Two kinds of insurance

There are two different kinds of insurance - life insurance andgeneral insurance.

General insurance pays out:

• If a car has an accident or is stolen
• If a house catches fire or is burgled
• If a holiday has to be cancelled

Most life policies, on the other hand, pay out when an event happens, such as when someone dies.
Anyone can buy life insurance but, the amount you pay in premiums will depend on your age, your health, and the type of work you do. The younger and healthier you are, the cheaper the premiums for life insurance. But if you work in a risky job, you'll normally have to pay more for life insurance. 
Most types of insurance are annual policies. That means that the amount you pay can change every year and, if you've made a claim in the previous year or your circumstances have changed, it could affect your premiums.
 
However, some types of insurance, such as life insurance and insurance that pays part of your income if you cannot work because you're seriously ill, are long-term contracts. That means you don't get renewed quotes every year as the premium is set when you first sign up. 
If you have a joint mortgage with your husband, wife or partner, you can take out life insurance that will pay out if they die before the mortgage is paid off. However, you can't take out insurance on someone unless you'd be financially worse off if they died.