What Insurance Do I Need for a Mortgage? What's required — and what protects your family

No law says you must have life insurance for a mortgage — lenders typically require buildings insurance only. But if you died with the loan unpaid, your family would still owe every penny. Mortgage life insurance pays a lump sum to clear it — a broker will compare leading UK insurers and call you with tailored quotes.

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What Insurance Do You Need for a Mortgage?

One is usually required by your lender — the others protect your family and home.

Buildings Insurance

Almost every lender makes buildings insurance a condition of your mortgage. It covers repairing or rebuilding the property itself. We don't arrange buildings insurance — your lender or any home insurer can.

Mortgage Life Insurance

Not required by law, but well worth considering. A decreasing term policy falls with your mortgage balance and pays a lump sum so your family can clear the loan and keep the home if you die.

Critical Illness Add-On

An optional extra alongside life cover. It pays a lump sum if you're diagnosed with a serious illness listed in the policy — money that can clear the mortgage or cover repayments while you recover.

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How It Works

Getting insurance quotes is simple. Here's how the process works.

Complete the Form

Answer a few simple questions about yourself and the level of cover you're looking for. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Receive a Callback

A specialist broker will call you back to discuss your requirements and answer any questions you may have.

Compare Your Options

The broker will present quotes from leading insurers so you can compare options and choose the cover that's right for you. There's no obligation to proceed.

Insurance Types for Mortgage Holders

What your lender requires — and what protects your family.

Insurance type	Required by lender?	What it covers
Buildings insurance	Yes — usually a condition of the mortgage	Repairing or rebuilding the property itself
Mortgage life insurance	No — optional	A lump sum so your family can clear the mortgage if you die
Critical illness cover	No — optional add-on	A payout if you're diagnosed with a serious illness listed in the policy

We compare life and critical illness cover only — buildings insurance is arranged separately. A broker will call to talk through your options.

Mortgage Insurance Requirements FAQs

Common questions about what insurance is required for a mortgage.

No. There is no legal requirement to have life insurance for a mortgage, and lenders cannot insist on it. Most lenders only require buildings insurance as a condition of lending. Life insurance is optional — but without it, your family would still owe the full mortgage balance if you died.

The debt does not go away. Your family or estate remains responsible for the repayments, and if they cannot keep up, the lender can repossess and sell the home. A life insurance payout gives them the funds to clear the loan and stay in the property.

Decreasing term cover falls in line with a repayment mortgage balance, which usually makes it the cheaper option. Level term keeps the same payout throughout, which suits interest-only mortgages or families who want money left over after the loan is cleared. A broker will call to talk through which fits your mortgage.

Couples with a shared mortgage often take joint cover, which pays out once on the first death so the survivor can clear the loan. Two single policies pay out twice — once for each of you. A broker can compare both options and call you with tailored quotes from leading UK insurers.