23 April 2026
Emma Machin, Senior Employee Benefits Consultant at Verlingue UK, recently published an article on REBA. The article explores how employers are reshaping the way they deliver group life assurance within a broader employee benefits strategy.
Group Life Assurance remains one of the most valued employee benefits, providing essential financial protection for families and demonstrating genuine employer care. However, for many organisations, managing group life assurance now goes hand in hand with reviewing wider Group Risk benefits, including Income Protection and Critical Illness cover, and assessing whether existing structures remain fit for purpose.
The article highlights that traditional standalone life trusts, while once effective, are becoming increasingly difficult for HR and benefits teams to administer. Employers remain responsible for trustee decisions, compliance, HMRC registration and documentation - all of which carry growing governance and operational risk. Common issues include outdated trust deeds, undocumented decision‑making and delays to death‑in‑service claims.
As a result, many organisations are moving towards insurer‑run master trusts, which offer a ready‑made, compliant alternative overseen by independent professional trustees. This approach significantly reduces administrative burden while ensuring robust governance and fair discretionary decision‑making.
While standalone trusts still have a place for larger or more complex organisations with the resources to manage them, the article concludes that master trusts now offer a practical, future‑ready solution for many employers delivering group life assurance as part of a modern employee benefits package.
This article was published on REBA (Reward & Employee Benefits Association) on 31 March 2026. To read the full article on the REBA Website, please follow the LINK.
