LifePolicyFactsThe runway
Runway is the payout plus savings divided by the monthly shortfall, which is expenses minus any income that continues. It answers a simple question: how long would we cope?
Example
With 400,000 of cover, 30,000 of savings, 4,200 of expenses and 1,800 of other income, the shortfall is 2,400 a month. That is about 179 months, nearly 15 years.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as other income?
Survivor benefits, a partner wage or rental income that would continue.
Is the payout invested?
This tool assumes it is simply drawn down, with no growth and no inflation.
FA
Written and reviewed by Fawad Alam, Founder and Editor. Last updated October 2026. How we write.