Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance review 2026
A look at Royal Bank of Scotland’s life insurance, provided by Aviva, with its policies, included benefits, claims record and independent ratings.
- Trustpilot
- 1.3 / 5
- 396 reviews · bank profile
- Defaqto
- 3 out of 5 stars
- Level term · 5 stars as direct life
- Life claims accepted
- 98.7%
- Aviva, 2025
- Entry age
- 18–77
- Up to £5m cover
In a nutshell
Founded in 1727, Royal Bank of Scotland doesn’t provide life insurance itself: it refers you to Aviva, which provides, underwrites and administers the policies. Through the bank you can apply for Aviva’s Life Insurance Plan, Critical Illness Plan and Over 50s Life Insurance.
- The Life Insurance Plan offers level, decreasing or increasing cover up to £5 million, for one person or a couple, if you’re aged 18 to 77 when you apply.
- Terminal illness cover is included automatically on the Life Insurance Plan. A separate Critical Illness Plan covering 52 illnesses can only be bought together with a Life Insurance Plan, for ages 18 to 64.
- Over 50s Life Insurance is for ages 50 to 80: Aviva offers guaranteed acceptance and doesn’t ask about your health. Premiums of £5 to £100 a month stay the same and stop after 30 years or at the policy anniversary after your 90th birthday, whichever comes first. Aviva pays the full cover amount after 12 months, or for an accidental death within them (with exclusions).
- Defaqto rates the Life Insurance Plan 5 stars as a direct life policy and 3 stars in its level and decreasing term categories. Royal Bank of Scotland’s Trustpilot score, for the bank rather than its life insurance, is 1.3 out of 5.
- Aviva reported accepting 98.7% of individual life and terminal illness claims in 2025, across all its policies.
- If you buy a Life Insurance Plan online through Royal Bank of Scotland, you may currently be able to claim a £50 or £100 Love2shop e-gift card after six monthly payments.
Who are Royal Bank of Scotland?
The Royal Bank of Scotland was established by royal charter in Edinburgh in 1727, the second bank founded in Scotland, and it still issues its own banknotes. Today it’s one of the retail banking brands of NatWest Group, alongside NatWest and Ulster Bank NI. NatWest Group says it serves over 20 million customers.
- Bank
- The Royal Bank of Scotland plc
- Registered in Scotland
- No. SC083026
- Registered office
- 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2YB
- FCA / PRA register number
- 114724
- Life insurer
- Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited
- Insurer’s FCA / PRA number
- 185896
- Group
- NatWest Group
- Website
- rbs.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
Royal Bank of Scotland doesn’t provide life insurance itself, and has chosen to work only with Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited. The bank acts as an arranger and refers you to Aviva, which provides, underwrites and administers the policies. Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited belongs to the Aviva plc group, and Aviva says it has 325 years’ experience in protecting people.
You won’t get a personal recommendation from Royal Bank of Scotland, and Aviva can’t offer financial advice on the Life Insurance Plan either. Aviva may ask some questions to narrow down the products it gives details on, and then you make your own choice.
The bank doesn’t charge you a fee for referring you to Aviva. Aviva pays the bank for introducing you: commission of a percentage of your premium on the Life Insurance Plan and Critical Illness Plan, and a fee on Over 50s. Royal Bank of Scotland’s life insurance page says the commission or referral fee is included in your premium.
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1727
Established by royal charter in Edinburgh
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1728
Granted the world’s first overdraft
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1969
Merged with National Commercial Bank of Scotland
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2000
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group acquired National Westminster Bank
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2008
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group became part owned by the government
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2020
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group was renamed NatWest Group
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2025
NatWest Group returned to full private ownership
The Royal Bank of Scotland is completely separate from Bank of Scotland, which is 32 years older. Aviva’s Life Insurance Plan is also sold through the websites and apps of NatWest and Ulster Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland’s sister brands.
When you apply through Royal Bank of Scotland, you start on the bank’s website and transfer to Aviva to complete your quote. Aviva provides, underwrites and administers the policy, and publishes the claims figures.
Whether it’s the right choice for you depends on the cover you need and the price you’re offered. Comparing quotes from several insurers can help you see what fits your circumstances.
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Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance ratings and reviews
Defaqto rates the Life Insurance Plan 5 stars as a direct life policy and 3 stars for level and decreasing term cover. Customer scores on Trustpilot (1.3 out of 5) and Smart Money People (3.89 out of 5) cover the bank as a whole, not its life insurance.
| Review site | Rating | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 1.3 / 5 · Bad | Based on 396 reviews on The Royal Bank of Scotland’s personal.rbs.co.uk profile, 110 of them in the last 12 months, and 86% of them are 1-star. Trustpilot says the company hasn’t invited customers to review, so reviews may not be representative. A separate Royal Bank of Scotland Business profile scores 1.2 out of 5 from 927 reviews. View on Trustpilot (opens in a new tab) |
| Smart Money People | 3.89 / 5 · Good | Based on 625 reviews across RBS products. Its RBS life insurance page has no reviews yet, and the site says RBS reviews have trended negatively over the past 90 days. View on Smart Money People (opens in a new tab) |
| Defaqto | 3–5 stars | Defaqto rates each product from 1 to 5 stars. The Life Insurance Plan gets 5 stars as a direct life policy and 4 stars for direct critical illness with life cover. It’s rated 3 stars in the level term, decreasing term and critical illness term categories. View on Defaqto (opens in a new tab) |
| Fairer Finance | 60.51 · bank accounts | Fairer Finance’s Spring 2026 customer experience score for Royal Bank of Scotland bank accounts. It’s a banking rating, not a life insurance one. View on Fairer Finance (opens in a new tab) |
Defaqto ratings for Royal Bank of Scotland’s Life Insurance Plan
Defaqto rates each product from 1 to 5 stars, and all six ratings listed under Royal Bank of Scotland are for the Aviva Life Insurance Plan. It gets 5 stars in Defaqto’s direct life assurance category, 4 stars for direct critical illness with life cover, and 3 stars for level and decreasing term cover.
Royal Bank of Scotland’s life insurance page shows 5-star Defaqto badges for life assurance and over 50’s life assurance, while Defaqto’s data lists no over 50s rating under Royal Bank of Scotland. Aviva’s quote pages for the bank also say Aviva Life Insurance and Aviva Over 50s Life Insurance are 5-star rated by Defaqto.
| Policy | Range | Defaqto rating |
|---|---|---|
| Level term life insurance | Life Insurance Plan | 3 out of 5 stars |
| Decreasing term life insurance | Royal Bank of Scotland Life Insurance Plan | 3 out of 5 stars |
| Life insurance (direct) | Life Insurance Plan | 5 out of 5 stars |
| Critical illness with life cover (direct) | Life Insurance Plan | 4 out of 5 stars |
| Level term with critical illness | Life Insurance Plan | 3 out of 5 stars |
| Decreasing term with critical illness | Royal Bank of Scotland Life Insurance Plan | 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)
Customer scores for Royal Bank of Scotland are for the bank rather than its life insurance, and its Smart Money People life insurance page has no reviews yet. Aviva administers the policies and you claim through Aviva, whose claims figures are set out below.
What does Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance cover?
The Life Insurance Plan arranged through Royal Bank of Scotland pays out a sum of money if you die or are diagnosed as terminally ill while you’re insured. You choose the amount of cover, up to £5 million, and how long it lasts.
A Life Insurance Plan can cover just you or both you and your partner. A joint policy ends when the first person makes a successful claim.
The payout could help your family with:
- 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
Critical illness cover is a separate Aviva Critical Illness Plan that can only be bought together with a Life Insurance Plan. It pays a lump sum if you’re diagnosed with, or have surgery for, one of the 52 critical illnesses covered, and it has no death benefit.
These policies aren’t savings or investment products and only pay out on a successful claim. If premiums aren’t paid when due or the policy is cancelled, the plan ends and you get nothing back.
Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance policy options
Through Royal Bank of Scotland you can apply for three Aviva policies: the Life Insurance Plan (level, decreasing or increasing cover), the Critical Illness Plan and Over 50s Life Insurance. You transfer from the bank to Aviva to complete your quote, and if you need extra help you can call Aviva on 0800 404 9068 (Monday to Friday, 8am–6pm).
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Level termThe cover amount and your premium stay the same throughout the term. You can choose cover that increases with inflation (CPI) instead.
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Decreasing termMortgage protection: the cover goes down over the term, as the amount left on a mortgage usually does. It usually costs less than level cover.
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Critical illnessA separate policy bought with a Life Insurance Plan. Pays a lump sum for one of 52 critical illnesses covered.
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Over 50sWhole of life cover that pays a lump sum when you die. Aviva offers guaranteed acceptance for ages 50 to 80 and doesn’t ask about your health.
Level and increasing life cover
With level cover, which Aviva calls family protection, the cover amount and your premium stay the same throughout the policy term. Premiums on level and decreasing cover are guaranteed and stay the same unless you make a change.
If you choose increasing cover instead, the cover amount rises each year in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), up to a maximum of 10%. Your premium rises each year at 1.5 times the CPI increase, by no more than 15% a year.
You can apply at ages 18 to 77 if you’re in the UK with a legal right to live there. You must consider your main home to be in the UK (excluding the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar). You can choose up to £5 million of cover, and Aviva’s premiums start from £5 a month.
The Life Insurance Plan web page gives terms of 5 to 50 years (or until age 90), while the policy summary and conditions allow 1 to 50 years. Under the policy conditions, cover must end before the oldest person covered turns 91.
Decreasing life cover (mortgage protection)
Aviva calls decreasing cover mortgage protection: the amount left to pay on a mortgage usually goes down over time, so the cover goes down too. The policy conditions say the cover amount decreases every month, broadly in line with a repayment loan such as a mortgage, using a fixed interest rate of 8%. Your monthly premium stays the same, and decreasing cover usually costs less than level cover.
Joint life cover
A Life Insurance Plan can be a single policy for one person or a joint policy for you and your partner. A joint policy ends when the first person makes a successful claim, and the maximum age applies to the oldest person covered. If you separate, Aviva’s separation benefit lets you split it into two single policies without answering further health and lifestyle questions, if certain conditions are met.
Critical Illness Plan
Critical illness cover can only be bought together with a Life Insurance Plan. You can add it to your life insurance quote, and if it’s accepted it becomes a separate policy. It pays a lump sum if you’re diagnosed with, or have surgery for, one of the 52 critical illnesses covered and survive for 10 days. It doesn’t pay out on death.
You can apply at ages 18 to 64 for up to £1,000,000 of cover, over a term of 5 to 50 years ending before you turn 76. Like the life plan, it offers level, decreasing or increasing cover. On a joint policy, cover continues for the surviving partner if one of you dies.
It also includes an additional critical illness benefit, which pays out for certain other conditions without ending the policy, and children’s critical illness cover.
Guaranteed Over 50s
Royal Bank of Scotland’s Guaranteed Over 50s is Aviva’s Over 50s Life Insurance, a whole of life policy designed for people aged 50 to 80 that covers one person. The over 50s section below has the details, and our guide to over 50s life insurance explains how these plans work in general.
Life Insurance Plan vs Over 50s Life Insurance
The two life policies work differently on age limits, health questions and how long cover lasts:
| Feature | Life Insurance Plan | Over 50s |
|---|---|---|
| Age when you apply | 18–77 | 50–80 |
| How long cover lasts | A set term | For life |
| Acceptance | Aviva decides after your application | Aviva offers guaranteed acceptance at ages 50–80 |
| Health questions | Included | Not asked about |
| Maximum cover | £5 million | Set by a premium of £5–£100 a month |
| Single or joint | Both | Single only |
| Death in the first 12 months | Paid, except suicide or intentional self-inflicted injury | Cover amount for accidental death (with exclusions); otherwise premiums paid are returned |
| Changes after it starts | Certain changes after 6 months | Can’t be changed after it starts |
| Cash-in value | None | None |
From the Royal Bank of Scotland and Aviva product pages and policy documents, checked 25 September 2026.
Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance at a glance
Each term policy has its own age, term and cover limits. The policy summary and conditions allow terms of 1 to 50 years, while the Life Insurance Plan web page says 5 to 50 years, or until age 90. The price, term and cover you’re offered can depend on your personal details, health and underwriting.
| Limit | Level term | Decreasing term | Critical Illness Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age when you apply | 18–77 | 18–77 | 18–64 |
| Policy term | 1–50 years | 1–50 years | 5–50 years |
| Cover must end | Before age 91 | Before age 91 | Before age 76 |
| Maximum cover | £5 million | £5 million | £1,000,000 |
| Single or joint | Both | Both | Both |
| Conditions covered | Death or terminal illness | Death or terminal illness | 52 critical illnesses |
Limits from Aviva’s Life Insurance Plan and Critical Illness Plan pages and documents for Royal Bank of Scotland, checked 25 September 2026.
What affects the cost of Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance?
The price you pay depends on the level of cover you choose and your personal circumstances. Aviva’s policy documents and web pages say the price can depend on:
- Your age
- Whether you smoke or have smoked
- Your health
- Your lifestyle
- How much cover you want
- Whether you choose level, decreasing or increasing cover
- For Over 50s: the cover amount, your age and your smoking habits
Aviva’s Life Insurance Plan premiums start from £5 a month and are paid monthly by Direct Debit. Level and decreasing cover premiums are guaranteed, while increasing cover premiums rise each year at 1.5 times the CPI increase, by at most 15% a year. Over 50s premiums are between £5 and £100 a month per plan and stay the same throughout the policy.
Royal Bank of Scotland doesn’t charge a fee for referring you to Aviva, but it receives commission from Aviva. The bank’s life insurance page says the commission or referral fee is included in your premium.
Royal Bank of Scotland’s life insurance page publishes illustrative average prices for life-only cover, based on historic Aviva data from January to September 2025 for single-policy, non-smoker, non-related customers. The bank says these figures are for general information only, not a quote or recommendation.
For ages 18–30, the average premium was £16 a month over an average 37-year term, which the page says might get around £173,731 of cover. The other age groups were £20 a month over 30 years for around £191,157 of cover (31–40), £26 over 24 years for around £129,819 (41–50) and £31 over 19 years for around £71,817 (51–60).
In general, cover costs less the younger and healthier you are when you take it out, and decreasing term usually costs less than level term. Adding critical illness cover increases the price, and comparing plans from several insurers shows what’s available for your circumstances.
Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance benefits & extras
Depending on the policy you choose, these benefits come with your Aviva cover:
| Benefit | What it does | Available with |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal illness cover | Pays your cover amount early if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness that meets Aviva’s definition and your attending consultant expects death within 12 months. | Available with: Life Insurance Plan (included automatically) |
| House purchase cover | Free life cover from exchange of contracts to completion (in Scotland, from completed missives to the date of entry), for up to 90 days. It pays the lower of £500,000, the purchase price or your cover amount, on death but not terminal illness. | Available with: Life Insurance Plan |
| Protection Promise | Free life cover if Aviva needs more information before deciding on your application. It pays the cover amount you applied for, up to £500,000, if a person covered dies (with some exceptions). Cover ends at the latest 90 days after Aviva tells you it has started. | Available with: Life Insurance Plan applications |
| Separation benefit | If you separate, Aviva lets you split a joint policy and each take out a new single policy without answering further health and lifestyle questions. The original policy must have been accepted on standard terms and not placed under trust. Each new policy must be taken out before the eldest person covered turns 55 and within 180 days of separating. | Available with: Joint Life Insurance Plans (joint Critical Illness Plans also have a separation benefit) |
| Aviva DigiCare+ | An app from Square Health with unlimited 24/7 digital GP consultations for you, your partner and children, a second opinion service, mental health support, nutritional advice and personal training. It isn’t insurance, and Aviva can change or withdraw it at any time. | Available with: New Life Insurance, Critical Illness and Over 50s plans |
| Additional critical illness benefit | Pays the lower of £25,000 or 25% of your cover for carcinoma in situ of the breast or low grade prostate cancer. For the other additional critical illnesses, it pays the lower of £20,000 or 20% of your cover, and your policy continues afterwards. | Available with: Critical Illness Plan |
| Children’s critical illness cover | Pays the lower of £25,000 or 50% of your cover if a child is diagnosed with a covered critical illness, plus £5,000 if a child dies during the term. It covers your children aged 30 days to 18 (21 in full-time education), including future children, but not terminal illness or a condition present at birth. | Available with: Critical Illness Plan |
When you get a quote, you can also choose:
| Optional extra | What it does |
|---|---|
| Increasing cover | Your cover rises each year with CPI, by up to 10%, and your premium by 1.5 times the CPI increase, up to 15% a year. |
| Critical Illness Plan | Added to your life insurance quote, but a separate policy if accepted. It covers 52 critical illnesses and is available at ages 18 to 64. |
Royal Bank of Scotland over 50s life insurance
Royal Bank of Scotland’s Guaranteed Over 50s is Aviva’s Over 50s Life Insurance, a whole of life policy designed for people aged 50 to 80. Aviva offers guaranteed acceptance at those ages and doesn’t ask about your health. When you apply, you answer questions about your date of birth and smoker status.
You choose either the monthly premium or the cover amount, with premiums from £5 to £100 a month per plan. Premiums are guaranteed to stay the same and stop after 30 years or the anniversary after your 90th birthday, whichever comes first, while cover lasts for life.
Aviva pays the cover amount as a lump sum if you die for any reason after the first 12 months, or from an accident within them. If you die within the first 12 months for any other reason, Aviva pays a cash amount equal to the premiums already paid instead.
In the first 12 months, the cover amount also isn’t paid for an accidental death while you’re living outside the UK, Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. The first-year exclusions also include death caused by intentional self-inflicted injury (including suicide), flying except as a paying passenger on a commercial airline, or hazardous pursuits such as motor sports. In each of those cases, Aviva pays an amount equal to the premiums you’ve paid.
A policy covers one person, though partners can take out one each. You can hold more than one policy if your total monthly premiums across all your Aviva Over 50s policies are no more than £100. Any policies that take you over the limit are invalid: Aviva cancels them and refunds their premiums without interest. A policy can’t be changed once it has started.
Aviva points out that the payout could be less than the premiums you pay, depending on how long you live. The fixed cover amount will also be worth less over time because of inflation. Your quote shows the age at which the premiums paid would equal the cover amount, where that applies. The policy has no cash-in value, and if you stop paying premiums when due, Aviva cancels it and you get no benefit for what you’ve paid.
- Age to apply
- 50–80
- Health questions
- Not asked about
- Monthly premium
- £5–£100 per plan
- Premiums stop
- After 30 years or the anniversary after your 90th birthday, if earlier
- First 12 months
- Cover amount for accidental death (with exclusions); otherwise premiums paid are returned
- Cooling-off period
- 30 days
Compare other insurers’ over 50s plans in our guides to over 50s life insurance, guaranteed life insurance and over 60s life insurance.
Writing a Royal Bank of Scotland policy in trust
Life Insurance Plan payouts are currently free from personal liability to UK income and capital gains tax. But if the payout goes to your estate, it could be subject to inheritance tax unless you put the policy into a suitable trust. The policy summary points to aviva.co.uk/life/trusts for details.
Aviva Trusts are available for a Life Insurance Plan or Over 50s life insurance, but not for a Critical Illness Plan. The Aviva Discretionary Gift Trust (Protection), for single or joint policies, lets trustees receive the payout for one or more potential beneficiaries, including children and grandchildren. For joint policies, the Aviva Survivor Trust lets trustees pay the money to the surviving partner if they’re still alive 31 days after their partner’s death.
Aviva says money in a trust isn’t counted as part of your estate, so it’s usually exempt from inheritance tax and can often be paid more quickly. To set one up, you fill in the application form and send it to Aviva. Aviva warns that a trust has tax and legal implications and can’t simply be cancelled once it’s set up.
You can’t put a policy under trust if you’ve assigned it to a lender (such as your mortgage provider) as security for a loan. A joint Life Insurance Plan placed under trust also can’t use separation benefit.
Read how trusts work, and what other insurers offer, in our guide to life insurance in trust.
Royal Bank of Scotland free gift offers
Note: Free gifts are offered by select brokers only, our life insurance brokers do not offer free gifts.
If you take out an Aviva Life Insurance Plan online through Royal Bank of Scotland, you may be able to claim a Love2shop e-gift card after six consecutive monthly payments. The card is worth £50 if your monthly premium is up to £11.99, or £100 if it’s £12 or more. The same promotion covers plans bought through the NatWest and Ulster Bank websites and apps.
To qualify on a Life Insurance Plan, you must be a UK resident aged 18 to 77. The promotion isn’t available if you buy through another route, such as directly from Aviva, through a price comparison or cashback site, or via a financial adviser or broker.
There’s a limit of one gift card per person and two per household. You won’t qualify if you cancelled an Aviva Life Insurance Plan in the last 12 months. Nor will you if, in the last 24 months, you received a gift card on an Aviva Life Insurance Plan bought from Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest or Ulster Bank.
Aviva emails eligible customers within 28 working days of receiving the sixth monthly premium. The February 2026 PDF terms linked from Royal Bank of Scotland’s page give six months from that email to claim, while an updated May 2026 web version gives 45 days. So it’s safest to claim within 45 days. The e-gift card is valid for 12 months from issue, is non-exchangeable and has no cash alternative.
The May 2026 web terms extend the offer to Aviva Over 50s plans bought through these banks (ages 50 to 80), including eligible purchases since 23 February 2026. The promotion is run by Aviva and lasts until Aviva publishes an end date, which it gives about six weeks in advance. Royal Bank of Scotland says the offer can be withdrawn or changed at any time. Questions or complaints about the gift card promotion go to Aviva on 0800 051 9192.
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 Royal Bank of Scotland pay out?
Aviva provides, underwrites and administers the policies arranged through Royal Bank of Scotland, and reported accepting 98.7% of individual life and terminal illness claims in 2025. Those figures cover all Aviva protection policies, including former AIG Life policies (now Aviva Protection UK Limited), not only those sold through Royal Bank of Scotland:
- Life and terminal illness claims accepted
- 98.7%
- Critical illness, children’s benefit and TPD claims paid
- 90.7%
- Paid in life and terminal illness claims
- £860.7m
Aviva claims paid by year
| Year | Life claims paid | Critical illness claims paid | Total paid (life) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 98.7% | 90.7% | £860.7m |
| 2024 | 98.8% | 91.5% | £862m |
Source: Aviva published claims statistics for 2024 and 2025. The figures cover all Aviva individual protection claims, not only policies sold through Royal Bank of Scotland. The 2024 life total is given as just over £862 million.
In 2025 Aviva paid 40,277 life and terminal illness claims (a category that includes Over 50s plans) and £1.99 billion across 61,632 individual and group protection claims. Overall, it accepted 96.9% of individual protection claims received in 2025, and in 2024 its average critical illness, children’s benefit and TPD payout was £71,989.
Of the life insurance claims Aviva declined in 2025, the leading cause was misrepresentation of relevant information, particularly health and lifestyle details. The Life Insurance Plan policy summary warns that if you don’t answer all application questions completely, truthfully and accurately, Aviva may amend or cancel your policy, or reduce or refuse a claim.
How to make a Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance claim
To make a claim on a policy arranged through Royal Bank of Scotland, you contact Aviva rather than the bank. Royal Bank of Scotland’s existing-customer page gives the Aviva Life Insurance Team number, 0800 141 3428, open Monday to Friday 8.30am–5.30pm and Saturday 8.30am–2pm. Having the policy number helps speed things up, though it isn’t essential, and the team registers your claim straight away and explains how the process works.
You can also start a life insurance claim with Aviva’s online form. The policy summary gives Aviva’s claims department number as 0800 015 1142 (+44 1603 603 277 from outside the UK). Aviva’s life claims lines are open Monday to Friday 8am–6pm and closed at weekends. Aviva may ask for a death certificate and other documents, and it pays for any information it requests from third parties.
For Royal Bank of Scotland policies with Aviva (formerly AIG Life), the bank’s existing-customer page gives a separate claims number, 0330 390 0511, open Monday to Thursday 9am–6pm and Friday 9am–5.30pm, excluding bank holidays.
To deal with a Royal Bank of Scotland bank account after someone has passed away, you can call the bank’s bereavement advisors on 0800 161 5904.
- Aviva Life Insurance Team
- 0800 141 3428
- Aviva Life Insurance Team hours
- Mon–Fri 8.30am–5.30pm, Sat 8.30am–2pm
- Aviva claims department
- 0800 015 1142
- Former AIG Life policies
- 0330 390 0511
- Online claim form
- aviva.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
- Bereavement advisors (bank accounts)
- 0800 161 5904
Key policy terms
A few terms worth knowing before you apply. Always check the policy conditions for the exact product you’re offered.
| Term | Royal Bank of Scotland policies |
|---|---|
| Cooling-off period | Life Insurance Plan, Critical Illness Plan and Over 50s: 30 days to change your mind, with a refund of any premiums paid |
| Cancelling later | Life Insurance Plan and Over 50s: Aviva says you can cancel free of charge at any time; after the cooling-off period the plan ends and you get nothing back |
| Suicide exclusion | Life Insurance Plan: won’t pay if the person covered dies from suicide or intentional self-inflicted injury within 12 months of the start date. Over 50s: for death from suicide or intentional self-inflicted injury before the first policy anniversary, Aviva pays an amount equal to the premiums paid |
| Terminal illness | Included automatically on the Life Insurance Plan: pays out early if your attending consultant expects death within 12 months |
| Missed premiums | Life Insurance Plan: 60 days from each due date to pay, after which Aviva cancels the policy and no claim can be made. Over 50s: 60 days from each due date to pay (an unpaid premium is deducted from a claim in that period), after which Aviva cancels the policy and you get no benefit for premiums already paid |
| Changing your policy | Life Insurance Plan: certain changes from six months after the start date. Over 50s: can’t be changed once it has started |
| Write in trust | Available through Aviva for the Life Insurance Plan and Over 50s, but not the Critical Illness Plan |
| Cash-in value | Neither the Life Insurance Plan nor Over 50s has a cash-in value at any time |
| Tax | Life Insurance Plan and Over 50s: payouts are currently free from personal liability to UK income and capital gains tax, but may be subject to inheritance tax unless the policy is in a suitable trust |
| FSCS protection | The Life Insurance Plan is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which may cover up to 100% of a successful claim if Aviva becomes insolvent |
| Advice | No personal recommendation from Royal Bank of Scotland, and Aviva can’t offer financial advice on the Life Insurance Plan |
| Complaints | About a claim, the service or the administration of your policy: Aviva on 0800 285 1098. About the bank’s service: Royal Bank of Scotland, then, if it isn’t settled, you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service |
Is Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance good?
Royal Bank of Scotland refers you to Aviva, which provides and administers all three policies and reported accepting 98.7% of individual life and terminal illness claims in 2025. The Life Insurance Plan offers level, decreasing or increasing cover up to £5 million at ages 18 to 77, for one person or two. Terminal illness cover and house purchase cover are included, with access to the Aviva DigiCare+ app. For applicants aged 50 to 80, Aviva offers guaranteed acceptance on Over 50s cover and doesn’t ask about your health.
The trade-offs are that neither Royal Bank of Scotland nor Aviva gives a personal recommendation, and the Critical Illness Plan can only be bought with a Life Insurance Plan. Defaqto rates the Life Insurance Plan 5 stars as a direct life policy, 4 stars for direct critical illness with life cover, and 3 stars for level and decreasing term. Royal Bank of Scotland’s 1.3 out of 5 Trustpilot score is for the bank, not specifically for its life insurance.
The right insurer for you depends on the cover you need and the price you’re offered, so it’s worth comparing quotes from several insurers before you decide.
Pros
- Policies provided by Aviva, which reported accepting 98.7% of individual life and terminal illness claims in 2025
- Level, decreasing or increasing cover up to £5 million, for ages 18–77
- Terminal illness cover, house purchase cover and Protection Promise included with the Life Insurance Plan
- Aviva offers guaranteed acceptance on Over 50s cover (ages 50–80) and doesn’t ask about your health
- Aviva DigiCare+ app with 24/7 digital GP access
- You may be able to claim a Love2shop e-gift card of £50 or £100 for plans bought online through the bank
Cons
- No personal recommendation from Royal Bank of Scotland or Aviva, and you choose how to proceed yourself
- Defaqto rates the Life Insurance Plan 3 stars for level and decreasing term
- Critical illness cover can only be bought together with a Life Insurance Plan
- Over 50s returns the premiums paid, rather than the cover amount, for non-accidental deaths in the first 12 months
- Trustpilot score of 1.3 out of 5 for the bank (not specific to life insurance)
- No cash-in value on the Life Insurance Plan or Over 50s if you cancel
Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance policy documents
Before you take out a policy, it’s worth reading the policy summary and conditions for the exact product you’re offered. These official documents are published by Aviva and Royal Bank of Scotland:
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Life Insurance Plan policy summary (AL22006) (opens in a new tab)
Who can apply, what’s covered, included benefits and when the policy won’t pay out.
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Life Insurance Plan policy conditions (AL22007) (opens in a new tab)
The full terms of the Life Insurance Plan, including definitions, exclusions and claims.
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Critical Illness Plan policy summary (AL21003) (opens in a new tab)
A summary of the Critical Illness Plan, the illnesses covered and children’s cover.
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Critical Illness Plan policy conditions (AL21004) (opens in a new tab)
The full terms and critical illness definitions of the Critical Illness Plan.
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Over 50s Life Insurance policy summary (DA03015) (opens in a new tab)
Aviva’s summary of the Over 50s plan, including the first-year rules and exclusions.
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Over 50s Life Insurance policy conditions (DA03016) (opens in a new tab)
The full terms of Aviva’s Over 50s Life Insurance.
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Insurance: Important information about us (opens in a new tab)
Royal Bank of Scotland’s role as an arranger for Aviva, how it’s paid and how to complain.
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Gift card promotion terms (NW10064) (opens in a new tab)
The February 2026 terms of the Love2shop gift card offer, as linked from Royal Bank of Scotland’s life insurance page. Aviva updated them in a May 2026 web version.
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Protection trusts and inheritance tax guide (AL53005) (opens in a new tab)
Aviva’s guide to putting a protection policy in trust.
Documents are published by Aviva and Royal Bank of Scotland and open on their websites. They may be updated — the version you receive with your policy is the one that applies.
Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance FAQs
You can apply for the Life Insurance Plan if you’re aged 18 to 77, and the policy must end before the oldest person covered turns 91. The Critical Illness Plan is available at ages 18 to 64 (ending before age 76), and Guaranteed Over 50s covers ages 50 to 80.
On Guaranteed Over 50s, premiums are £5 to £100 a month and stop after 30 years or at the policy anniversary after your 90th birthday, while cover lasts for life. Aviva pays the full cover amount after 12 months (or for accidental death within them, with exclusions) and pays an amount equal to the premiums paid for other first-year deaths.
Aviva provides, underwrites and administers Royal Bank of Scotland’s life insurance policies. For life insurance, the bank works only with Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited: it acts as an arranger that refers you to Aviva and receives commission from Aviva.
Claims are paid by Aviva, which reported accepting 98.7% of individual life and terminal illness claims in 2025, paying 40,277 claims worth £860.7 million. Those are Aviva-wide figures across all its individual protection policies, not only policies sold through Royal Bank of Scotland.
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 Over 50s Life Insurance, Aviva offers guaranteed acceptance if you’re aged 50 to 80 and doesn’t ask about your health. If Aviva needs more information before deciding on a Life Insurance Plan application, its Protection Promise gives free cover in the meantime, up to £500,000.
You can take out a joint Life Insurance Plan to cover both you and your partner, and the policy ends when the first person makes a successful claim. Over 50s cover is for one person only, though you and your partner can take out a policy each.
The Life Insurance Plan includes decreasing cover, which Aviva calls mortgage protection, and it usually costs less than level cover. The cover amount falls every month broadly in line with a repayment loan such as a mortgage, using a fixed 8% interest rate. House purchase cover also gives free life cover between exchange and completion, for up to 90 days.
You can write a Life Insurance Plan or Over 50s policy in trust through Aviva, though Aviva Trusts aren’t available for a Critical Illness Plan. Aviva offers a Discretionary Gift Trust (for single or joint policies) and a Survivor Trust (for joint policies), and you apply by sending the trust form to Aviva.
Aviva says you can cancel a Life Insurance Plan or Over 50s policy free of charge at any time. The Life Insurance Plan, Critical Illness Plan and Over 50s each have a 30-day cooling-off period with a refund of any premiums paid. If you cancel after the cooling-off period, the plan ends and you get nothing back, as neither the Life Insurance Plan nor Over 50s has a cash-in value.
The Life Insurance Plan won’t pay if the person covered dies because of suicide or intentional self-inflicted injury within 12 months of the policy start date. On Over 50s, if death in the first 12 months is caused by suicide or intentional self-inflicted injury, Aviva pays an amount equal to the premiums paid.
If you're struggling or thinking about suicide, our guide to suicide and life insurance lists where to get support straight away.
Buying an Aviva Life Insurance Plan online through the bank may currently qualify for a £50 or £100 Love2shop e-gift card after six monthly payments. The updated May 2026 web terms also cover Over 50s plans bought through Royal Bank of Scotland. The gift card offer isn’t part of the standard policy benefits and can be withdrawn or changed at any time.
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources.
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- The Royal Bank of Scotland plc — Website terms and conditions - The legal detail, incl. regulatory information (The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, SC083026, FRN 114724) (opens in a new tab), rbs.co.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
- NatWest Group plc — Royal Bank of Scotland - Our brands (NatWest Group) - history timeline 1727-1997 (opens in a new tab), natwestgroup.com, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Royal Bank of Scotland — Royal Bank of Scotland Life Insurance page (Life Insurance, Guaranteed Over 50s, gift card offer, Aviva DigiCare+) (opens in a new tab), rbs.co.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Royal Bank of Scotland — Insurance: Important information about us (Royal Bank of Scotland life insurance arrangement with Aviva, February 2026) (opens in a new tab), rbs.co.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva (for Royal Bank of Scotland) — Life Insurance Plan page on Royal Bank of Scotland's Aviva quote site (AL22014 02/2026) (opens in a new tab), rbs.aviva.co.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva (for Royal Bank of Scotland) — Over 50s Life Insurance page on Royal Bank of Scotland's Aviva quote site (AL14022 02/2026) (opens in a new tab), rbs.aviva.co.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva — Over 50s Life Insurance policy summary (DA03015 07/2023), linked from Royal Bank of Scotland's Aviva Over 50s page (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Defaqto — Defaqto Star Ratings (Life & Protection) for Royal Bank of Scotland (opens in a new tab), defaqto.com, accessed 24 September 2026.
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- Aviva plc — Underwriter claims statistics 2025 - Aviva (insurer of RBS-arranged life insurance) paid nearly £2 billion in protection claims in 2025 (Aviva-wide figures, not RBS-specific) (opens in a new tab), aviva.com, accessed 25 September 2026.
- NatWest Group plc — Who we are - NatWest Group (20 million customers, retail brands incl. Royal Bank of Scotland) (opens in a new tab), natwestgroup.com, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Companies House — Companies House - THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY (SC083026) persons with significant control (NatWest Holdings Limited) (opens in a new tab), find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
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- Aviva (for Royal Bank of Scotland) — About our services and costs, Life Insurance Plan and Critical Illness Plan via Royal Bank of Scotland (GN14049 02/2026) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva (for Royal Bank of Scotland) — Life Insurance Plan policy summary, Royal Bank of Scotland version (AL22006 02/2026) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva (for Royal Bank of Scotland) — About our services and costs, Over 50s Life Insurance via Royal Bank of Scotland (GN14052 02/2026) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 25 September 2026.
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- Aviva (for Royal Bank of Scotland) — Life Insurance Plan policy conditions, Royal Bank of Scotland version (AL22007 02/2026) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva (for Royal Bank of Scotland) — Critical Illness Plan policy summary, Royal Bank of Scotland version (AL21003 02/2026) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva — Over 50s Life Insurance policy conditions (DA03016 07/2023), linked from Royal Bank of Scotland's Aviva Over 50s page (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva (for Royal Bank of Scotland) — Critical Illness Plan policy conditions, Royal Bank of Scotland version (AL21004 02/2026) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva — Aviva Trust page (writing a Life Insurance Plan or Over 50s policy in trust) (opens in a new tab), aviva.co.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva — Aviva's protection trusts and inheritance tax guide (AL53005 06/2023) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva (for NatWest Group) — Life Insurance Plan Gift Card Promotion terms, web version (NW10064 05/2026) (opens in a new tab), thank-you.aviva.co.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva plc — Underwriter claims statistics 2024 - Aviva (insurer of RBS-arranged life insurance, incl. former AIG Life policies) paid out £1.89bn in protection claims in 2024 (Aviva-wide figures, not RBS-specific) (opens in a new tab), aviva.com, accessed 25 September 2026.
- Aviva — Aviva (the insurer behind RBS-arranged life insurance) - Make a life insurance claim: online claim form and claims phone numbers (opens in a new tab), aviva.co.uk, accessed 25 September 2026.
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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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Whole of life insurance
Lifelong cover and how it differs from term cover.
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Over 50s life insurance
Guaranteed acceptance for ages 50–85, and what to check before you buy.
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Joint life insurance
One policy for two people, compared with two single policies.
