Yes: Nationwide sells life insurance, including the decreasing cover many people mean by mortgage protection insurance from Nationwide, but it does not insure you itself. Nationwide says its life insurance is provided by L&G, and it sells two kinds: mortgage life insurance, where the payout falls over the term, and family life insurance, where it stays level.
Choosing between decreasing and level cover for your own mortgage is a job for the FCA-authorised broker who phones after you send in this page's form; the call costs you nothing.
Who provides Nationwide life insurance?
Nationwide Building Society arranges the policies and L&G provides them. Nationwide's life insurance page puts it this way: "Our life insurance is provided by L&G – one of the UK's top life insurance providers." The policy summary that Nationwide links to, headed Life Insurance and Critical Illness Cover (print code QGI14786), names the insurer as Legal and General Assurance Society Limited.
Two practical points follow. Nationwide's pages say that it receives a commission from L&G for each policy taken out through it, a percentage of the total annual premium. And once you hold a policy, Nationwide's guidance sends you to L&G's online account or to L&G's UK phone team (0345 674 0783, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, closed on bank holidays) for changes, cancellation and claims.
As of 27 October 2026, Nationwide's pages advertise a £75 gift card for M&S or Amazon on applications made online. The card arrives six months after the policy starts, provided payments are up to date and the policy has not been cancelled, and terms apply. It is a reason to read the terms, not a reason to pick a policy; the cover is what you are buying.
What are Nationwide's mortgage life and family life policies?
Nationwide says it offers two types of life insurance, and only one is built around a mortgage.
| Mortgage life insurance (decreasing cover) | Family life insurance (level cover) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is for | Clearing what is left of a repayment mortgage when death occurs within the term | A fixed lump sum for everyday costs, or debts such as an interest-only mortgage, loans or store cards |
| How the payout moves | Falls roughly in line with an estimated mortgage balance | Stays the same throughout |
| Age to apply | 18 to 74 | 18 to 77 |
| Length | 5 to 50 years; must end before age 90 | 1 to 50 years; must end before age 90 |
Nationwide's mortgage life page explains how it is sized: an interest rate is applied to the policy to estimate how fast a repayment mortgage will fall, and the cover decreases roughly in line with that estimate. It adds that the exact rate is shown in the Policy Schedule and that you should check the rate is the same as, or higher than, your mortgage rate. Your monthly payment does not fall with the cover: Nationwide describes its premiums as guaranteed, staying the same unless you change the policy.
The same page lists what the policies pay and what they do not. They pay a cash lump sum, and the list of what is covered also includes an accidental death benefit and terminal illness cover. They do not pay if premiums stop, have no cash value, and do not cover suicide or intentional self-injury in the first year. The policy summary has the full wording. For the general workings of this kind of cover, see how mortgage life insurance works, and for the age ceiling across insurers see the mortgage life insurance age limit.
On price, Nationwide's own figure is that most online customers pay between £6 and £20 a month, as read on its life insurance page on 27 October 2026. That is Nationwide's general statement, not a quote for anyone in particular; age, health, smoking, the amount and the length of the policy all move it. The reasons are covered in what decreasing cover costs.
Do you need life insurance for a Nationwide mortgage?
Not by law. Nationwide's own page says: "It's not a legal requirement to have life insurance for a mortgage but some lenders may consider it a condition of lending you the money." That sentence is about lenders in general, so whether a particular mortgage offer asks for cover is a question for Nationwide or for the offer documents.
You can also ask a broker about policies from other insurers. Both the legal position and what a lender can ask for are set out in do you need life insurance for a mortgage. If you are weighing Nationwide against other high-street names, the same questions are answered for Barclays and NatWest.
The word "protection" can also mean income cover for the payments, which is a different product; life insurance and mortgage protection compared sorts out the names.
Is critical illness cover available with a Nationwide policy?
Yes, but only when you take out the life policy. Nationwide's critical illness page says: "If you say no and go on to take out a policy, you won't be able to add it later." It is a separate policy at an extra cost, with its own term; it can run to your 75th birthday against 90th for life cover, and you must apply by 67 whether you add it to mortgage or family cover.
Because the two are separate policies, a critical illness claim does not end the life policy, and the life policy can still pay if you die in its term. Nationwide says children's critical illness cover is included, with a lump sum of up to £25,000 or 50% of your amount of cover, whichever is lower. Whether a given condition is covered depends on the definitions in L&G's Guide to Critical Illness Cover, so check the list for the illness you are worried about before relying on it. The broker can also read the critical illness definitions through with you, at no charge. Other options for this are in buying critical illness cover on its own.
Does Nationwide offer whole life, joint or over 50s cover?
Nationwide's life insurance page says "We offer two types of life insurance": family and mortgage cover, both term policies that must end before age 90. Whole of life cover, which is built to pay whenever you die, is a different kind of policy from either. If that is what you are after, term against whole of life sets out the difference, and which insurers sell it is a point for the broker who calls you back.
On over-50s cover, Nationwide's answer to "I am over 50, can I still get life insurance?" is: "Yes. You just need to meet the age requirements for your chosen product(s)." That means family cover up to 77 and mortgage cover up to 74, with 67 the limit if you add critical illness cover. Those are standard underwritten policies, which ask about your health, rather than the plans for people in their fifties and over that pay a fixed sum; for those see life insurance over 50.
Joint cover appears on Nationwide's family life insurance page. It lists the pros and cons of one joint policy against two single ones: a joint policy is "usually cheaper than two single policies", is one application and one premium, but the policy ends on the first person's death and you cannot choose beneficiaries. L&G's policy summary adds that for a joint policy the cover amount is paid once, on the first death or valid claim. The comparison is covered in joint or single life insurance.
What happens if you cancel a Nationwide policy or change the amount?
You do it with L&G, online or by phone, and Nationwide's page says there is no cancellation fee. If you cancel within 30 days of the policy starting, L&G returns the payments you have made. L&G's policy summary says you can cancel at any time, and that after the first 30 days someone paying monthly gets no money back, while someone paying annually receives a proportionate refund of the annual premium.
For a joint policy, Nationwide says both people have to complete a written authorisation; cancelling a joint policy goes into what that means. Raising or lowering the amount, or changing the end date, has to be done by phone, and it may mean the old policy is cancelled and a new one set up on different terms. If a mortgage changes, changing mortgage protection covers what to check. L&G is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, according to its policy summary.
If you would like Nationwide's L&G-provided policy set beside what other insurers might offer on your mortgage, use this page's form and wait for the broker's free ring. Comparing mortgage life insurance quotes lists what to line up.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nationwide's mortgage protection a separate product?
It is Nationwide's mortgage life insurance, also called decreasing cover. Its page says: "Decreasing cover is the same as mortgage life insurance." Cover for missed repayments through illness or redundancy is a different product.
Who do I contact to claim?
Nationwide says: "Our life insurance policies are provided and managed by L&G." A claim therefore goes to L&G. Nationwide's page adds: "Claims will always be treated sensitively and with compassion."
Does a Nationwide policy pay anything if I stop paying?
Nationwide's list of what is not covered includes not paying your premiums and "No cash value". L&G's policy summary adds that someone paying monthly who cancels after the first 30 days gets no money back. It is protection, not savings.
What is the oldest age I can start Nationwide cover?
Mortgage life cover can be started up to 74 and family cover up to 77, and critical illness cover up to 67. Cover must also end before your 90th birthday, or 75th for critical illness.
How does L&G's underwriting fit into a Nationwide application?
A quote needs only a few quick answers; the application that follows asks about your health and lifestyle, then goes to L&G for underwriting. Nationwide says some are approved straight away and others need extra checks. How your condition would be treated is for L&G to decide, and the call-back is the place to raise your own health history; it carries no fee. See also mortgage protection without health questions.
Is the cover taxable?
Under L&G's policy summary, payouts should not attract UK Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax, and the Government may change that position. If the policy is not written in trust the payout will normally form part of the estate, where Inheritance Tax may apply; the mortgage cover guide links to the trust questions.
Sources
- Nationwide Building Society, Life insurance (undated), read 27 October 2026. nationwide.co.uk
- Nationwide Building Society, Mortgage life insurance (undated), read 27 October 2026. nationwide.co.uk
- Nationwide Building Society, Family life insurance (undated), read 27 October 2026. nationwide.co.uk
- Nationwide Building Society, Critical illness cover (undated), read 27 October 2026. nationwide.co.uk
- Nationwide Building Society, Update or cancel your life insurance or critical illness cover policy (undated), read 27 October 2026. nationwide.co.uk
- Legal & General, Life Insurance and Critical Illness Cover: Policy Summary (QGI14786), read 27 October 2026. legalandgeneral.com