Death Insurance

Death insurance, also called life insurance, pays a lump sum (for example, $1 million) if you pass away during the policy's term. It means your loved ones can meet ongoing expenses, such as the mortgage.

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Name Finder Score Funeral Benefit Optional TPD Cover Minimum cover Maximum Cover Terminal Illness Benefit Underwritten
Medibank Life Insurance image
Finder Award
Best Rated Brand
Finder score
Funeral Benefit
$15,000
Optional TPD Cover
$1.5 million
(maximum cover)
Minimum cover
$50,000
Maximum Cover
$2.5 million
Terminal Illness Benefit
$2,500,000
Underwritten
Yes
Get QuoteView details
Our verdict: Medibank offers a higher payout limit ($2.5 million) than 15 other providers. It also won Most Loved, Best Value and Legendary Service categories in the Finder 2024 customer

⭐ Current offer: Save 10% on your first year of Medibank Life Insurance when you apply by 3 March 2025. T&Cs apply.
ahm Life Insurance image
Finder score
Funeral Benefit
$15,000
Optional TPD Cover
$1 million
(maximum cover)
Minimum cover
$50,000
Maximum Cover
$1.5 million
Terminal Illness Benefit
$1,500,000
Underwritten
Yes
Get QuoteView details
Our verdict: ahm offers a simple application process. Be approved online or over the phone. No medical or blood tests needed to apply.

⭐ Current offer: Get 10% off your first year of ahm life insurance when you apply by 3 March 2025. T&Cs apply.
AAMI Life Insurance image
Finder score
Funeral Benefit
$10,000
Optional TPD Cover
Minimum cover
N/A
Maximum Cover
$1.5 million
Terminal Illness Benefit
$1,500,000
Underwritten
Yes
Get QuoteView details
Our verdict: There’s flexibility with AAMI as you can add another adult to your cover, with a competitive limit of $1.5 million. Easy application process with no medical exams.

⭐ Current offer: Take out an AAMI Life Insurance policy and get a $100 eGift card after 4 months of cover. Offer ends 03/03/2025. T&Cs apply.
Suncorp Life Insurance image
Finder score
Funeral Benefit
$10,000
Optional TPD Cover
Minimum cover
$50,000
Maximum Cover
$1.5 million
Terminal Illness Benefit
$1,500,000
Underwritten
Yes
Get QuoteView details
Our verdict: Competitive maximum cover limit of $1.5 million. Suncorp lets you change your cover amount by up to $100,000 after a big life event, such as having a baby.

⭐ Current offer: Take out a Suncorp Life Insurance policy and get a $100 eGift card after 4 months of cover. Offer ends 03/03/2025. T&Cs apply.
Real Family Life Cover image
Finder score
Funeral Benefit
$10,000
Optional TPD Cover
$1 million
(maximum cover)
Minimum cover
$100,000
Maximum Cover
$1 million
Terminal Illness Benefit
$1,000,000
Underwritten
Yes
Get QuoteView details
Our verdict: The application is simple; it can be done with 1 phone call and there are no medical exams. But households with larger debts may need more than a $1 million payout.

⭐ Current offer: Get back 10% of the premiums you’ve paid after 1 year.
Zurich Ezicover Life Insurance image
Finder score
Funeral Benefit
$15,000
Optional TPD Cover
Minimum cover
$50,000
Maximum Cover
$1.5 million
Terminal Illness Benefit
$1,500,000
Underwritten
Yes
Get QuoteView details
Our verdict: Good if you want a cheap policy from a well-regarded insurer – its 98% claims acceptance rate is higher than any other provider on Finder. Zurich keeps things simple: unlike others, it doesn’t go in for optional add-ons such as TPD or trauma cover.

⭐ Current offer: Policy discounts include 10% off for your partner if you sign up for a joint policy. You can also get 5% off income protection if you buy it alongside your life cover.
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Finder Score - Life Insurance

Life Insurance is a little complicated and a lot overwhelming. That's why we made the Finder Score, to make it easier to compare Life Insurance products against each other. Our experts analysed over 30 products and gave each one a score between 1 and 10.

But a higher score doesn't always mean a product is better for you. Your situation is unique, so your policy choice will be too. Don't think of Finder Score as the final word, but as a good place to start your life insurance comparison.

Read full Finder Score methodology

Why compare life insurance with Finder?

  • You pay the same price as buying directly from the life insurer.

  • We're not owned by an insurer (unlike other comparison sites).

  • We've done 100+ hours of policy research to help you understand what you're comparing.

What is death insurance cover?

Death insurance cover, sometimes called life insurance, pays a lump sum to your beneficiary (or beneficiaries) if you pass away.

Death cover can bring peace of mind for you and your family. It can help secure your family's future and ensure they don't need to face the burden of financial uncertainty while simultaneously coping with grief.

  • Lump sum payments in the event of death or terminal illness
  • Advance payments to help cover the immediate costs
  • Financial planning and counselling benefits for your family
  • Benefit payments available in the event of serious injury or illness
Washing machine on fire
Did you know?
A recent Finder survey revealed that a third (34%) of Australians have no financial safeguards in place for their loved ones if they were to pass away suddenly.

What type of expenses am I covered for?

Some of the expenses that death cover can provide relief for, include:
  • Rent or mortgage repayments
  • Children’s education expenses
  • Daily living expenses and needs, such as food and clothing
  • Costs to hire housekeeper or nanny
  • Home maintenance costs
  • Funeral expenses
  • Legal expenses
  • Estate settlement costs

How do I determine my life insurance needs?

There isn't one death cover that is ideal for everyone, which is why it is important to assess and compare different policies to determine which plan would be most suitable for you and your family's needs. Here are a few things to consider when calculating the right amount you need:

  • You current annual income. Replacing your lost income for the years required
  • Short-term and long-term debts. This often includes mortgage, credit card debts, personal loan, and car loan
  • Your immediate expenses. This includes food, clothing and shelter (rent payments, if you don't own your home)
  • Your children's education expenses. Consider the number of children you have and their respective ages to determine the total amount of expenses
  • Emergency funds. Work out how much of your expenses such as a funeral arrangement, medical treatments, legal fees and estate settlement costs can be covered by your savings.

You can use a life cover calculator to give you an indication on how much you may need for a death cover. If you want further guidance, an experienced death cover agent can help you in determining an ideal amount that will match your needs situation, as well as providing tailored advice on life policies that suit what you require.

What forms of death cover are available?

The two main types of life insurance are term life insurance and funeral cover, both of which can pay out the full sum insured on death. If you are not eligible to obtain term life insurance (such as due to medical conditions or age), a funeral plan may be a good option.

TypeDetails
Term life insurance
  • Helps provide for one's partner or family in years to come. Can be adjusted over the years as you enter different life stages and your financial needs and obligations change.
  • Generally a more flexible and detailed type of cover than funeral insurance.
  • Choose from a wider range of benefits and payout conditions that suit your needs.
  • Often significantly higher maximum benefits than funeral insurance.
Funeral plans
  • You can take out a specific amount of cover, such as $8,000, which is paid to your beneficiary when you die and can be spent at their discretion.
  • Can cover administrative costs and mortuary fees, and the funeral itself.
  • You can generally have two people on the same funeral plan, and should either one pass away, the other can receive the benefits.

Death cover for different life stages

Can death cover pay for accidents and injuries?

In the event of a fatal accident or injury, death cover of both types, funeral plans and term life insurance, can pay out, while some benefits may also be available for survivable accidents or injuries, although these are generally only available with term life insurance policies.

What is funeral cover?

Funeral cover is an insurance product that gives your family a lump sum when you die so they can pay for your funeral without worrying about the hefty costs.

If you are in the older age group and have little debt, you may want to consider a funeral plan that will take care of your funeral costs.

Frequently asked questions

James Martin's headshot
Written by

Editor

James Martin was the insurance editor at Finder. He has written on a range of insurance and finance topics for over 7 years. James often shares his insurance expertise as a media spokesperson and has appeared on Prime 7 News, WIN News, Insurance News, 7NEWS and The Guardian. He holds a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, both of which meet the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio

James's expertise
James has written 205 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Car, home, life, health, travel and pet insurance
  • Managing the cost of living
  • Money-saving tips
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Co-written by

Editor

Richard Laycock is Finder’s insights editor after spending the last five years writing and editing articles about insurance. His musings can be found across the web including on MoneyMag, Yahoo Finance and Travel Weekly. Richard studied Media at Macquarie University and The Missouri School of Journalism and has a Tier 1 Certification in General Advice for Life Insurance. See full bio

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