SunLife

SunLife can trace its history back to the establishment of the Sun Life Assurance Society on 28 March 1810, when the Sun Fire Office Board launched a separate company to offer life assurance.[9] The society's first office opened opposite the Bank of England in London, and actuary Joshua Milne was appointed the first member of staff.

During its first 12 months, Sun Life Assurance Society wrote 132 policies for a total sum assured of £163,150. The premium income was £6,077.[10] At an 1815 board meeting it was decided that, for the future, burial as well as death certificates would be required to substantiate claims.[11]

In 1835, the Society appointed its first Medical Officer to assist in the selection of lives for Assurance. Dr Henry Herbert Southey had previously been a Physician-in-Ordinary to the Monarch in 1823, and later Physician-Extraordinary for Queen Adelaide.[12] Amongst the life assurance candidates was Charles Dickens in 1838, whose application was declined by the Society on the grounds that he “works too much”.[13][14] The first Sun Fire Office salesman, Edward Trescott Liddell, was hired in 1865.[15]

1884 became a landmark year as Sun Life Assurance Society issued more than 1000 policies for the first time.[16] In 1891, the company set up the Sun Life Assurance Company of India, with offices at 7 Council House Street, Calcutta, and a local Board of Directors. Harris Saunders was the Actuary and General Manager.[17]

Sun Life Assurance Society bought over twenty life insurance societies during the late 19th and early 20th century and incorporated them, their branch offices and employees into the business.

Sun Life Assurance Society's first monthly premium plan was introduced in 1900. Towards the end of that year, they became the first company in the industry to offer life assurance without a medical examination.[18] In 1921, the non-medical scheme was finalised, meaning approved people aged 50 or over could get immediate whole of life cover without the need for a medical examination.[19]

In the years leading up to the Second World War, Sun Life Assurance Society owned East Hall, a house in the outskirts of Orpington. In 1938, it was made into a Southern Divisional Centre in preparation for the war.[20]

In 1965, the 155 years of close association between Sun Life and the Sun Fire Office came to an end.[21] The break was a result of the formation of the Sun Alliance and London Group. When Sun Alliance made a successful bid for London Assurance, it resulted in a conflict of interest with Sun Life, so it was agreed that they would go their separate ways.[22]

From the 1970s SunLife split their headquarters between London and Bristol.[23] The head office moved to Bristol in 1976–1977.[24] Within a year, Sun Life began sending out direct mail.[25] They introduced their very first plan for people aged over 50 in 1979.[26] In 1982, they became the world's first life assurance company to announce a £200,000 non-medical limit.[27]

In 1992, French insurer UAP became Sun Life Assurance Society's major shareholder.[28] Shortly after, Sun Life Assurance Society & Provincial Insurance Company merged and established the holding company, Sun Life & Provincial Holdings. In 1997 Axa, who had acquired UAP in 1996, transferred its Equity & Law business to Sun Life & Provincial Holdings increasing its holding in the company from 60% to 72%.

In May 2000, Axa acquired all shares it did not already own in the company. The business was renamed Axa Sun Life Direct, and then Sun Life Direct in 2009.[29]

Axa sold its main life assurance business to Resolution Group in 2010[30] and continued to sell life insurance products through Sun Life Direct. Dean Lamble, formerly of Aviva, was appointed Managing Director.[31] He was named CEO in 2016.[32]

Sun Life Direct rebranded to SunLife in 2014.[33] In the same year, SunLife announced a range of savings products, including stocks and shares ISAs.[34]

In 2016, Axa sold its UK investment, pensions and insurance businesses, including SunLife, to UK insurer Phoenix Group[35] in a £375 million deal.[36]

SunLife offers a whole-of-life insurance plan called the Guaranteed Over 50 Plan. This is provided by Phoenix Life Limited[37] and currently has over 800,000 policy holders.[38]

SunLife offers an equity release plan called The Over 55 Equity Release Service. This is arranged and administered by Age Partnership.[39]

SunLife offers a funeral plan called the SunLife Guaranteed Funeral Plan. Dignity Funerals Ltd arranges and provides the funeral services.[40]

SunLife offers a home insurance plan called the SunLife Home Insurance. This is arranged and administered by BISL Limited and underwritten by a panel of insurers.

SunLife has been tracking funeral costs since 2004. In 2007, they released their first Cost of Dying report.[41] The report is an annual research paper that looks at the average cost of funerals in the UK and how this cost affects the general public. The 2020 Cost of Dying report indicates that the average cost of a basic funeral in the UK has increased by 3.4% since 2019 to £4,417.[42]

SunLife's first ageism report, Ageist Britain?,[43] was released in 2019. The report aims to shine a light on the issue of casual ageism and the impact it has on all of us, and to challenge outdated perceptions of what it means to be over 50.

In 2019, SunLife commissioned its Finances After 50 report,[44] which looks at what people aged 50+ in the UK do with their money, and the link between what they buy or save and their relative happiness. The report reveals that a third of people aged over 50 in the UK have no private pension.[45] It also discusses financial planning and explores how some over 50s are gaining extra income.

In 2020, as part of their ongoing research on life after 50, SunLife released the top bucket list choices for people over 50.[46] Some of the most popular choices were holidaying in Australia, buying a new house, skydiving and meeting the Queen, as well as self-improvement goals such as quitting smoking and getting fit.

A Sun Fire Office insurance mark

The SunLife logo originates from the fire insurance marks that were utilised within the UK from the late seventeenth century to the beginning of the twentieth. These plaques were displayed on the insured buildings and indicated the organisation with whom they were insured. The first to use the mark was the Sun Fire Office.[47] These developed over 200 years to the current SunLife logo.

SunLife is known for their use of celebrity personalities in their advertising, including Frank Windsor,[48] June Whitfield,[49] Annette Crosbie,[50] Michael Parkinson,[51] Carol Vorderman[52] and Alan Titchmarsh.