Reassured reveals best and worst UK areas for life cover

Non-advised life insurance firm Reassured has compiled five years' worth of internal data to show which parts of the nation have the most policies in place.

The records, which contain 130,000 life insurance policies, indicated that The Cleveland area in the north of England, which includes Middlesbrough, is the most protected part of the UK per capita - with 1,034 policies. Notably, there is where 49% of households are among the most deprived 10% in the UK.

The City of London, meanwhile, has 735 life policies per 100,000 residents, Lancashire has 435 and in fourth position is Cheshire with 432. This is followed by Dorset (380), East Yorkshire (373) and Midlothian (360).

Reassured found that counties in Scotland and the North of England dominate the most-covered areas (see table of results below).

When it comes to the articles with the least number of life policies in place, Croydon has only 22 per 100,000, followed by Bromley (56) and Southwark (58). Greenwich is forth worst, with 89, and Greater Manchester is joint fifth alongside Guernsey (93).

Reassured head of corporate sales Phil Jeynes said: "It really is eye-opening to see the differences between UK areas when it comes to life insurance coverage and average premiums. But with the UK average premium falling just short of £25 per month, it highlights life insurance could be more affordable than people think.

"To protect yourself and your loved ones, life insurance can offer financial assistance, helping to take some of the stress out of planning for the future. Each insurer uses a different underwriting process, so shop around to get the best deal for you."