Relevant Life Insurance for Contractors
Unlocking Financial Security: Relevant Life Insurance for Contractors
Contractors often miss out on traditional death-in-service benefits provided to permanent employees. However, they have a unique option – relevant life insurance. This policy is paid for by a contractor’s limited company, offering significant tax advantages. Let’s explore relevant life insurance for contractors and its value in protecting you and your family.
Understanding Relevant Life Insurance
Relevant life insurance operates like traditional life insurance. It provides coverage for a set number of years and pays a lump sum if you pass away during the term or are diagnosed with a terminal illness with a life expectancy of 12 months or less.
Unlike personal life insurance with monthly premiums, the contractor’s limited company funds relevant life insurance policies. This means contractors can use their business to cover life insurance costs as a legitimate business expense.
When setting up relevant life insurance, contractors must decide whether they want a fixed coverage amount (level term) or coverage that increases with the Retail Price Index (RPI) through index linking. Index-linked insurance ensures the coverage amount grows by a chosen percentage or follows the RPI, protecting against the devaluation of the insurance over time.
For example, a policy initiated in 1990 for £100,000 would have lost nearly half its real-world value by 2019. With a 2% annual index-linked increase, it would have exceeded £178,000 over the same period.
Does Relevant Life Insurance Include Critical Illness Cover?
Relevant life insurance typically doesn’t include critical illness cover, but you can add it if desired. Critical illness insurance pays a lump sum if you’re diagnosed with specific illnesses during the policy term. Check our critical illness insurance for contractors page for details on what’s covered.
Beneficiaries and Trusts
Although the limited company owns the relevant life insurance policy, it’s essential to establish a trust to ensure the payout benefits you or your family, not the business.
A trust is like a will for your life insurance policy, specifying the beneficiaries. You can change beneficiaries during the policy term by creating a new trust.
Get Personalized Assistance
For more information on relevant life insurance or to request a personalized quotation, contact our team. We’re here to assist you in securing your financial future.
As a contractor, securing your financial future is crucial, and relevant life insurance offers a unique and tax-efficient way to do so. This type of insurance, funded by your limited company, provides peace of mind by ensuring your loved ones are financially protected in the event of your passing or terminal illness diagnosis.
Why Relevant Life Insurance Matters for Contractors
Contractors often miss out on the traditional death-in-service benefits that permanent employees receive. However, relevant life insurance is designed specifically for contractors and provides several key advantages:
1. Tax Efficiency: Relevant life insurance allows you to pay your life insurance premiums through your limited company, making them tax-deductible. This means you can enjoy valuable protection while potentially reducing your corporation tax liability.
2. Personal Coverage:
While your limited company owns the policy, you can establish a trust to ensure that the payout goes directly to your chosen beneficiaries, typically your family. This ensures that the benefits are used to support your loved ones rather than being treated as a business asset.
3. Fixed Lump Sum:
A relevant life insurance policy pays out a fixed lump sum in the event of your passing or a terminal illness diagnosis. This can help your family cover immediate financial needs like mortgage payments, living expenses, and other obligations.
4. Flexibility: You can choose the coverage amount and term that best suits your needs. Whether you want to cover your mortgage, provide for your children’s education, or ensure your family’s financial stability, relevant life insurance can be tailored to your specific goals.
Understanding Relevant Life Insurance in Detail
Relevant life insurance operates similarly to traditional life insurance policies. Here’s a more detailed look at how it works:
Coverage:
Select the coverage amount and term when setting up the policy. This determines the lump sum that will be paid out in the event of your passing or terminal illness diagnosis.
Tax Benefits:
Premiums are paid by your limited company and are treated as a business expense, reducing your taxable profits. This tax efficiency can result in significant savings over the life of the policy.
Trusts:
You can establish a trust to ensure that the benefits go to your intended beneficiaries. This legal arrangement specifies who receives the payout and can be updated as needed.
Index-Linked Option:
You can choose index-linked coverage, which increases the coverage amount over time in line with inflation (typically using the Retail Price Index). This helps maintain the real value of your insurance.
Adding Critical Illness Cover
While relevant life insurance primarily covers death and terminal illness, you can enhance your protection by adding critical illness cover. This optional feature provides a lump sum payout if you’re diagnosed with a specified critical illness during the policy term. It offers additional financial security during challenging times.
Securing Your Financial Future
Relevant life insurance is a powerful tool for contractors seeking to protect their loved ones and secure their financial future. By leveraging this type of insurance’s tax advantages and flexibility, you can provide essential support to your family when they need it most.
To explore your options, get personalized advice, or request a quotation for relevant life insurance, contact our experienced team. We’re here to guide you through the process and help you make informed decisions about your financial security. Don’t leave your family’s future to chance—take proactive steps to protect them today.