Skip to content

Does life insurance cover suicide?

Emma Lunn
Written by  Emma Lunn
Updated: 13 Jan 2024

Key takeaways

  • Life insurance is designed to provide financial support to your loved ones in the event of your death.

  • Life insurance usually doesn’t cover death by suicide within the first 12 or 24 months of the policy.

  • After this initial period, cover for suicide will usually be covered subject to the policy terms and conditions.

  • Policyholders should be honest about any pre-existing mental health issues when they take out a policy.

Is suicide covered by a life insurance policy?

Yes, suicide is covered by life insurance. However, there are certain terms that will need to be met for a claim to be paid out.

These include:

  • The death taking place after any initial exclusion period on the policy

  • That the policyholder declared all pre-existing health conditions when they took out the policy

  • Premiums being paid up-to-date

What is a suicide life insurance policy clause?

Most UK life insurance policies will include a ‘suicidal death clause’ which states the terms and conditions for a payout after a death due to suicide.

Most will only pay out if the suicide or self-inflicted injury happened 12 or 24 months after the policy started. This is referred to as a ‘waiting period’ or ‘exclusion period’.

By including this clause, insurers hope to reduce the financial incentive for someone to take their own life in the hope of triggering a life insurance payout for their family.

How do life insurance companies access suicide claims?

In most cases of a sudden death, there will be an investigation by a coroner, who may ask for a post-mortem or hold an inquest. The coroner may then conclude that the death came as a result of suicide or intentional and serious self-injury.

However, some insurers reserve the right to ignore any coroner ruling and decide in “reasonable opinion” that the insured person took their own life. To do this the insurer will consider the method and timing of the death, any documentation left by the deceased or anyone else, and the evidence available from the time and location of the death.

If the insurer decides that suicide occurred during the exclusion period, the claim will not be paid.

Beyond the exclusion period, life insurance companies assess claims involving suicide in the same way they assess all other claims. This means they will look at the cause of death and any pre-existing conditions the policyholder declared when they took out the policy.

This means its crucial for policyholders to provide accurate health information when applying for life insurance. Failing to disclose relevant health issues is known as ‘non-disclosure’ and could lead to the policy being invalidated or the claim being rejected.

Do mental health conditions affect life insurance?

When you apply for life insurance, insurers will ask about your medical history, including any mental health conditions such as depression, addictions or dependencies, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or other psychiatric conditions. It’s important to disclose this information honestly.

Mild or well-managed conditions may have a minimal impact on your premiums or the ability to secure life insurance. If the condition is controlled and you’ve had no recent episodes, the insurer may offer you standard rates.

Severe or long-term conditions can increase premiums or limit the types of policies available. In these cases, insurers may assess the condition's impact on your overall health, how well it is managed, treatment received, and any associated risks.

If someone has a history of suicide attempts or self-harm, it may significantly affect their ability to take out life cover or lead to higher premiums. There are specialist providers that can help in this situation.

For people with severe mental health conditions who might struggle to get standard life insurance, there are also “guaranteed acceptance” policies. These are normally only offered to people aged 50 and over and do not require a medical examination or health disclosure. However, they may have higher premiums and lower payout amounts, and a waiting period of 12 or 24 months.

Is assisted dying covered by a life insurance policy?

Assisted dying or assisted suicide is the act of deliberately assisting another person to take their own life – such as giving them the drugs to do so. It is currently illegal in the UK under the terms of the Suicide Act (1961) and is punishable by up to 14 years' imprisonment.

But change is likely to be on the way. In November 2024, MPs voted in favour of proposals to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would make it legal for over-18s who are terminally ill to be given assistance to end their own life.

The bill will now face many months of debate and scrutiny by MPs and peers. The bill might be amended and become legislation, or it might fail altogether.

We are yet to see how life insurers will react to any new law about assisted dying. It could be that stricter underwriting practices are introduced if the assisted dying bill is passed through parliament. One possibility is that any assisted death will be treated in the same way as death by suicide is at the moment – this means a claim will be rejected if the death occurs during the exclusion period on the policy.

Where a claim for an assisted death falls outside this waiting period, life insurance companies are likely to treat suicide and medically assisted deaths in the same way as any other claims. This means they will check that the policyholder declared all pre-existing physical and mental health conditions when they took out the policy.

How to get help if you’re struggling

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, seeking professional help is crucial. There are a variety of helplines and resources available in the UK, such as:

NHS: 111

Samaritans: 116 123

Mind: 0300 102 1234

Looking for life insurance?
Start a quote