The best life insurance in the UK 2023

Life insurance is an advantageous contract for building up and enhancing capital. It can also be one of the most selfless gifts you can give to the people you would leave behind in the event of your death. How do you choose the one that will best meet your needs? Read this comparison and discover our advice and criteria for choosing life insurance.

LINXEA Spirit 2 1
9/10

Best value for money

LINXEA Spirit 2

Best life insurance in 2021

LINXEA Spirit 2 is a contract that offers two possibilities of exit to the insured: the payment of a capital or an annuity. In case of death, the insurer will pay a capital or an annuity to the designated beneficiary. The insurer of Linxea Spirit 2 is Crédit Agricole Spirica.

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Fortuneo vie 2
7/10

Best value for money

Fortuneo vie

Best entry-level life insurance in 2021

With the Fortuneo vie life insurance contract, you can have access to 180 unit-linked products as well as the "Suravenir Opportunités" and "Suravenir Rendement" euro funds. The offer is accessible from only 100 euros.

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For only 100 euros of initial payment, you will have access to a most complete offer: access to 180 supports in units of account, and to the funds euros "Suravenir Opportunités" and "Suravenir Rendement" and an option of automatic arbitration. It is the insurer Crédit Mutuel Arkea which proposes this offer via the online bank Fortuneo, and it does not invoice the subscription to the contract, nor the payments or the arbitrations on request if they are passed from the website of Fortuneo.

As for the performance of its euro funds, "Suravenir Rendement" had a net return of 1.30% in free management and 1.60% in management under mandate in 2020. As for "Suravenir Opportunités", it offered a return of 2% in 2020. This contract will give you the opportunity to benefit from good performances with reduced fees.

Yomoni Essential 3
8/10

Best value for money

Yomoni Essential

High-end life insurance in 2021

Yomoni Essentiel is a life insurance contract insured by Crédit Mutuel Suravenir and distributed by FinTech Yomoni. If you subscribe to this offer, your savings will be with Crédit Mutuel.

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The Yomoni Essentiel offer is a managed offer or under mandate only. Indeed, it has been designed as an "automated savings solution", so its robo-advisors will automatically allocate and arbitrate clients' long-term savings towards the best opportunities on the financial markets. All this under the close supervision of the investment committee. The advantage of this management method is that it automatically adapts to the risk profile of the saver by optimizing the risk/return ratio.

The initial deposit required to benefit from this offer is 1,000 euros. Yomoni Essentiel is a contract that offers a guarantee in euros (Suravenir Rendement from Crédit Mutuel) and more than 160 unit-linked products (UCITS and Trackers). Suravenir Rendement has a net return of 1.60% in 2020. Finally, the threshold for redemption is 100 euros per one-off or scheduled redemption, provided that the value of the contract is at least 1,000 euros.

Aviva Evolution Vie 4
7/10

The alternative

Aviva Evolution Vie

A good alternative

Evolution Vie is an offer from the insurer Aviva and distributed on the internet exclusively by Assurancevie.com. It is one of the most accessible life insurance on the market, and offers the possibility of a programmed redemption from 100 euro net/month.

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Buying guide • November 2023

Best life insurance

Any specific needs?

Best life insurance in 2021

Best entry-level life insurance in 2021

High-end life insurance in 2021

A good alternative

Your guide : Samuel

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Comparison table of the best life insurance

TOP OF THE LINE CHEAP TOP OF THE LINE VERY GOOD
LINXEA Spirit 2 5
9/10
Fortuneo vie 6
7/10
Yomoni Essential 7
8/10
Aviva Evolution Vie 8
7/10
OUR SELECTION
LINXEA Spirit 2
Fortuneo vie
Yomoni Essential
Aviva Evolution Vie
LINXEA Spirit 2 is a contract that offers two possibilities of exit to the insured: the payment of a capital or an annuity. In case of death, the insurer will pay a capital or an annuity to the designated beneficiary. The insurer of Linxea Spirit 2 is Crédit Agricole Spirica.
With the Fortuneo vie life insurance contract, you can have access to 180 unit-linked products as well as the "Suravenir Opportunités" and "Suravenir Rendement" euro funds. The offer is accessible from only 100 euros.
Yomoni Essentiel is a life insurance contract insured by Crédit Mutuel Suravenir and distributed by FinTech Yomoni. If you subscribe to this offer, your savings will be with Crédit Mutuel.
Evolution Vie is an offer from the insurer Aviva and distributed on the internet exclusively by Assurancevie.com. It is one of the most accessible life insurance on the market, and offers the possibility of a programmed redemption from 100 euro net/month.
Entry fees
0%
0%
0%
0%
Payment and arbitration fees
0%
0% payment fees; 0% arbitration fees upon online request; €28 automatic arbitration fees
0%
0%
Management fees
0.50% management fees / year on units of account and 2% / year on euro funds
from 0.60% to 0.75% depending on the funds
0.60% insurer + 0.70% Yomoni + 0.30% tracker = 1.60% / year
0.60% / year in free management; 0.80% in management under mandate
Available investment vehicles
New generation euro funds; more than 111 unit-linked products, including more than 21 choices of Trackers
Suravenir euro fund (Rendement and Opportunité); 182 unit-linked funds (including 9 trackers, 3 SCPIs, 2 OPCIs and 1 SCI)
Suravenir Rendement euro fund; more than 160 unit-linked funds (UCITS and Trackers)
Aviva Actif Garanti euro fund; more than 110 unit-linked funds
Initial payment
A contract accessible from €500; from €1,000 for Managed Services
100 €
1,000 €
500 €
Free payment
From €100
From 100 €
From €50
From 500 €
Programmed payment
From 50 €
From 50 €

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Buying guide - life insurance

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How to choose your life insurance

#1 - The fees

Before you buy life insurance, remember that the fewer fees you have to pay, the better. If you're offered a life insurance policy that charges 2-5% on each payment, turn it down. Instead, look for contracts with 0 fees on deposits and redemptions. And 0 arbitration fees between funds. Remember also to check the management fees: fees of 0.60% per year on euro funds and units of account (UA) are reasonable, beyond that think twice before subscribing.

#2 - The investment medium

Subscribing to a life insurance is also investing your money with the aim of saving in the medium or long term, so when subscribing, remember to check that your contract will allow you to benefit from a good investment medium. The euro funds or "funds in euros" are the most profitable and least risky investment supports for life insurance contracts, because the profits generated each year are definitely earned and kept in the capital.

If you choose to subscribe to a single unit-linked life insurance policy, the best option will be to opt for a life insurance policy that offers a euro fund that would allow you to benefit from a return of more than 1.30% in 2020 (i.e. 2 or 3 times more than the Livret A), a rate net of management fees, with a good performance history of the euro fund.

#3 - Don't overlook the Unit of Account (UA)

It is true that euro funds are excellent investment supports, but unit-linked funds should not be overlooked either. If you are interested in a multi-support life insurance contract, consider choosing a contract that offers a wide choice of accounts. This will allow you to boost your savings in equity, bond or real estate funds.

The more a life insurance contract offers in open architecture, the better. With this kind of contract, you can have access to hundreds of funds from different management companies, trackers (index funds to replicate the performance of the CAC40 or the Nasdaq for example) and SCPIs to invest in real estate.

Compared to euro funds, unit-linked products are more profitable, but they also present more risks. Indeed, you will invest in stocks, bonds, commodities, etc.

#4 - The possibility of online management

To avoid unnecessary headaches, opt for an offer that gives you the possibility to manage and carry out your operations online, for free. You will be able to make payments, redemptions, arbitrations (money movements from funds to funds), etc. online without having to go anywhere. And to make your life even easier, make sure you can still access a broker's advice very quickly if you need it.

#5 - The tax system

Be aware that the proceeds of a life insurance policy are also considered income. This means that if you make a partial withdrawal or surrender of your life insurance policy, or in the event of the policy being closed when you ask to have all of your savings returned to you in the form of capital, your earnings will be subject to income tax (IR).

When you take out a life insurance policy, always remember to check under what conditions you could benefit from a tax advantage. In most cases, this will depend on the length of time the policy is held, but the date the policy was taken out and/or the date the premiums were paid into the policy, as well as theage of the policyholder when the premiums were paid and the amount of the premiums paid will also be taken into account.

How does a life insurance contract work?

Life insurance is a savings and insurance contract signed between an insured (you) and an insurer, the purpose of which is to dispose of a capital sum at a predetermined date, which constitutes the maturity date of the contract. This means that the premiums you pay each month will earn interest that will be capitalized.

At the end of the contract, the insurer must pay you either the totality of your capital or an annuity, depending on the contract you signed. And if you die before the end of the contract, the capital will be paid to the beneficiaries you have designated in the contract.

Why do you need life insurance?

Life insurance is primarily a form of savings. This means that a life insurance policy will allow you to build up and increase your capital. Or, it will allow you to provide yourself with additional income when you retire. And finally, a life insurance policy will also allow you to optimize the management of your estate.

Life insurance to build up financial capital

This means saving efficiently over the medium or long term. In a life insurance contract, you do not contribute to a non-recurring fund. In fact, the premiums you pay will be preserved, invested (by your insurer) and valued in the form of interest. This will allow you to constitute a good financial capital whose importance will vary according to the conditions of the contract (risk profile of the subscriber, duration of capitalization, amount of the invested sums, etc.).

To constitute an additional income at the time of retirement

In this case, you will have the choice between two possibilities:

  • To leave your life insurance contract in the form of a life annuity. That is to say that the insurer will take over the capital for you, and in return, he commits to pay you an annuity until the end of your life.
  • Or you can make scheduled partial surrenders. This strategy is especially interesting for contracts opened several years ago, which benefit from a more advantageous tax system for surrenders.

Managing the estate

The life insurance contract generally contains a clause that designates beneficiaries in case of death of the subscriber (you). This means that the persons you have designated in this clause will be able to benefit from the sums invested in the contract if necessary.

From a tax point of view, the costs are lower if you made the payments into your policy before your 70th birthday. This means that the taxation of life insurance on death can be more interesting than the taxation of a classic succession.

The different types of life insurance

Single unit-linked life insurance

The single unit-linked life insurance contract is the first form of contract to appear on the life insurance market. It works like an interest-bearing savings account. This type of contract has onlyone investment medium, generally the euro fund. Indeed, this type of fund is very secure: the invested capital cannot be lost and a minimum rate of return is guaranteed. The great advantage of this type of insurance contract is the security. On the other hand, the remuneration will be less high than for insurance contracts that allow risky investments.

A single unit-linked life insurance contract with Units of Account (UA) as investment medium is still possible, but then it would be a contract exposed to more or less important risks. Indeed, the investments in UC are not guaranteed as in the investments in funds in euros. A wrong investment and you risk losing your capital.

Multi-unit-linked insurance

The multi-support life insurance contract is a contract that allows you to modulate the investment of your savings according to a personal strategy. Indeed, this type of contract is invested on several funds or "supports": generally a combination of support in funds in euros and in funds in UC. In this type of contract you can benefit from the best of both types of funds: the security of the euro funds and the profitability of the unit-linked funds.

Indeed, with the UC funds, as they are not guaranteed, you will be able to define their distribution in the contract, according to your objectives and your aversion to risk. Just keep in mind that the value of your investment will vary according to the markets and the strategic decisions of the managers. You will therefore not have total control over its evolution. However, you can always opt for a "profiled" management of your investment, depending on the strategy chosen, between conservative, balanced and dynamic. This allows you to limit or increase your risk, and therefore your returns.

Life insurance or death insurance?

Life insurance

A life insurance policy can be considered as a classic investment product, in the sense that it allows you to save and build up capital over the medium or long term. The only difference is that in this contract, you can designate one or more beneficiaries in case of death. With a life insurance policy, you can make your money grow through investments, and after a certain period of time redeem your capital partially or totally during your lifetime.

However, the proceeds of this type of contract are considered as income and are therefore taxable. This means that you will have to pay income tax on the redemption.

Death insurance

A death insurance policy, on the other hand, is a purely insurance-based product: you pay an initial premium that will provide a capital sum to be paid to the beneficiary of your choice when you die, in order to provide financial assistance. This means that you do not take out a death insurance policy for yourself, but only for the beneficiary. You will not be able to benefit from this capital, either in the medium or long term.

Verdict

These two policies are not the same. Apart from the fact that a third party will benefit from the capital subscribed in the insurance contract, there is no other common point between the two types of contracts. Their purpose is also different. If you want to provide a capital sum or an annuity to your heirs in the event of your death, and to help them provide for their needs after this difficult ordeal, then you should look into death insurance.

On the other hand, if your main objective is above all to build up savings for your old age, and possibly to allow your loved ones to recover these savings directly in the event of your death, then a life insurance policy would be more suitable.

Tips

Subscribe to a life insurance contract as soon as possible

That is, set a date and take out a life insurance policy, even if it means making a token payment at first. Indeed, the sooner you subscribe to an insurance contract, the sooner you will benefit from the tax advantages. Because the 8-year tax period is calculated from thefirst payment and not for each payment.

Opt for a multi-support contract

It is more interesting at all levels: in terms of security, profitability and especially in terms of taxation. Moreover, you will always be able to adjust your contract by mixing "dynamism" and "security", which you cannot do in a single-support contract.

Don't neglect the beneficiary clause

Even if the life insurance contract is above all a saving, it constitutes an excellent means of optimizing the management of your inheritance, thus do not neglect the beneficiary clause. This clause will allow you to favor a loved one or a child over another, because the funds paid into a life insurance policy escape the rules of succession. This means that they do not have to comply with the rule of the hereditary reserve. But be careful, this rule will only apply if you properly designate in your life insurance policy the beneficiary or beneficiaries you want to favor.

Think about securing your real estate loan with your life insurance contract

As part of a real estate project, you should normally take out loan insurance to maintain repayments in the event of incapacity, disability or death of the borrower. But if you do not want to subscribe to this insurance, or if your bank is reluctant to offer it to you, opt for an alternative solution: use your life insurance policy to provide a guarantee to the lender. Indeed, the life insurance policy can help you guarantee your ability to repay your loan to your bank. Each parent can pass on €100,000 every 15 years to each of his or her children in the form of a tax-free gift. And each parent can transmit to each of his grandchildren 31 865 € every 15 years. Take advantage of this possibility to open a life insurance policy for them, so you can take advantage of these legal allowances.

Open a contract to your children or grandchildren tax-free

FAQ

Is it necessary to have life insurance?

Life insurance allows you to build up a capital on the long term, it constitutes a perfectly adapted envelope for all the stages of your life: you will be able to use it to prepare for your old age, to make real estate acquisitions, to manage your succession. Having a life insurance is therefore necessary to perfectly organize your present and future life.

How does life insurance work in the event of death?

In case of death, the life insurance is transmitted to the person designated in the contract: a spouse, a child or a close relative. It is not subject to the rules of succession and is passed on more easily. Except in the case where the contract does not designate a beneficiary: the capital will join the estate and will be subject to the rules of succession.

Can I withdraw money from my life insurance?

Yes, through a surrender. However, this does not mean that the life insurance will be closed permanently. Because it is a savings account, you will be able to withdraw money, but according to the terms of your contract with your insurer. Each withdrawal will have important tax consequences that you must also take into consideration.

What is the best paying life insurance policy?

Multi-support life insurance is more remunerative than single-support life insurance. However, the single unit-linked contract offers more security, the initial capital will not be lost. As for the return: the single-support contract offers a maximum return of about 2%. For the multi-support contract, it will depend on the content, but it offers the possibility of taking advantage of market opportunities.

Sources

Note: Below are some of the sources we have consulted in writing this article. Links to other sites are not continuously updated. It is therefore possible that a link may not be found. Please use a search engine to find the desired information.
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Updates

March 2022 : Translation of this buying guide from our partner meilleurtest.fr

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Our selection
LINXEA Spirit 2 9
LINXEA Spirit 2
Fortuneo vie 10
Fortuneo vie
Yomoni Essential 11
Yomoni Essential
Aviva Evolution Vie 12
Aviva Evolution Vie

Lecteurs

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