SunLife Over 50 Plan [2025 Review Summary]

  • The UK’s most popular over 50s life insurance policy
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars by the experts at Defaqto
  • Guarantees acceptance to UK residents aged 49 - 85 (no medical questions)
  • Full pay out after 12 months (or a pay out of the premiums paid if you pass away due to natural causes within the first 12 months)
  • Immediate accidental death cover
  • Secure up to £18,000, subject to your age and smoking status
  • Policyholders receive free access to Health and Wellbeing services provided by RedArc
  • 100% of claims paid out
  • Fixed premiums that could start from just £5 a month + through Reassured

In this review, we explore the key features and benefits of the SunLife over 50 plan, as well as provide the most recent SunLife reviews directly from Feefo, to help you decide if this is the right policy for you.

At Reassured, we compare over 50s life insurance quotes from top UK insurers, including SunLife, to help you find an excellent deal.

Click through to our form for your free, no-obligation quotes.

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Who are SunLife?

SunLife started out more than 200 years ago and were the first ever insurer to offer life insurance without a medical.

Nowadays, SunLife provide a range of financial services designed for people over 50, including:

  1. Guaranteed over 50 plan (UK’s most popular over 50s life insurance)
  2. Guaranteed inheritance plan (whole of life insurance)
  3. Equity release plans

Over the years, SunLife have worked with various influential celebrities and TV personalities to help promote their products, with some of the most famous adverts featuring:

  • Carol Vorderman
  • Alan Titchmarsh
  • Michael Parkinson
  • Annette Crosby

At Reassured, we can help you arrange a guaranteed over 50 plan from SunLife and provide quotes to help you find our best deal. However, we can’t arrange a SunLife inheritance plan or equity release plan.

SunLife over 50 plan reviews

According to SunLife reviews on Feefo and Trustpilot, customers are satisfied with the product and service offered by SunLife.

Below, we’ve compiled SunLife star ratings from different review sites:

Review siteStar ratingAnalysis
Feefo 5 stars SunLife are rated ‘Exceptional’ (4.8 out of 5 stars) overall from over 1,000 customer reviews this year (as of 19/11/24). They’ve also received a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award as a highly rated insurer.
Trustpilot 5 stars SunLife reviews on Trustpilot are mainly positive, with their service rated ‘Excellent’ (4.8 stars out of 5 stars) overall from over 15,000 reviews.
Defaqto 5 stars On Defaqto, the SunLife over 50 plan is rated 5 out of 5 stars by experts (suggesting it’s a top-quality product).

Real time SunLife reviews from Feefo are shown below:

 

What is the SunLife over 50 plan?

The SunLife over 50 plan is a life insurance policy which provides your family with a cash pay out when you pass away.

The funds could be used to help pay for your funeral or as a small inheritance - or anything your family choose.

You pay a fixed monthly premium to SunLife up to the age of 95 (or until you pass away, whichever happens first) and a pay out is guaranteed after a waiting period of 12 months.

The application has no medical questions, and it’s possible to secure up to £18,000 of cover depending on your personal circumstances and budget.

The average cost of dying in the UK according to research from SunLife is £9,658[1]. This includes the average cost of a funeral and send-off extras like flowers and a memorial.

A SunLife over 50 plan offers peace of mind if you’d like to help relieve the financial burden of funeral expenses from loved ones.

SunLife life insurance calculator

Use our calculator to easily work out how much over 50 life insurance you may need. Fill in the costs that you would like your policy to cover and calculate your ideal pay out amount.

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According to Uswitch, it’s estimated that 23,000 people in the UK will still be paying off their mortgage by age 75.

Although an over 50s plan can’t cover the full cost of a mortgage (as cover is capped at £20,000), it could help to contribute some funds towards keeping your family in their home.
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Research by Saga shows that nearly 6 million over 50s owe money on credit cards and loans, with average debt amongst this age group totalling £12,000.

Depending on your personal circumstances, an over 50s plan may not be able to cover all debts (as cover is capped at £20,000) but it could allow you to cover some debts in your name.
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SunLife’s Cost of Dying 2023 report found that the average cost of a basic funeral is £3,953, with the overall cost of dying totalling £9,200.

A pay out from life insurance can help to cover all or some of these costs.
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Age UK have found that many over 50s and 60s will be reliant on their pension to get by.

Life insurance can provide your partner with a helping hand on top of their pension.
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An inheritance can provide your loved ones with a cash gift to spend as they wish.

Alternatively, you could leave a portion of your pay out to a charity that’s close to your heart.
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If you already have a life insurance (or other financial protection) policy in place, and/or you have your own savings, factoring these into your sum assured could reduce the level of cover you require - helping you to save money.
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Your total cover estimate

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How does the SunLife over 50 plan work?

In the table below, we explain the key features of the SunLife guaranteed over 50 plan and how this policy works:

FeatureDescription
Guaranteed acceptanceYou’re guaranteed to be accepted for cover if you’re a UK resident aged 49 - 85.
No medical questionsDuring the application process you won’t need to provide any medical information or undergo a medical exam. You just need to provide some personal details, your age, and smoking status.
Whole of life coverThis type of policy is also known as life assurance or whole of life insurance because it covers you for the rest of your life.
Guaranteed pay out after 12 monthsOnce your policy has been in place for 12 months (known as the ‘waiting period’), your loved ones are guaranteed a pay out when you pass away. If you pass away during the waiting period due to natural causes, your premiums will be refunded to loved ones.
The minimum pay out is £500 and the maximum pay out is £18,000. The amount you can secure will depend on your personal circumstances and budget.
Immediate accidental death coverIf you pass away because of an accident at any point while cover is in place, a full pay out will be made.
Fixed monthly premiums that could start from £5 a monthA monthly premium will need to be paid until you pass away or the policy anniversary date after your 95th birthday (whatever happens first). The amount you pay will depend on your age, smoking status and the sum assured. The cost of your premiums won’t change during the lifetime of your policy.
The maximum premium is £74 per month for a single policy (or £100 per month if taking out multiple policies with SunLife).

Please note, it’s not possible to take out a joint SunLife over 50 plan

We have written this helpful guide to over 50 life insurance for more information »

SunLife over 50 plan benefits

SunLife offer additional benefits free of charge for new customers and policyholders.

These include:

Yellow tick £140 welcome gift

New customers who purchase the SunLife over 50 plan directly through SunLife are entitled to receive a free welcome gift.

This is currently a £140 Love2shop gift card, which can be used at various high street retailers including M&S, Boots and Argos.

You’ll be eligible for the free gift when your SunLife plan has been active for 6 months (and your premiums are up to date).

Reassured has put together this list of the best over 50 life insurance free gifts in 2025 so you can find out what other offers are available.

Please note, the SunLife over 50 plan free gift is not available with policies purchased through Reassured.

Yellow tick Health and Wellbeing Service

New customers who purchase a SunLife over 50 plan after 27/12/24 will receive free access to health and wellbeing services provided by RedArc.

This includes tailored support via phone or email from a registered personal nurse if you suffer with a long-term condition.

Your nurse can provide advice and guidance regarding your condition and treatment, as well as refer you to counselling or other services if required.

The Health and Wellbeing Service is available with SunLife over 50 policies purchased through Reassured. Please note, this benefit can be changed or withdrawn at any time by SunLife.

Yellow tick Funeral Benefit Option (+ £250 funeral contribution)

If you haven’t yet taken out a funeral plan or made other financial provisions for your funeral, then you could add the funeral benefit option to your SunLife plan free of charge.

With the funeral benefit option, your sum assured will be paid directly to Dignity Funerals Limited when you pass away. A Dignity Funeral Director will conduct your funeral and contribute £250 towards the final cost.

Please note, the funeral benefit option is only available with over 50 plans arranged directly through SunLife.

How much is SunLife over 50 life insurance?

SunLife over 50 life insurance could start from just £5 a month through Reassured.

Monthly premiums are influenced by the following factors:

  • Your age
  • Smoking status
  • How much cover you need (the sum assured)

The tables below show examples of monthly premiums for non-smokers and the amount of cover you could get for each premium based on your age.

Based on a premium of £15 a month:

Age5055606570758085
Sum assured£4,261£3,749£3,353£2,772£2,078£1,491£1,070£725


Based on a premium of £35 a month:

Age5055606570758085
Sum assured£10,266£9,018£7,984£6,581£4,965£3,582£2,585£1,751

You can take out more than one over 50 plan with SunLife but the total premium can’t be more than £100 a month for all policies combined.

The maximum pay out amount is £18,000 subject to your age and smoking status.

Compare SunLife Over 50 Plan Quotes »

Compare over 50 life insurance quotes for the best deal

The cost of over 50 life insurance varies from insurer to insurer, therefore, comparing quotes could help you to save money on your perfect policy.

Reassured, award-winning broker, can compare policies and prices from top UK insurers, including SunLife, free of charge and without obligation.

Get in touch to secure our best deal.

Is SunLife over 50 life insurance worth it?

Whether SunLife over 50 life insurance is worth it for you or not will depend on your personal circumstances.

For example, it could be a simple and affordable way for you to set money aside for your funeral, helping to relieve the financial burden from loved ones when the time comes.

It can also be a good option if you have a pre-existing health issue and have found other types of life insurance too expensive or unobtainable.

Here are some pros and cons to help you decide if the SunLife over 50 plan is worthwhile for you:

PROs

  • Affordable monthly premiums that never go up
  • Peace of mind that your loved ones will receive a fixed cash pay out when you pass away
  • Choose a cover amount that suits your needs and budget
  • No medical questions or exam, and acceptance is guaranteed if you’re a UK resident aged 49 - 85
  • Free access to Health and Wellbeing services for you and your family

CONs

  • As with any whole of life policy, there’s a chance you could pay more in premiums than what is paid out to your loved ones, depending on your age when you take out the policy and how long you live
  • If you smoke, this will affect your premiums and how much cover you can secure
  • Might not be cheaper than whole of life insurance if you’re in good health
  • As the cash pay out amount is fixed inflation will reduce its buying power over time

For more information please see the SunLife guaranteed over 50 plan T&Cs and policy document.

SunLife over 50 plan vs One Family over 50 plan

At Reassured, we work with SunLife and One Family to provide you with the best over 50 life insurance quotes they offer based on your needs and circumstances.

Just like SunLife, One Family are a highly rated and trusted insurer, receiving an overall score of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, and a top rating of 5 stars from Defaqto.

Our dedicated over 50 life insurance team at Reassured can talk you through both options and compare quotes to help you choose the right policy to suit your needs.

Here’s a comparison table of the main features and benefits of each plan so you can see how they compare:

SunLife One Family
Age limit49 - 8550 - 80
Maximum pay out£18,000£20,000
Waiting period12 months24 months
Payment termUntil the policy anniversary date after your 95th
birthday		Until your 90th birthday
Free funeral benefit contribution£250 contribution
(only available with policies purchased directly through SunLife)		£300 contribution
(available through Reassured)
Additional policy benefits
  • Accidental death cover
  • Free Health and Wellbeing Services
  • Flexible premiums
  • Accidental death cover
  • Terminal illness cover
  • Flexible premiums

Here’s also a comparison table of example monthly premiums for SunLife and One Family over 50 plans, based on a non-smoker taking out £5,000 of cover:

Age Sunlife One Family
50£17.41£15.00
55£19.59£18.00
60£21.92£20.00
65£26.59£25.00
70£35.25£35.00
75£48.85£51.00
80£67.70£75.00
85£74.00
(for a maximum of £3,703 of cover)		N/A
(One Family’s maximum age is 80)

We’ve written this OneFamily life insurance review if you’d like to learn more about this product »

When will SunLife life insurance pay out?

The SunLife over 50 plan will pay out the full sum assured to your family when you pass away, as long as the initial waiting period has ended.

The waiting period is the first 12 months from the start of the policy. If you pass away due to natural causes during this time, then a full pay out won’t be made.

However, any premiums you’ve paid will be refunded to your loved ones.

If you pass away due to an accident within the first 12 months then SunLife will pay out the full sum assured, (referred to as accidental death cover).

Once the waiting period has ended, you’ll be fully covered for death due to any reason and your loved ones can claim for the full sum assured.

SunLife over 50 plan claims

SunLife pay out 100% of valid life insurance claims, usually within 3 working days.

If you need to make a claim for a SunLife over 50 plan then you can do this in a number of ways.

Telephone: The SunLife life insurance contact number is 0800 008 6060 (open Monday to Friday 08:30 - 17:30)

In writing: The SunLife life insurance postal address is:
SunLife
PO Box 1395
Peterborough
PE2 2TR
United Kingdom

If the plan included the funeral benefit option, then you’ll need to contact the funeral director directly.

Ensure that you have the death certificate and the policy documents ready to hand when making a claim.

For more information visit the SunLife website or contact Reassured.

What is the SunLife Guaranteed Inheritance plan?

The SunLife Guaranteed Inheritance Plan is an alternative life insurance option designed for people over 50[2].

It provides lifelong cover and a guaranteed pay out when you pass away, similar to an over 50s plan.

However, the maximum pay out is higher (up to £50,000) and the application form requires some medical details.

For this reason, it’s best suited to applicants over 50 who are in relatively good health.

SunLife Guaranteed Inheritance Plan key features:

  • Available to applicants aged 49 - 75
  • Immediate life cover up to £50,000
  • Some medical questions asked but no medical exam
  • Premiums from £9.55 a month

Please note, Reassured does not currently sell the SunLife Guaranteed Inheritance Plan.

SunLife over 50 plan review summary and next steps

If you’re looking for affordable life insurance for over 50s, then the SunLife guaranteed over 50 plan could be a strong contender.

As the UK’s most popular over 50 plan that’s gained thousands of positive customer reviews and ratings, you can be confident with this choice.

However, it could still be worth shopping around and comparing quotes from different insurers before making a final decision to ensure you find the right policy at the right price.

At Reassured, we can help you compare over 50s life insurance policies and quotes from top UK insurers free of charge.

Why not make the most of our award-winning, FCA-regulated service today to see if we can help you save time and money?

Compare SunLife Over 50 Life Insurance »

Sources:

RedArc is a support service that isn’t regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. These services aren’t part of the terms and conditions of the SunLife Guaranteed Over 50 Plan and may be amended or withdrawn at any time

All the information in this review is correct as of 02/01/25 and could be subject to change at any time

[1] https://www.sunlife.co.uk/funeral-costs/

[2] https://www.sunlife.co.uk/guaranteed-inheritance-plan/

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