Life insurance guides

Plain-English guides to how cover works, what it costs and what to consider for your situation. Choose a topic below to find a relevant guide.

New to life insurance? Start here

Three guides that take you from the basic idea to the cover you may want to explore.

Step 1What is life insurance?Understand what life insurance is, how it works and why people consider it.Read guide →Step 2Types of life insuranceSee how term, whole-of-life and other forms of cover differ.Read guide →Step 3How much life insurance do I need?Estimate an amount and length of cover to explore.Read guide →

Understanding life insurance

Learn how life insurance works from application and underwriting through to policy documents, beneficiaries and claims.

The basics

Applications and policy documents

Payouts, beneficiaries and existing policies

Getting started

The basics of how life insurance works and how to explore what you might need.

Costs and quotes

What can affect the price, what people typically pay and how to compare quotes.

Types of cover

How the main policy types work and the needs they are designed to address.

Term life insurance

Lifelong and later-life cover

Policy options

Other protection

Cover that can pay out if you are seriously ill or unable to work.

Your situation

Guides for different family arrangements, homes and ways of working.

Parents and family

Your home

Work and business

Health conditions

Information about applying when you have, or have had, a medical condition.