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Help and Guidance
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Do I need to get life insurance if I have a mortgage?
Some lenders might ask you to get life insurance when you apply for a mortgage. In any case, you should think about what's best for you and your loved ones. If you were to die, life insurance could help pay off your mortgage and allow your loved ones to keep their home.
Can I change my policy after it starts?
You can’t change your policy after it has started. So make sure the amount and duration are right for you.
What if I have a pre-existing medical condition?
Scottish Widows might not be able to help if you have a pre-existing condition. But if they can't offer you a policy, they’ll let you know how to get more help or advice.
Where can I get advice?
If you’d like advice, contact our protection experts at Bank of Scotland. They can help find cover that’s right for you and your loved ones.
They can advise you on Scottish Widows protection policies. They won’t charge you for their advice, and you’re under no obligation when you speak to them.
Call:
Lines are open Monday to Thursday, 9am – 7pm, Friday 9am – 6pm.
Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Limited provides this service, which is also part of Lloyds Banking Group.
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Who can apply?
This cover is available for both new and existing Bank of Scotland customers. You need to be between 18-59 and live in the UK to apply.
What do you need from me?
We will only ask you a few essential questions about your health and lifestyle. You won’t need to have a medical check-up or send any extra info. Make sure your answers are true and complete. If anything you tell us is wrong, we might not be able to pay your claim.
Do I need to have a medical check-up to apply?
No, you just need to answer a few questions online.
How long will it take Scottish Widows to decide if they can help me?
You will get an instant decision.
When will my cover start?
If your application is successful, It'll start the same day you apply.
Who provides this policy?
This policy is arranged by Scottish Widows, who are a part of Lloyds Banking Group, like us. They’re life insurance experts, and they’ve been protecting what matters most for over 200 years.
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How do I make a claim?
We want to make sure it’s as easy as possible to make a claim. Your policy documents will explain how. To start a claim, just go to our existing customers page
When does the policy pay out?
The policy will only pay out when a claim is made. So for life insurance, it only pays out if you die while you're covered.
Will I get any money back when my policy ends?
No. Your policy only pays out if a claim needs to be made. If your policy ends without a claim, then your cover will end and you won’t get money back.
Make sure you pay each month on time, or your cover will stop and you’ll get nothing back.
What about tax?
The cash lump sum your policy pays out is free from income and capital gains tax. It might be liable for inheritance tax (IHT). You can set up your policy to avoid IHT by writing it in trust. A solicitor can help you to do this.
How does life insurance work?
Life insurance pays out a cash lump sum if you die before your policy ends. It's designed to help your loved ones cope financially when you can't be there.
When you apply for your policy, you’ll choose the size of the cash lump sum that will get paid out when a claim is made. You’ll also choose how long you want to be covered.
You’ll pay a fixed amount each month by Direct Debit, until your policy ends. Your policy doesn’t have a cash-in value. This means that if it ends without a claim, then you won’t get the money back.
Is life insurance the same as life assurance?
Both of these can help support your loved ones after your death, but there are some differences.
Life insurance covers you for a fixed period. It pays out a cash lump sum if you die before the policy ends. After the policy ends, it won't pay out when you die.
Life assurance usually covers you for your whole life, so it's sometimes called 'whole of life cover'. It tends to cost more than life insurance.
We don’t offer life assurance to Bank of Scotland customers just now.
What is whole of life cover?
This kind of cover is also called ‘life assurance’ and is different to life insurance. It pays out after your death and there's no policy end date, so it covers you for your entire life. It tends to cost more than life insurance.
Get protected by experts
Scottish Widows provide our life insurance and critical illness cover. They're a part of Lloyds Banking Group, like us. Scottish Widows are experts, and they've been protecting what matters most for over 200 years.
Here are a few reasons why they could be the right choice to protect you and your loved ones:
Scottish Widows protection products have no cash-in value at any time. So if the policy ends without a claim, you won't get any money back. If you don't make payments on time, your cover will stop, your policy will end and you'll get nothing back.