Usually relates to group employee benefit schemes (life assurance, PHI) where an element of protection is offered without the need for medical evidence.
The maximum amount of death benefit which an insurance company covering a group of members for death benefits is prepared to insure for each individual, without production of evidence of health.
The extent to which death-in-service benefits will be made available under a group life assurance without investigation of an individual's health.
Usually, but not always, relates to group employee benefit schemes where an element of protection is offered without the need for medical evidence.
An insurance company may agree to cover a group of people for death benefits without asking for proof that they are in good health. For example, this group could be members of a pension scheme. Free cover is the highest amount of benefits that the insurance company will pay out for any one person under this system.