What is mortgage protection insurance?

What is mortgage protection insurance?

Everything you need to know about protecting your mortgage

Mortgage protection insurance helps your family and loved ones in the event of your death by covering the outstanding balance left on your mortgage.

Mortgage repayments are often one of the largest outgoings for any family, so this insurance policy is designed to pay out a lump sum after your death that covers remaining costs, and relieves the financial pressure for those left behind.

This extensive guide covers everything you need to know about mortgage protection insuranceso you can make an informed decision before you purchase a policy.

All mortgage protection insurance policies will financially protect dependents in the event of death. However, there may be differing definitions or terminology depending on the specific policy you take out, and each insurance provider will have its own criteria regarding the terms of the coverage. Usually a mortgage protection insurance policy entitles the beneficiaries to a pay out only in the event of the policy holder’s death.

More often than not, mortgage protection insurance will be sold as a decreasing term plan that coincides with your mortgage repayments. This means that as you pay off your mortgage and the outstanding balance reduces, so will the size of the payout made when a claim is made. This will ensure that whatever is left to pay on your mortgage will be covered in full with a lump sum, should the worst happen.

There are a number of contributing factors that can affect whether you’re eligible for mortgage protection insurance. Similarly to standard life insurance policies, providers will take into account your age, medical history and financial status when quoting how much your monthly payments will be, and the size of the lump sum that will be paid out.

It’s important to work out how much cover you will need based on the amount left to pay on your mortgage and the remaining period of time. You can use our life insurance calculator to work out how much cover you might need before looking for quotes.

Once you know how much cover you need, you can also use our mortgage protection online quote tool to find out the cover that is right for you and how much this would cost.

There are a lot of things to consider when deciding whether or not to take out a mortgage protection insurance policy. Here are some reasons why you might consider getting cover and how it could benefit you.

Getting married

If you’re planning to get married or you have been with your partner for years, you need to consider whether your individual incomes or combined savings would be enough to continue mortgage repayments in the unfortunate event of your death. If not, then it may be worth considering taking out a joint policy that would pay a lump sum to pay off the outstanding mortgage amount.

Having children

Parents planning to leave their home in the hands of their children often take out mortgage protection insurance. This ensures that the family left behind is able to keep ownership of the house and repay the mortgage in full.

Buying more property

Investing in property is a great way to ensure financial stability for you and your family. However, if you choose to take out multiple mortgages, mortgage protection insurance will help to make sure your properties are protected if your dependents aren’t able to continue payments, and ensure any mortgages can be paid off with the lump sum.

Generally, when analysing your application and building a quote, providers will categorise occupations based on how risky there are. If your job is classed as high risk, then you could be subject to higher premiums.

High risk occupations can include pilots, commercial drivers, or jobs that require working at heights. The specific criteria for high risk jobs may differ between providers, so it’s important to check your quote carefully.