Total Mortgage Protection and Life Cover: Suicide

LazyT

Hi Guys,

Apologies for the morbid title, but I am at a bit of a loss to offer my Mum some advice on a situation that she finds herself in.

Yesterday my stepfather took his own life - I’m trying to help her with the practicalities of what happens next but save for the obvious stuff the one thing I would really like to help her organise is the mortgage, to take the weight off her shoulders.

We established that they have Total Mortgage Protection with the Halifax for a 5-figure sum, but I was a bit loathe to have on record on the phone about the nature of his passing - which may or may not be naive - everything is still a bit raw.

Can anyone offer any advice as to whether these things are worth anything in the event of a suicide?

The best I can find is Legal and General who cancel the policy within one year, and take the rest on a case by case basis. As far as we know, they have had the policy over 20 years, but can’t find any details on how the Halifax would handle such an issue.

Any help would be gratefully received - it’s my first time on these boards in a good number of years, and I searched the forums as best I could for anything close to an answer to the question I am posing.

Thank you all in advance.

T

YBR

My condolences on your loss.
The best answer is to look at the T&Cs supplied with the policy, any chance that it can be found after 20 years?

Hopefully someone will be along to give some other options.

LazyT

YBR said:

My condolences on your loss.
The best answer is to look at the T&Cs supplied with the policy, any chance that it can be found after 20 years?

Hopefully someone will be along to give some other options.

Thank you - without going into too much detail - the relationship was quite fractious and he’s been stealing her post and stalking her devices for months, and has hidden all of their documentation before the act. So lord knows - it’s at someone else’s house - but no idea where.

prettyandfluffy

Thank you - without going into too much detail - the relationship was quite fractious and he’s been stealing her post and stalking her devices for months, and has hidden all of their documentation before the act. So lord knows - it’s at someone else’s house - but no idea where.

Probably best to ask the Halifax to send you a copy.  

Nearlyold

Provided the medical questions on the application form when the insurance was taken out were answered honestly (in this case it would particularly apply to any questions re depression/mental illness or previous suicide attempts) then suicide would usually be covered by the policy after it had been in force for 12 to 24 months.

Scottish Widows who I believe provide the Halifax policies cover suicide after 12 months have passed since inception of the policy.