British troops killed without life cover

clock • 1 min read

Dozens of soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan without taking out life insurance while thousands more have served active duty without cover, it has been revealed.

According to government figures more than 45,000 military personnel who served in Afghanistan and Iraq did so without any form of life insurance.

A further 32,000 personnel took part in operations in the two countries with less than the maximum cover available to them through the Ministry of Defence's arranged scheme.

The figures were obtained by Jim Murphy MP, Defence spokesman for Labour, through Parliamentary questions.

Under the current voluntary PAX life insurance scheme, soldiers are able to take out up to 15 units of cover paying £10,000 death benefit per unit and £4,000 critical illness benefit per unit.

Each unit costs just under £5 per month.

Although the government does provide lump sum payments up to £570,000 for wounded personnel, joining the PAX scheme is encouraged to help provide security for bereaved families.

According to the reply from the Secretary of State for Defence, 50 serving personnel were killed in Afghanistan without PAX or any other known of life insurance.

A combined 45,900 (35,600 in Afghanistan, 10,300 in Iraq) served without holding any cover and 32,800 (26,400 and 6,400 respectively) did not have the maximum 15 units of PAX cover.

A total of 64,400 (55,900 and 9,500 respectively) served with full PAX insurance coverage.

More on Term Assurance

Reviti Life Insurance ceases operations

Reviti Life Insurance ceases operations

Less than three years after launching

John Brazier
clock 06 January 2022 • 1 min read

Woman sentenced for fraudulent life insurance claim

Two years imprisonment suspended for two years

John Brazier
clock 16 March 2021 • 2 min read

Smokers most likely to cancel life insurance

Cancellation data of 10,822 people

Adam Saville
clock 05 February 2021 • 2 min read

Highlights

COVER Survey: Advisers damning of protection insurer service levels

COVER Survey: Advisers damning of protection insurer service levels

"It takes longer than ever to get underwriting terms"

John Brazier
clock 12 October 2023 • 5 min read
Online reviews trump price for young people selecting life and health cover

Online reviews trump price for young people selecting life and health cover

According to latest ReMark report

John Brazier
clock 11 October 2023 • 2 min read
ABI members with staff neurodiversity policy nearly doubles

ABI members with staff neurodiversity policy nearly doubles

Women within executive teams have grown to 32%

Jaskeet Briah
clock 10 October 2023 • 3 min read