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Group Life Insurance
Provides a lump sum death benefit if an insured employee dies during the period of cover. The benefit may be a fixed amount or a multiple of salary, subject to policy limits.
Employee Benefits
Group life and disability benefits for a stronger employee benefits programme.
Trusted Union helps employers structure employee protection benefits that can provide financial support following death, accident, disability or certain serious illnesses.
Group life and disability benefits can form an important part of an employer’s wider employee benefits programme.
While group medical insurance supports employees with healthcare access, group life and disability cover helps provide financial protection if an employee dies unexpectedly, suffers a serious accident, becomes permanently disabled or is diagnosed with a covered serious illness under a simplified critical illness benefit.
For employers, these benefits can help strengthen the overall employee proposition, support retention and demonstrate a clear commitment to employees and their families.
Trusted Union helps companies review the structure, benefit levels, eligibility rules, insurer options and administration of group life and disability arrangements.
Our role is to help employers understand what level of protection is appropriate, how the cover should be structured and how it fits within the wider benefits programme.
Key Benefits That May Be Included
How we support you across the area.
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Accidental Death Benefit
May provide an additional lump sum benefit where death results from an accident, often as a multiple of the base life benefit or as a separate benefit amount.
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Accidental Dismemberment
May provide a lump sum benefit if an insured employee suffers a specified permanent injury, such as loss of limb, loss of sight or another listed accident-related loss.
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Permanent Disability Benefit
May provide a lump sum benefit if an employee becomes permanently disabled and meets the policy definition, such as being unable to perform their own or suited occupation.
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Terminal Illness Benefit
Some policies may allow part or all of the life insurance benefit to be paid early if the insured employee is diagnosed with a terminal illness and meets the policy definition.
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Simplified Critical Illness Benefit
Some employee benefit plans may include a limited serious illness benefit, such as specified cancer, stroke, coma or other listed conditions, usually subject to a defined benefit limit.
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Salary-Multiple Structures
Many corporate plans structure benefits as a multiple of salary, such as one, two or three times annual salary, subject to an overall maximum benefit.
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Executive or Senior Staff Benefits
Some employers may use different benefit tiers for senior staff, directors or executives, depending on company policy and insurer underwriting appetite.
Simplified Critical Illness Benefit
Some group employee benefits programmes may include a simplified critical illness benefit as an optional extension.
This is usually not the same as a comprehensive individual critical illness plan. It is often a limited benefit designed to provide a smaller lump sum if an employee is diagnosed with one of a defined list of serious illnesses.
Depending on the insurer and plan design, this may include conditions such as specified cancer, stroke, coma or selected major illnesses. Benefit limits are normally lower than individual critical illness policies and the exact definitions, exclusions, waiting periods and benefit amounts must be reviewed carefully.
Trusted Union can help employers decide whether this type of benefit is appropriate, whether it should sit alongside group life and disability cover, and how it should be communicated to employees.
What Trusted Union Reviews
A structured review, item by item.
Where the information is available, a review typically looks across the following.
- Employee headcount and eligibility
- Salary bands and benefit multiples
- Fixed benefit versus salary-linked benefit design
- Maximum benefit limits
- Employee age profile
- Coverage termination age
- Whether cover should cease at age 65 or extend to age 70
- Accidental death and dismemberment benefits
- Permanent disability definitions
- Terminal illness provisions
- Simplified critical illness or cancer-related extensions
- Underwriting requirements
- Free cover limits
- Evidence of insurability requirements
- Exclusions and pre-existing condition provisions
- Insurer pricing
- Administration process
- Claims process
- Payment and beneficiary process
- How the benefit sits alongside group medical insurance and other employee benefits
The Trusted Union Approach
Employee benefits, managed as a financial and workforce risk — not a once-a-year renewal.
Why It Matters
Why a structured review matters.
Group life and disability benefits are often simple in concept, but the details matter.
Employers need to understand who is eligible, how benefits are calculated, when cover ceases, what disability definitions apply and how claims are paid.
The structure should be clear for HR, Finance and employees. A well-designed plan can help provide meaningful financial protection without creating unnecessary complexity.
A poorly structured plan may leave gaps, misunderstandings or administrative issues at the point of claim. Trusted Union helps employers review these arrangements clearly, so the benefit is suitable, practical and aligned with the wider employee benefits strategy.
Claims Payment and Beneficiary Process
For larger group schemes, beneficiary administration needs to be practical and clearly understood.
Depending on the policy structure and insurer requirements, benefits may be paid to the employer or policyholder, who then manages onward payment in accordance with the company process, employment documentation and applicable requirements. In other cases, insurers may require or accept beneficiary nomination records.
The correct process depends on the insurer, policy wording, group size and employer administration model. Trusted Union helps employers review this process so HR and Finance understand what documentation needs to be retained and what would happen at claim stage.
Coverage Term
Group life and disability cover normally applies while the employee remains eligible under the employer policy.
Cover often ceases when the employee leaves employment or reaches the policy maximum insured age. Many schemes use a standard termination age such as 65, although some employers may be able to request cover up to age 70 depending on the insurer and policy terms.
This should be reviewed carefully, particularly where a company has senior employees, directors or older members of staff.
Why Trusted Union
Advice held to a consistent standard.
Employee Benefits Perspective
We review group life and disability benefits as part of the wider employee benefits programme, not as a standalone product.
Clear Benefit Structure
We help employers compare fixed benefit, salary-multiple and tiered benefit designs, so the structure is clear and practical.
Insurer Market Access
We work with a range of insurers and help employers understand available options, underwriting requirements and pricing differences.
HR and Administration Support
We help employers understand documentation, eligibility, claims administration and payment processes.
Sustainable Programme Design
The right solution should balance employee protection, employer budget, insurer quality and long-term sustainability.
Plain-English Communication
We help employers explain benefits clearly, without overpromising what the policy will or will not cover.
Common Questions
Questions we’re often asked.
What is group life insurance?
Group life insurance provides a lump sum death benefit if an insured employee dies while covered under the employer policy.
How is the benefit amount calculated?
The benefit may be a fixed amount or a multiple of salary, such as one, two or three times annual salary. The structure depends on the employer objectives, budget and insurer terms.
Who receives the benefit if an employee dies?
This depends on the policy structure and insurer process. In some group schemes, benefits may be paid to the employer or policyholder for onward handling. In others, beneficiary nomination records may be required or accepted. The process should be reviewed before implementation.
Can disability benefits be included?
Yes. Some group life programmes may include permanent disability, accidental dismemberment, accidental death or terminal illness benefits, depending on the insurer and selected plan structure.
Can simplified critical illness be added?
Sometimes. Some plans may include a limited serious illness benefit covering selected conditions such as specified cancer, stroke, coma or other listed illnesses. This is usually more limited than a full individual critical illness policy.
Does cover continue after an employee leaves the company?
Usually no. Group life and disability benefits normally cease when employment ends, unless the policy provides a specific continuation or conversion option.
Is medical underwriting required?
This depends on the insurer, group size, benefit level and free cover limit. Larger benefit amounts or smaller groups may require additional underwriting evidence.
Should group life sit alongside group medical insurance?
Yes. Group medical insurance supports healthcare access, while group life and disability benefits provide financial protection for employees and their families. Together, they can form a more complete employee benefits programme.
Request an Employee Benefits Review
Request a Confidential Review.
Start with a structured conversation about the area of insurance you would like to review.
Request an Employee Benefits Review