.
Nationwide life insurance benefits & extras
Depending on the policy you choose, these benefits come with your cover. The life policies include terminal illness cover and accidental death cover while you apply, and L&G’s support services cost nothing extra. Several benefits come only with the critical illness add-on, which you pay extra for:
| Benefit | What it does | Available with |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal illness cover | Pays out if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness that your hospital consultant and L&G’s medical officer expect to lead to death within 12 months. It can’t be claimed after death, or if the policy term is under two years. | Available with: Family and mortgage life insurance |
| Accidental death benefit | Covers you from when L&G receives your application, for up to 90 days or until it makes a decision. It pays the amount you applied for, up to £300,000 across all applications. | Available with: Life insurance applications |
| Free life cover | Covers you for up to 90 days if you die between exchanging contracts and completing on a property. You must be under 55, accepted on standard terms, and have given L&G everything needed to start the policy. It pays the lower of your proposed cover or the mortgage amount, up to £300,000. | Available with: Life insurance, when buying a property |
| Increasing your cover | If your policy documents include the ‘Increasing your cover’ section, you can increase cover after certain life events without giving more medical information. Under L&G’s terms, the policy must have started before age 55, and increases are capped at the lower of £200,000 or 100% of the original cover. | Available with: Policies whose Policy Schedule includes it |
| Funeral Payment Pledge | Up to £10,000 can be advanced on any valid life claim to cover the cost of a funeral, paid directly to the funeral director. | Available with: Life insurance claims |
| Wellbeing Support | Practical and emotional support from a registered nurse at RedArc, from a chat to a clinical assessment, for you and your immediate family, whether or not you claim. It continues for 6 months after a valid claim ends the policy, and is included on policies taken out on or after 27 April 2025. | Available with: Policies taken out on or after 27 April 2025 |
| Care Concierge | Support and guidance for people facing caring responsibilities. It can help with finding a care home or home care, checking benefit entitlement, understanding Power of Attorney and exploring funding options for home care and adaptations. Nationwide’s critical illness claim page says it has been included on all policies taken out since November 2023. | Available with: Policies taken out since November 2023 |
| Samaritans-trained claims handlers | If you ever need to make a claim, you’ll speak to someone who has been trained by the Samaritans. | Available with: Life insurance customers |
| Children’s critical illness cover | Pays the lower of £25,000 or 50% of your cover if your child is diagnosed with a covered condition. Children are covered from 30 days old to their 18th birthday, or 21st in full-time education. Children’s cover ends once two claims in total have been made. | Available with: Critical illness cover |
| Additional critical illness cover | Pays 25% of your cover, up to £25,000, for carcinoma in situ of the breast treated by surgery or low grade prostate cancer requiring treatment. | Available with: Critical illness cover |
| Accident Hospitalisation Benefit | Pays £5,000 if you, or your child, are in hospital with physical injuries for at least 28 days straight after an accident. | Available with: Critical illness cover |
| Family Accommodation Benefit | Pays up to £100 a night while your child is in hospital in the 3 months after their diagnosis, up to £1,000. | Available with: Critical illness cover |
| Childcare Benefit | Pays up to £1,000 towards a registered childminder after a critical illness claim, if you have a child under 5. | Available with: Critical illness cover |
| Child Funeral Benefit | Could pay up to £4,000 towards the cost of a child’s funeral. | Available with: Critical illness cover |
Under L&G’s published terms, waiver of premium is an optional benefit that you can add at the start of a policy for an extra cost. Nationwide’s claim page says you can only claim on Waiver of Premium if you chose to add it when you originally applied.
| Optional extra | What it does |
|---|---|
| Waiver of premium | May cover your monthly payments after 26 weeks if you can’t work due to sickness or injury. Under L&G’s terms, premiums stop once the life insured has met its definition of incapacity for 26 consecutive weeks. |
Writing a Nationwide policy in trust
L&G says there’s no added cost to putting life insurance in trust with L&G, and you can do it when you take out the policy or at any time afterwards. If a life policy is written under a suitable trust, the death payout shouldn’t form part of your estate for Inheritance Tax. Without a trust, it normally goes into your estate and Inheritance Tax may apply.
L&G offers four types of trust: Absolute, Discretionary, Survivor’s Discretionary and Flexible. A free L&G adviser appointment through Nationwide can help you set one up. For joint life policies, both policyholders must agree.
When a policy is in trust, L&G pays any valid claim to the trustees. Neither the separate critical illness policy nor Income Protection Benefit can be put in trust.
Read how trusts work, and what other insurers offer, in our guide to life insurance in trust.
Nationwide free gift offers
Note: Free gifts are offered by select brokers only, our life insurance brokers do not offer free gifts.
Nationwide offers a £75 Amazon.co.uk Gift Card or M&S e-Gift Card when you buy Life Insurance or Decreasing Life Insurance, with or without critical illness cover, directly online through Nationwide.
You become eligible six months after your policy start date, provided you haven’t cancelled the policy and your payments are fully up to date. You then have 6 months from receiving the ‘How to Claim’ message to choose your gift. The offer is capped at one gift card per policy and two per household, with no cash alternative.
You won’t qualify if you apply via a financial adviser or another website, such as a comparison site. The same goes if you take advice through the L&G adviser contact details on Nationwide’s advice page. Anyone who held and cancelled an L&G Life Insurance or Decreasing Life Insurance policy in the last 18 months is also excluded. L&G can amend or withdraw the offer at any time.
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 Nationwide pay out?
L&G handles claims on Nationwide life and critical illness policies, and reported paying 97.5% of life claims and 92.9% of critical illness claims in 2025. Those figures cover all of L&G’s retail protection business, not only policies sold through Nationwide, and the life figures include Over 50s plans:
- Life claims paid
- 97.5%
- Critical illness claims paid
- 92.9%
- Paid across 20,621 protection claims
- £992m
L&G claims paid by year
| Year | Life claims paid | Critical illness claims paid | Total paid (life) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 97.5% | 92.9% | £527m |
| 2024 | 97% | 93% | £583m |
Source: L&G published claims statistics for 2024 and 2025. The figures cover all L&G retail protection policies, not only those sold through Nationwide, and the life figures include Over 50s plans.
Nationwide’s life insurance page quotes L&G’s 2025 headline totals: over 97% of life claims paid, and £992 million across 20,621 claims. That £992 million covers all L&G retail protection claims, including critical illness and income protection, while L&G’s life insurance claims alone totalled £527 million. In 2025 L&G also paid 94.8% of terminal illness claims, 95.3% of children’s critical illness claims and 85% of income protection claims.
Cancer was the leading cause of L&G’s 2025 life claims (32.1%) and critical illness claims (64.5%), and the average life payout was £37,788. L&G says most declined critical illness claims fail because the condition doesn’t meet the specified severity definition. It also says inaccurate information about alcohol is the most common cause of misrepresentation that leads to an unpaid claim.
You aren’t covered if you don’t give full and accurate answers to the questions asked before the policy starts. L&G also warns not to assume it will contact your doctor for your medical details.
How to make a Nationwide life insurance claim
Claims are made directly to L&G, which provides and manages the policies. You can start a single life claim online through L&G’s Claims Portal, or log into L&G’s My Account for a joint policy. You can also phone, email or write to L&G’s claims department.
L&G will ask for the policy number, the name of the person who has died and the death certificate, among other details. Once a valid claim is approved, full payment is made within 3 days, and the Funeral Payment Pledge can advance up to £10,000 directly to a funeral director. If the policy is in trust, L&G pays the trustees.
Critical illness claims go to L&G by phone, email or online in My Account, and you should keep paying your premiums while the claim is assessed. Approved critical illness claims are also paid in full within 3 days. Nationwide has a bereavement guide to help you deal with an estate.
- Life claims phone
- 0800 13 71 01
- Life claims line hours
- Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm
- Life claims email
- life.claims@landg.com
- Critical illness claims
- 0800 068 07 89
- Income protection claims
- 0800 027 98 30
- Manage your policy
- L&G My Account (opens in a new tab)
- Nationwide bereavement team
- 0800 464 30 18
Key policy terms
These key terms come from Nationwide’s pages and L&G’s policy summary and published policy terms, so always check the documents for the exact policy you’re offered.
| Term | Nationwide policies |
|---|---|
| Cooling-off period | 30 days, with a refund of any payments made |
| Cancelling later | No cancellation fee. Monthly payers get nothing back; annual payers get a proportionate refund |
| Suicide exclusion | First year of the policy |
| Terminal illness | Claim if death is expected within 12 months; not on policies shorter than two years |
| Missed premiums | Cover ends 60 days after the first missed premium |
| Changing your policy | No fee, but your premium may change and a new policy may be set up. Changes to cover or the end date are made by phone with L&G |
| Increasing cover | You can apply to increase cover at any time; the change is usually assessed at the time |
| Paying premiums | Monthly or annually (L&G terms) |
| Medical questions | Health and lifestyle questions when you apply online; some applications need additional checks |
| Write in trust | Yes for life policies, at no added cost; not the separate critical illness policy |
| Cash-in value | None |
| Tax | Payouts should be free from UK Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax |
| Moving abroad | May affect the policy; check the Policy Terms and Conditions. L&G can accept a life claim for a death outside the UK if it can confirm it’s valid (L&G terms) |
| Residency | UK resident, living in the UK for at least 183 days in the last tax year (L&G terms) |
| FSCS protection | L&G is covered by the FSCS; Nationwide says its protection insurance advising and arranging is covered for 100% of the claim |
| Complaints | About Nationwide’s service: Nationwide Member Services on 0800 30 20 15. To L&G, which provides the policy: 0370 010 4080. If you’re unhappy with the final response, the Financial Ombudsman Service |
Is Nationwide life insurance good?
Nationwide is a building society, not an insurer: it arranges life insurance for and on behalf of L&G, which underwrites the policies and handles claims. You can choose family (level) or mortgage (decreasing) cover, with a critical illness add-on. Terminal illness cover, guaranteed premiums and accidental death cover while you apply are included. Wellbeing Support, Care Concierge and Samaritans-trained claims handlers come at no extra cost. Nationwide says a quote takes around 2 minutes, and applying online through Nationwide comes with a £75 gift card, subject to the offer terms.
The main trade-offs: Defaqto rates the policy 3 stars in its level and decreasing term categories, though it scores 5 stars in the direct categories. You can’t add critical illness cover once your life policy starts. Nationwide doesn’t give advice itself, and income protection is only available through an L&G adviser. Nationwide’s Trustpilot score of 3.4 out of 5 covers all its products, not just life insurance. On claims, L&G reported paying 97.5% of life insurance claims in 2025.
The right insurer for you depends on your needs and the price you’re offered, so it’s worth comparing Nationwide with other insurers.
Pros
- Policies provided and managed by L&G, which paid 97.5% of life claims in 2025
- Terminal illness cover included, plus accidental death cover while your application is considered
- Guaranteed premiums that stay the same unless you change the policy
- Wellbeing Support, Care Concierge and Samaritans-trained claims handlers at no extra cost
- Critical illness cover includes children’s cover and extra payments for carcinoma in situ of the breast and low grade prostate cancer
- £75 gift card when you take out a policy online through Nationwide (terms apply)
Cons
- Defaqto rates the policy 3 stars in its level and decreasing term categories
- Critical illness cover can only be added when you first take out life insurance
- Nationwide doesn’t give advice; advice and income protection come through L&G advisers
- Mortgage cover has a lower maximum entry age of 74 and a 5-year minimum term in the policy summary
- No cash value if the policy ends without a claim
- Trustpilot score of 3.4 out of 5 across all Nationwide products
Nationwide life insurance policy documents
Before you take out a policy, it’s worth reading the policy summary and terms. Nationwide links to the L&G policy summary, L&G’s guide to the critical illnesses covered and its own document about its life insurance services. The policy summary refers to the Guide to Critical Illnesses Covered and L&G’s Policy Terms and Conditions for full details, and L&G publishes the terms alongside the summary:
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Life Insurance and Critical Illness Cover policy summary (opens in a new tab)
L&G’s summary of the cover, age limits, included benefits and exclusions (QGI14786).
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Guide to Critical Illnesses Covered (opens in a new tab)
The definitions of the critical illnesses covered, including the additional cover for carcinoma in situ of the breast and low grade prostate cancer (QGI14860NW).
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Life Insurance and Critical Illness Cover policy terms and conditions (opens in a new tab)
L&G’s full published policy terms (QGI14872), which L&G pairs with the policy summary.
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About our life insurance services (opens in a new tab)
Nationwide’s document on its role as an intermediary for L&G, fees and commission, and complaints (P2748).
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Income Protection Benefit policy summary (opens in a new tab)
L&G’s Income Protection Benefit policy summary (LG1922), from L&G’s adviser document library. Nationwide doesn’t link to it.
Documents are published by L&G and Nationwide and open on their websites. They may be updated — the version you receive with your policy is the one that applies.
Nationwide life insurance FAQs
You can apply for family life insurance (level cover) from 18 to 77, and for mortgage life insurance (decreasing cover) from 18 to 74. To add critical illness cover, you need to be aged 18 to 67. Life cover can run until your 90th birthday, and critical illness cover until your 75th.
Legal & General (L&G). Nationwide’s life insurance, critical illness cover and Income Protection Benefit are provided by L&G, and the insurer named in the policy summary is Legal and General Assurance Society Limited. Nationwide acts as an insurance intermediary for L&G and receives commission on policies taken out through it.
Claims are paid by L&G, which reported paying 97.5% of life insurance claims (£527 million) and 92.9% of critical illness claims in 2025. Those figures cover all of L&G’s retail protection business, including Over 50s plans, rather than only policies sold through Nationwide.
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.
When you apply online, Nationwide asks further health and lifestyle questions that should take no longer than 20 minutes. Your application then goes to L&G for underwriting: some are approved straight away and others may need additional checks.
Once a valid claim has been approved, L&G makes the full payment within 3 days. Under L&G’s Funeral Payment Pledge, up to £10,000 can be advanced on a valid life claim to help pay for a funeral, paid directly to the funeral director.
No. Critical illness cover is only available as an add-on when you first take out life insurance. If you decline it when you apply, you can’t add it to the policy later.
Yes. Couples can take out two single policies or one joint policy. Nationwide says a joint policy is usually cheaper, though it pays out once and then ends. L&G’s replacement cover option could let the surviving partner take out a new single policy, if you ask within six months of a valid claim being paid.
Yes. L&G allows Life Insurance and Decreasing Life Insurance policies to be put in trust at no added cost, and a free L&G adviser appointment through Nationwide can help with this. The separate critical illness policy can’t be put in trust.
Yes, and there’s no cancellation fee. If you cancel within 30 days of the policy starting, L&G refunds any payments you’ve made. After 30 days, monthly payers get nothing back, while annual payers receive a proportionate refund.
Yes, if you meet the age limits for the product. Nationwide accepts applications up to age 77 for family cover, 74 for mortgage cover, or 67 when adding critical illness cover.
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources.
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Related pages
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Best life insurance
What to compare when you choose a policy.
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Term life insurance
Cover for a set number of years, with level or decreasing cover.
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Decreasing term life insurance
The payout falls over the term, often in line with a mortgage.
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Joint life insurance
One policy for two people, compared with two single policies.
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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.
