Trusts

Ensure your money goes to the right place if the worst happens

What is a trust?

Here's what you need to know about putting your life insurance policy into a trust

  • A trust is a legal arrangement that lets the owner of something 'gift' it to someone else. This could be shares, a home, cash, or a life insurance policy.
  • This is done by creating a trust deed which sets out the terms and conditions that the trust can operate under.
  • Normally, placing a policy in trust is an 'irrevocable' act. This means once the policy is in trust this decision can't be changed later on, so it's important to carefully consider if putting a policy in trust is right for you.
  • You can put a life insurance policy into trust as soon as it starts, or at a later date.
  • There are different types of trust, but we offer three - fixed, flexible and split.
  • Our Online Trusts tool can help you decide on the right type of trust and set everything up online. Please note this tool is only available for Protection policies, and it's not to be used with Bonds or savings plans.

TRS notification

Trust Registration Service notification

As part of the UK's implementation of the Fifth Money Laundering Directive, new rules were introduced about trust legislation.

Trusts related to in-force LV= protection plans that don't hold a surrender value won't need to be registered.  Other types of policy held in trust may need to be registered. For further information please see our Trust Registration Service FAQs.

Important information

Before we start, you should know…

If you're in any doubt, you should speak to a solicitor.

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  • There are different types of trust available and it may not always be clear which should be used so if you're in any doubt you should seek legal advice.
  • The information on this page shouldn't be taken as advice. Once you've put a policy in trust you can't change your mind later so you need to be really sure that it's right for you.

Should I put my policy into trust?

Take a deeper look into the advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

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  • The policy can't be taken out of trust later on meaning the proceeds are paid to the right person/people.
  • Proceeds are paid out quickly; we won't need to wait for probate (which can sometimes take several months).
  • Helps avoid inheritance tax - the proceeds won't normally be included in the deceased's estate and can usually pass tax-free to whoever is chosen as beneficiaries.

Disadvantages

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  • If a policy is written in trust, you cannot change your mind and take the policy back out of trust later on.
  • Control over the policy is usually given to the trustees so you can't make changes to it. However, when using our Online Trust tool the forms automatically make the settlors a trustee so you still retain some ownership (to make changes).
  • You can't benefit from the policy (this isn't usually a problem if you're the only policy owner but it can get complicated with things like joint life policies).

Type of trusts

We have three types of trusts - fixed, flexible and split

We've provided a brief summary of each of our trust documents, and a quick way to download the deed and guide for each, which covers each in more depth.

Fixed Trust

What is it?

A trust which gives a fixed (non changeable) instruction to trustees on how to split the proceeds to specific beneficiaries, which can't be changed in the future.


What products can it be used for?

Normally a fixed trust is used for life protection, which will pay out a lump sum when the settlor dies. But you can use it for other things too, such as an investment bond.


Trust documents

Flexible Trust

What is it?

A trust which allows the trustees to change the default beneficiaries in the future from a range of potential beneficiaries.


What products can it be used for?

Normally a flexible trust is used for life protection, which will pay out a lump sum when the settlor dies. But you can use it for other things too, such as an investment bond.


Trust documents

Split Trust

What is it?

A trust to let you split out the benefits of a Life with Critical Illness policy so that the Critical Illness payment will go to your client, or the death claim will to to the trustees to provide to the specified beneficiaries.

Our split trust can also be used if you have a life protection policy and you want the terminal illness payment to be paid to you by the trustees in the event you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, but the death claim to be paid to the beneficiaries. However, if you are considering this, we'd recommend you discuss this with a financial adviser or a solicitor.


What products can it be used for?

A split trust should normally only to be used with a combined Life and Critical Illness policy. Whilst it can be used if you have a life protection policy, and you want the terminal illness payment to be paid to you in the event you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, we'd recommend you discuss this with a financial adviser or a solicitor.


Trust documents

guides

Trust guides

Have a read of our guides - they might help you understand Trusts and Trustees. You can get this and other documents from us in braille, large print or audio by contacting us.

How to use the Online Trusts tool

Our Online Trusts tool will guide you through the process of setting up a trust.

Here's how it works: (Please note this tool is only available for Protection policies, and is not to be used with Bonds or savings plans.)

frequently asked questions

You must have 100 questions, but let's start with these

Ready to set up your trust online?

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