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Life insurance is about securing your family's financial situation in the absolute worst case scenario. There's no way to sugarcoat the impact your death will have on your loved ones, so the best course of action is to be prepared with life insurance. You'll want to find a balance between adequate cover and a reasonable premium, and Mozo is here to help you research and organise the ideal coverage level. Here you can compare life insurance policies and investigate features, discounts and other important information. 

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Important information on terms, conditions and sub-limits.

Help protect your loved ones with award-winning Life Insurance from NobleOak, the Experts Choice Award Life Insurance Company of the Year for five years running*.

  • Quality Life cover - up to $25,000,000
  • Fully underwritten - Claims are processed in 5 business days on average
  • Australian-owned - Life insurer with a 145-year history

Help protect your loved ones with award-winning Premium Life Direct Income Protection from NobleOak.

  • Insure up to 70% of your regular pre-tax income (up to $30,000), subject to some limits.
  • Helping protect Australians for over 145 years
  • Benefit periods of – 2 years, 5 years or age 65

Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.

Life Insurance Resources

Reviews, news, tips and guides to help find the best life insurance updates.

Life insurance – why it's important

Taking out a life insurance policy is about ensuring your dependents and loved ones could meet their cost of living if you were no longer around to support them.

There are a range of life insurance providers in Australia and to help to narrow down your choice before you get a quote, you can use our table above to compare your options. But if you need a little more information to help you better understand some of the policy features and benefits before you get started, check out some frequently asked life insurance questions below.

How does life insurance work in Australia? 

The way life insurance works in Australia is, at the time that someone passes away, insurance providers pay out a lump sum to beneficiaries that are nominated by the insured person. In most cases, beneficiaries are immediate family members, and different insurance providers have varying limitations of how many people you can nominate on a single policy. 

Some insurance companies also pay out people who have been diagnosed as terminally ill, so that they can cover any medical costs and get their financial situation in order. 

What does life insurance cover? 

The type of life insurance you’re seeking will determine what is covered under your policy. Here are the different types you can take out:  

 Life cover: This cover pays out your beneficiaries you’ve nominated on your policy a lump sum when you die.  

Total and permanent disability cover: This covers rehabilitation and living costs in the case that you are totally and permanently disabled. Commonly, TPD is sold with life cover. 

Trauma cover: If you’ve been diagnosed with a critical illness or disease that has a significant impact on your life, you’ll receive funds from to help support your financial needs. 

Income protection cover: This type of cover will provide you with steady payments In the case that you are unable to work due to serious sickness or injury, in replacement of your income. 

Accidental death: These sort of policies cover you if you die due to an accident. Keep in mind, however, that policies tend to be riddled with exclusions around the circumstances of the accident, like whether you were under the influence at the time or engaging in other risky behaviours.

When should I buy life insurance?

The million dollar question: when do I actually need to take out a life insurance policy? There are a few things to consider that can help you pinpoint the right time to start looking seriously at life insurance:


  • Life insurance premiums generally increase the older you are, so it’s a good idea to take out the policy when you're healthy, before you have any known pre-existing medical conditions that could affect your likelihood to get cover.
  • It's a good idea to take out life insurance as soon as you have major financial commitments like a home loan or you have dependents that rely on your income. So once you start a family, life insurance is a great next step.
  • The important - and tricky - thing is that you need to start thinking about life insurance before you need it. Don’t wait for disaster to strike before finding the right policy for you, because that’s exactly the kind of situation your life insurance is designed to protect you from.

How do I pay for life insurance? 

The person who holds the life insurance policy pays premiums to their insurance providers, usually on a monthly or annual basis. This can be either in the form of stepped premiums, which means that every year the amount you pay increases because you are getting older (and generally your premiums are more costly the older you are) or level premiums. 

Level premiums mean you’ll pay the same amount while your insurance policy is active. The premium cost depends on how old you were when you first took out your policy. In some cases you can pay level premiums up until a certain age and then you’ll need to pay stepped premiums thereafter.

Is it worth paying for life insurance?

As we always reiterate, this question really comes down to who you are and your personal situation. 

For example, it may be worth considering life insurance if you're starting a family or have taken on debt like a home loan or business loan with a loved one or partner. Alternatively, if you're a young single person with no dependants, debt or major financial commitments, you may not need life insurance right now and so the premium may not be worth the cover.

Before you consider signing up with any life insurance provider, be sure to take stock of your finances and properly investigate the cost of life insurance and the options available to you.

How to find cheap life insurance

Affordability is a major concern for customers when it comes to comparing life insurance, as you don't necessarily wanna pay the big bucks now if it's not good value later. Check out our new cheap life insurance guide for more insights on how you could go about comparing cheap life insurance quotes on your search for a policy.

More life insurance FAQs

Which life insurance is best in Australia?

This is always a tough questions to answer, since the best life insurance policy for each person will depend on their individual circumstances and budget. However, if you're just starting out researching life insurance options, check out the winners of our most recent Mozo Experts Choice Awards for Life Insurance.

These awards breakdown the different elements of life insurance and award policies in each category that standout to Mozo's team of expert analysts. 

What is term life insurance? 

This is the standard type of life insurance, which pays a lump sum in the event of your death (typically up to age 99). With term life insurance you nominate an amount that you'd like to insure your life for. This amount can be used to cover things like your mortgage, children's education, debts, ongoing income for your partner and even funeral expenses.

How much cover will I need?

The amount of life insurance cover you need will depend on your own personal financial circumstances and budget.

Life insurance is designed to cover expenses that your income otherwise would have covered. So when working out the amount of cover you need, make sure you consider things like:

- Mortgage repayments and other debts like a car loan

- Future education expenses for your dependents

- Funeral expenses for yourself

- Everyday living expenses for your partner or family. Remember that you should calculate living expenses for the rest of the time that your family would have been dependent on you.

- Future major purchases that your income would have helped with, like a home, car or renovation

Rather than simply going for the cheapest option, you should really look for a policy that will cover your family and their lifestyle. According to some insurance experts, if you've got dependents you should look at cover that is equal to 10 times your income.

If you need help with the calculations, head over to Mozo's Budget Calculator.

How much does life insurance cost?

When searching for an insurance policy you will rarely ever find a list of standard premium prices on a provider’s website. That’s because insurance is all about risk and in order to gauge how much of a risk you are to them, an insurance provider will have to know more about you. So, it only follows that an insurance company cannot give you a premium estimate until they know a little more about you.

For life insurance in particular, providers will want to know:

Your age - The older you are, the higher your insurance premiums will be. Some policies will increase in cost year-on-year, while others have insurance age bands, e.g. 25 to 34 and 35 to 44.

Your gender - Life insurance premiums for males will often be higher than for females. That’s because in Australia, males have a slightly lower life expectancy than females.

Your medical history - Your insurance company will want to know your medical history at the time that you apply for a policy. If you have had major health events such as cancer, heart problems or even a stroke, your application may be denied or exclusions may be added to your policy.

Your lifestyle - If you’re a smoker, you have some pretty risky hobbies or you have a dangerous occupation, such as construction, your insurance premiums may be higher.

The cover you choose - As with all types of insurance policies you can go for the basics or you can make sure you’re fully covered and add on lots of extras. The latter will mean that you’re more thoroughly covered but it will also mean that you have a higher insurance premium to pay.

Is life insurance through my super or a standalone policy better?

That’s really up to you - different options are better for different people. To help you decide which is right for you, here’s a super quick rundown of the pros and cons of each option.

Life insurance through your super
  • Often cheaper than a standalone policy and won’t affect your day-to-day budget, as it’s taken out of money you don’t have access to anyway.
  • Doesn’t always offer the same level of cover as a standalone policy, and eats into your retirement fund - you’ll need to plan for this in your long term savings strategy.

Standalone policy
  • Often offer more features and better coverage, plus you get the option to shop around and find the policy that’s right for your needs and budget.
  • Often more expensive than insurance through your super, plus, it means you do have to do the work of choosing the right policy.

For a full look at the differences, check out our guide to  super life insurance vs standalone policies.

Does life insurance include income protection and disability insurance?

Many life insurance policies come with the option of total and permanent disability insurance. This policy covers you in case you wind up not being able to work again, either in any occupation, or in your usual occupation, depending on your policy.

Income protection insurance, on the other hand, usually involves a separate policy. It’s insurance designed to cover your bills, loan repayments or other expenses if you lose the ability to earn income - whether through injury, illness or some other events. One top tip: you'll often receive a discount for taking out multiple policies with the one company, so it’s worth thinking about getting them all in one place.

Where can I get a life insurance policy to suit my needs?

Right here! Head up to our life insurance comparison table above to start comparing the features and benefits of different policies to find the right one for your needs.

If you're after more information on life insurance we've also got a range of guides that go over the basic types of cover and information you'll need when choosing life insurance cover. And if you want to know more about the industry in general, check out our life insurance news section.

Will I need to have a medical examination prior to taking out a life insurance policy?

Worried that taking out a life insurance policy means getting poked and prodded, measured and weighed? Don’t be! In most cases, you won’t need to have a medical examination.

Usually, medical testing would only be necessary if you’ve had a preexisting condition or a family history of poor health and it’s very important that when applying for life insurance that you’re upfront about your past medical history.

Even if you've had a preexisting condition, it doesn't automatically mean that you won't be able to take out life insurance. In some instances you might need to pay extra or have a policy with special conditions attached. But keep in mind it is ultimately up to the life insurance company whether they will require you to undergo medical testing or not.

What life insurance exclusions are there?

As is the case with most types of insurance, there are instances in which you will not be covered. Some of these are:

Suicide - Most life insurance providers have an exclusion stipulating that they will not payout, if the policyholder takes their own life (generally within 13 months of signing up for the policy). 

Illegal or criminal activity - If the policyholder loses their life while doing something illegal, such as robbing a bank, the claim may not be paid out.

Drug or alcohol abuse - Unless instructed to by a doctor, an insurance company will not payout if the policyholder was injured as a result of drugs or alcohol abuse.

War or warlike activity - If you are injured during a war, conflict or even a riot, your policy may not be paid out.

Risky hobbies - If you’re a bit of a thrill seeker and you’re injured while doing something risky, such as skydiving, your provider may not payout.

You can read more about these in our article on general exclusions to life insurance policies.

How do I apply for life insurance? 

There are a few different ways to buy life insurance. You can go through an advisor or find it yourself and apply online or over the phone. 

If you are finding it hard to figure out exactly what you need to be covered for, seeking life insurance through an advisor may be the best option for you. This way you’ll be given expert help when comparing policies to suit you, but you’ll be subject to an advisor’s fee. 

You may feel like you’re up to the task of finding your own policy, so in this case you can simply apply online or over the phone. Be ready with information like your personal details, job type, income amount and how much you want covered. 

Alternatively, you may be unaware that you are receiving life insurance through your superannuation. While this cover is cheaper, and may cover the basics you need there are often more limitations so standalone cover may suit your particular situation better. 

Can I cancel my life insurance? 

Yes, you can cancel your life insurance however, your insurance company will not refund the premiums you’ve already paid. Some life insurance policies come with a cooling off period, where you can opt to cancel up to 30 days after you purchased the policy and you will be refunded. 

Keep in mind, once you cancel your life insurance you won’t be covered anymore even if you’ve already paid some premiums up until cancellation.

Life Insurance Reviews

Zurich Life Insurance review
Overall 9/10
Great all-round for type of response

They don't keep you on hold for long. They don't transfer you to another department constantly. They explain things in a way where I can understand things better.

Read full review

They don't keep you on hold for long. They don't transfer you to another department constantly. They explain things in a way where I can understand things better.

Value for money
8/10
Trust
9/10
Less
Ryan, Victoria, reviewed almost 10 years ago
AMP Bank Life Insurance review
Overall 8/10
Great customer service, and friendly

I like it because they are good and I don't feel like im getting ripped off

Read full review

I like it because they are good and I don't feel like im getting ripped off

Value for money
7/10
Trust
7/10
Less
Nattalie, Queensland, reviewed almost 10 years ago
AXA Life Insurance review
Overall 7/10
Competitive premium and great customer services

I like AXA ,since the policy and service is up to standard.

Read full review

I like AXA ,since the policy and service is up to standard.

Value for money
7/10
Trust
8/10
Less
Nongluck, Western Australia, reviewed almost 10 years ago