Life insurance quotes and cover calculator
Work out how much cover you need, see what it could cost, then compare quotes from UK insurers in minutes.
Get my quoteSurely helps you compare and get quotes online; we do not give advice ourselves; where advice is appropriate, a qualified protection adviser from our panel partners may contact you.
Two questions, one place to answer them
Every life insurance decision comes down to two things. How much cover would your family actually need, and how much would that cost each month. This page answers both, then lets you compare real quotes from UK insurers.
The cover calculator uses the living costs method, which tends to be more accurate than a quick rule of thumb. It clears your mortgage and debts as lump sums, funds your household running costs for a chosen number of years, adds a funeral allowance, then subtracts any cover you already have.
How much cover do you need?
Adjust the figures below to match your situation. The calculator builds a total from the things your family would need to cover, then subtracts any existing protection. It is a guide to help you choose a cover amount, not a recommendation.
Move the sliders to match your finances. Your estimated cover updates instantly.
What could that cover cost?
This estimator shows a typical monthly premium for a healthy applicant, based on Surely analysis of UK term life prices.3 It is illustrative only. Your real price depends on your health, lifestyle and the insurer, and is confirmed when you apply.
Set your details to see an illustrative monthly premium. Not a quote.
Life insurance cost tables
The tables below show how a typical monthly premium moves with one factor at a time. All figures are Surely analysis of UK term life prices for a healthy applicant and are illustrative, not quotes.3
| Age | Illustrative monthly premium |
|---|---|
| 30 | £11 |
| 40 | £23 |
| 50 | £55 |
| 60 | £130 |
Premiums roughly double every decade, which is why buying earlier tends to cost less overall.
| Cover amount | Illustrative monthly premium |
|---|---|
| £100,000 | £12 |
| £200,000 | £23 |
| £300,000 | £34 |
| £500,000 | £57 |
| £750,000 | £85 |
Cost scales roughly with the amount of cover, so doubling cover does not always double the price.
| Cover type | Illustrative monthly premium |
|---|---|
| Level term | £23 |
| Decreasing term | £15 |
Decreasing term is typically 25% to 40% cheaper because the payout falls over time, often tracking a repayment mortgage.
| Status | Illustrative monthly premium |
|---|---|
| Non smoker | £23 |
| Smoker | £44 |
Smoking roughly doubles the price. Most insurers treat you as a non smoker after 12 months tobacco and nicotine free.
| Term | Illustrative monthly premium |
|---|---|
| 10 years | £18 |
| 20 years | £23 |
| 25 years | £26 |
| 30 years | £29 |
A longer term costs a little more each month because the insurer covers you for longer, but it locks the price in for longer too.
How life insurance quotes work
A quote is an insurer’s offer to cover you for a set amount, over a set term, at a set monthly premium. To produce one, the insurer needs a few core details: your age, the cover amount and term you want, the type of cover, and whether you smoke. Those four factors drive most of the price, which is why the calculators above only ask for those.
When you apply for real, the insurer also asks about your health, family history, occupation and pastimes. This is underwriting. It can confirm the quoted price, adjust it, or in some cases add terms. Comparing first means you see the range of prices before you commit to any one insurer.
What affects your price
- Age. The single biggest factor. Premiums roughly double every decade, so the same cover costs more the longer you wait.
- Cover amount. More cover costs more, in a roughly proportional way.
- Term length. A longer term means more years of cover, so a slightly higher monthly price.
- Smoker status. Smoking roughly doubles the premium for the same cover.
- Cover type. Decreasing term is usually cheaper than level term because the payout reduces over time.
- Health and lifestyle. Confirmed at underwriting. A pre-existing condition does not always raise the price, and a flat decline is rare.
Getting an accurate quote
The calculators give you a sensible starting point. To turn that into a firm price, have these to hand when you compare: your date of birth, height and weight, smoker status, the cover amount and term you settled on, and a rough picture of your health and any conditions. Being accurate and honest matters. Under the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 you have a duty to take reasonable care not to misrepresent the facts, and non disclosure is the most common reason a claim is refused.
“Most people I speak to assume life insurance is expensive and complicated. It usually is not. Work out two things first: how much cover would clear your debts and keep your household running, and what that costs each month. Once you have those, comparing is quick, and the monthly price is often lower than people expect.”
Frequently asked questions
Is the calculator a quote?
No. The cover calculator gives a guide to how much cover to consider, and the cost estimator shows an illustrative monthly premium for a healthy applicant. A real quote comes from an insurer once you enter your details and answer their health questions.
How much life insurance do I need?
A common starting point is enough to clear your mortgage and debts, then replace your household income for the years your family would need it, plus a funeral allowance, less any cover you already have. Typical family cover lands somewhere between £200,000 and £600,000, but the right figure depends on your own finances. The cover calculator above works this out for you.
How much does life insurance cost?
For a healthy 30 year old, £200,000 of level term over 20 years can cost around £11 a month, rising to roughly £23 at 40 and £55 at 50.3 Your price depends on your age, the cover, the term, whether you smoke and your health. See the cost tables above for more examples.
Will my health affect the price?
It can. Health and lifestyle are assessed at underwriting when you apply. A pre-existing condition does not always raise the price, many conditions are accepted on standard terms, and a flat decline is rare. Being honest about your health is important, as non disclosure is the most common reason a claim is refused.
Is level term or decreasing term cheaper?
Decreasing term is usually 25% to 40% cheaper than level term for the same starting cover, because the payout reduces over time. It is often used to track a repayment mortgage. Level term keeps the payout the same throughout, which suits family protection.
Does Surely give advice?
Surely helps you compare and get quotes online; we do not give advice ourselves; where advice is appropriate, a qualified protection adviser from our panel partners may contact you.
For impartial money guidance you can use MoneyHelper, the government backed service.
Getting started
Use the cover calculator to settle on an amount, check the illustrative monthly cost, then compare quotes for that exact cover. Have your date of birth, height, weight and smoker status ready, and answer every question honestly. Buying earlier tends to lock in a lower price.
Figures on this page are general and illustrative. The cover calculator is a guide, and premiums are Surely analysis of typical UK prices for a healthy applicant, not quotes. Your actual price depends on your full details and the insurer, and is confirmed only when you apply. Surely helps you compare insurance and does not provide regulated financial advice.
How We Researched This Guide
We write our guides from named, public UK sources and cross check the figures rather than rely on a single site. The data on this page draws on:
- Association of British Insurers and Group Risk Development, 2024, for claims paid and the average payout.
- Financial Conduct Authority Pure Protection Market Study, January 2026, for the share of adults with no pure protection.
- Office for National Statistics, for UK earnings used in cover sizing.
- SunLife Cost of Dying, 2026, for the typical funeral allowance.
- Surely analysis of typical UK term life prices for a healthy applicant, for the calculators and cost tables.
Premium figures are illustrative and not quotes. The cover calculator uses the living costs method. Surely helps you compare and get quotes online; we do not give advice ourselves; where advice is appropriate, a qualified protection adviser from our panel partners may contact you.
Written and reviewed by Paul Gillooly, Founder of Surely. Last reviewed June 2026.
Sources
- Association of British Insurers and Group Risk Development, UK protection claims data for 2024, published July 2025: around 97% of life claims paid; average life insurance claim £79,703.
- Financial Conduct Authority, Pure Protection Market Study, January 2026: around 58% of UK adults hold no pure protection.
- Surely analysis of typical UK term life insurance premiums for a healthy applicant, June 2026. Illustrative figures, not quotes.
- Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, April 2024.
- SunLife, Cost of Dying Report, 2026.
Surely is a trading style of PJG Financial Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 919697. This page is a financial promotion and is for general information, not personal advice. Life insurance has no cash in value at any time and cover ends if you stop paying premiums. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change in the future.
