Life insurance checklist
Short answerChecked 23 September 2026
Print it or keep it on your phone, and go through it with the insurer or broker before you pay. Each point links to the rules for your country below.
- The insurer holds a life (long-term) licence.
- You know if it is term, whole life, education, savings or credit life.
- The sum assured is enough for the people who depend on you.
- You know the grace period, what happens if you stop paying, and the surrender value.
- For savings policies, you know what is guaranteed and what is not.
- You can cancel a new policy and get the premium back — and within how many days (31 days for a life policy in South Africa; in Ethiopia we found no legal cooling-off period, so get it in writing).
- The beneficiaries are named correctly.
- Your family knows where the policy documents are.
The rules in your country
- Life insurance in Kenya: types of policy and who sells themKenya
- Life insurance in Uganda: policies, insurers and cooling-offUganda
- Life insurance in Tanzania: how it works and your right to cancelTanzania
- Life insurance in Ethiopia: a small market, what to knowEthiopia
- Life cover in South Africa: life insurance, disability, dread disease and income protectionSouth Africa
- Life insurance in Botswana: the 9 licensed life insurers and your rightsBotswana
- Life insurance in Ghana: types of policy, your rights and the 14 life insurersGhana
- Life insurance in Malawi: licensed life insurers, policy types and your rightsMalawi
- Life insurance in Namibia: insurers, lapses and your rightsNamibia
- Life insurance in Nigeria: licensed life insurers, group life and your rightsNigeria
- Life insurance in Rwanda: your rights under the insurance lawRwanda
- Life insurance in Zambia: your rights as a policyholderZambia
- Life insurance in Zimbabwe: the life assurers and your rightsZimbabwe
Other free checklists
- Car insurance checklist: 10 things to check before you pay
- Motorcycle and boda boda insurance checklist
- Commercial and passenger vehicle insurance checklist
- Health insurance checklist: 10 questions before you sign
- Home insurance checklist
- Business insurance checklist
- Travel and cross-border driving checklist