Business
Not every couple is married, but that doesn’t make financial protection any less important. In fact, for unmarried partners, couples life insurance can be even more critical — and sometimes more complex. This episode explores what unmarried couples in Northern Ireland and the wider UK need to know about arranging cover.
We’ll begin with the challenges. Unlike married couples, unmarried partners may not automatically inherit assets, which means life insurance payouts could end up in the wrong hands without proper planning. That’s why structuring life insurance for couples carefully is so important.
We’ll cover:
- Joint policies vs two singles – and why separate policies often provide clearer protection for unmarried couples.
- Trusts – how writing policies into trust ensures payouts go directly to your chosen partner.
- Beneficiaries – the importance of naming who should receive the money.
- Legal differences – how wills and estate planning play a bigger role when partners aren’t married.
Listeners will also learn about common mistakes unmarried couples make, such as assuming “common-law marriage”
offers the same legal protection (it doesn’t), or failing to update policies after moving in together or buying property jointly.
We’ll provide practical advice on:
- Calculating cover that accounts for shared mortgages, rent, and living costs.
- Reviewing policies if children arrive or financial commitments increase.
- Balancing affordability with meaningful cover — joint cover may be tempting, but two single policies often provide more clarity and security.
By the end of this episode, unmarried partners will understand that couples life insurance is more than just protection — it’s a way to formalise financial support for each other in the absence of automatic legal rights.