Free one year £5,000 accidental death cover

Former_MSE_Archna

Update 10.30am 15 April
The BHSF website is experiencing huge traffic as this deal was included in the weekly email. The link should work, but it'll take a few attempts.

What's the deal?

Little known insurer Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund (BHSF) is offering a free one year accidental death policy if you're between 17 and 70.

It'll pay out a £5,000 lump sum if you die from a sudden and unexpected accident during the year (ie. not death through disease or ageing).

How to get it?

If you're between 17 and 70 now, you can get this by visiting the BHSF website and entering name, address and contact details. That's it; you'll be sent the policy documents shortly afterwards.

Is it worth it?

For life insurance £5,000 is tiny; and accidental death no where near as common as illness as a cause of death, plus as it only lasts a year, so the chance of it needing to pay out is very limited. Almost certainly buying a policy of this kind for a year would hardly be worth it.

Yet it's totally free and lapses without any cost to you, those who have dependants may as well get it as a tiny little bit of extra insurance in case the worse happens. Don't see it as an alternative to getting full cover life insurance though, if you've got dependants that's an important thing to do, see the full Life Insurance guide for how to do it as cheaply as possible.

Why's it doing this?

Its simply a promotional play for BHSF to increases exposure to new customers, plus it hopes you'll opt to pay for extra cover. However you're not obliged to do this, and don't even have to give it payment details when you get the freebie. So after a year the £5,000 cover will just expire and you won't pay a penny. However there's nothing wrong with comparing its cover prices with anyone else.


More details/T&Cs

• It defines an accident as "a sudden and unexpected event which happens at an identifiable time and place while the policy is in force and results in a bodily injury. A bodily injury is "physical harm not caused by sickness, disease or any other naturally occuring condition or gradual detorioration".

• The benefit will be paid out if you have an accident after the start date and before the end date and die within 365 days of that accident.

• The policy will be reduced by 50% if you reach your 75th birthday within the year and will end if you reach 80 years.

• The policy will not pay out for an accident that is caused by any self-harm or if you're under the influence of drink or unprescribed drugs at the time.

• A claim must be made within 3 months of the accident.

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donny-gal

Web site not working atm, maybe we've overwhelmmed them.

hollydays

Won't accept my address,or even search for another by postcode.

Hutchinsfairy

Website appears to be down!

Shiney2961

Site appears to be having some sort of problem?

hopesprings1978

Keep trying - you will get onto the site
and you can manually enter your postcode if the auto search doesnt work

Rosehip_01

Working fine now

lynn2

I've applied, thanks alot x

dunstonh

accidental death plans have really tiny claims stats. Thats why they are given away free so often. £5k as a sum insured (not assured as its not pure life assurance) is not worth it so some insurance company can get your personal details and market you and sell your details on in my opinion.

Scottish_Saver_2

Working fine now, applied for both my wife and myself.

momist

I'll keep trying though!