A life insurance calculator estimates how much cover you might need by adding up your financial responsibilities — such as your outstanding mortgage, other debts, income you'd want to replace, and future costs like childcare — then subtracting any cover you already have, for example death-in-service from an employer. The result is a guide figure for the lump sum that could protect your family. It's an estimate for guidance, not a personal recommendation.

A common rule of thumb is around 10 times your annual income, but it's better to add up what you're actually protecting: your mortgage and debts, the income your family would need for a set number of years, and costs like childcare and education, minus any existing cover. The right figure depends on your circumstances, so treat any calculator result as a starting point and consider advice from a regulated adviser.

It gives a reasonable estimate based on the figures you enter, but it's a simplified guide, not a precise or personalised calculation. It doesn't account for every factor, such as inflation, changing circumstances or your full financial plan. Use it to get a sense of the cover you might need, then confirm the right amount and policy with a personalised quote or a regulated financial adviser.

No. This calculator estimates how much cover you may need — the sum assured — not the monthly premium. The price of a policy depends on your age, health, whether you smoke, the cover amount and the term, and only an insurer can give an accurate quote. Any premium figures you see quoted generally are illustrative market ranges, not a quote for you.

It depends on how your household relies on each income. Many couples calculate cover for each person based on the income and responsibilities that would need protecting if that person died. If you share a mortgage, you might consider a joint policy or two single policies. A calculator can help you estimate each person's need separately, which is often more accurate than a single combined figure.

No. This calculator runs entirely in your browser and does not send, save or share any of the figures you enter. Nothing is stored once you leave the page. It's designed purely to give you a private, instant estimate of the cover you might need, with no personal data collected.

No. A calculator provides general guidance and estimates based on the numbers you enter — it is not regulated financial advice and not a personal recommendation to buy any particular policy. For advice tailored to your circumstances, speak to an FCA-regulated financial adviser, who can recommend a suitable amount, type and provider of cover.