Group Life Master Trust
Our Group Life Master Trust is a professionally run, multi‑employer trust for group life cover. It centralises governance and administration, so you don’t need to create or maintain your own trusts.
Enjoy the benefits of a group life trust when you enrol in the Mercer Marsh Benefits Group Life Master Trust (GLMT). It’s ideal for employers who want to help simplify Group Life Assurance (GLA) governance, cut administrative burden and secure independent trustee oversight. Benefit from independent trustees, easier insurance provider moves and lower operational risk.
Key benefits
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Independent trustee governance
Decisions are taken by professional trustees experienced in GLA and claims governance, helping reduce conflict and legal exposure. -
Provider portability
Move to a competitive provider without creating new trusts or duplicating administration. -
Reduced employer administration
Mercer Marsh Benefits and the trustee handle governance, reporting and documentation, helping free HR and legal teams. -
Regulatory compliance
The trust governance framework is kept current with UK legislation and best practice. -
Fairer, faster claims handling
Independent decision-making helping to improve consistency and claimant experience.
Why choose the Mercer Marsh Benefits group life master trust?
Mercer Marsh Benefits combines global experience with local UK market knowledge. Our GLMT offering is designed to provide clear benefits:
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Professional, independent trustees with duties to act in beneficiaries’ best interests.
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A governance framework that reduces legal and operational risk.
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Portability that enables provider competition without creating new trusts.
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Streamlined administration, reporting and trustee reviews — helping save HR time and associated costs.
Watch the video below for more information.
Contact us
Simply tell us a bit more about yourself and a member of the team will be in touch.
What is a Group Life Master Trust?
A Group Life Master Trust (GLMT) is a centralised trust structure that allows multiple employers to join a single professionally governed trust for Group Life Assurance (GLA). Instead of each employer operating a separate trust, the GLMT provides shared governance and an independent trustee model to help manage the associated legal obligations, documentation and claims decisions.
GLMTs are compatible with both Registered and Excepted scheme designs, meaning employers can select the structure that aligns with their tax and benefit objectives while retaining governance and portability advantages.
Registered vs Excepted solutions
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Registered Group LifeRegistered with HMRC and subject to pension rules; benefits may count towards an individual’s Lump Sum and Death Benefit Allowance (LSDBA).
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Excepted Group LifeGoverned under life insurance legislation rather than pension legislation; may be appropriate for certain employer objectives.
How the GLMT works
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Review & designWe assess your current GLA arrangements and recommend Registered or Excepted design where applicable.
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Trust set‑upMercer Marsh Benefits and an independent trustee establish the master trust and required documentation.
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Provider transition (optional)Policies can be moved to your chosen provider with reduced administrative overhead.
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Ongoing governanceThe trustee carries out regular reviews, reporting and regulatory updates.
Governance controls & trustee oversight
Mercer Marsh Benefits GLMT uses a structured governance framework including:
- Independent trustee appointments with deep GLA experience.
- Regular trustee performance reviews and reporting cycles.
- Clear documentation standards and an auditable decision‑making process for claims.
This framework helps reduce the risk of outdated legal documentation and delivers a consistent trustee approach across participating employers.
Contact us
Simply tell us a bit more about yourself and a member of the team will be in touch.
FAQs
A GLMT is a multi‑employer trust managed by professional trustees. Unlike a single‑employer trust, it centralises governance, so employers don’t need to manage separate trust documents or trustee processes. It’s a practical alternative to setting up a provider's master trust arrangement or creating a standalone structure, helping employers simplify oversight while retaining robust governance.
Benefits include independent governance, reduced administration, consistent claims handling and governance continuity. Joining the Mercer Marsh Benefits GLMT removes the need to create or maintain your own policy trust arrangement and avoids the complexity of a separate company owned trust for this purpose. Instead, you participate in one professionally run structure designed to support multiple employers, help cut employer workload by shifting governance, documentation, reviews, and much of the ongoing administration to Mercer Marsh Benefits and the independent trustees. This helps reduce the risk of governance tasks becoming time consuming for HR and legal teams.
Registered schemes are registered with HMRC and may affect Lump Sum and Death Benefit Allowance (LSDBA). Excepted group life policies and schemes fall under life insurance law and are not subject to pension registration rules. Depending on plan design and provider requirements, eligibility and pricing may include default values for some data fields or may be medically underwritten for certain members or benefit levels. Mercer Marsh Benefits will advise which model fits your goals.
The GLMT remains in place when you move providers; this allows employers to switch providers with reduced administrative burden while retaining the trust’s governance.
A GLMT is generally structured as a discretionary trust. Claims are reviewed and decided by the independent trustee board with support from Mercer Marsh Benefits administration and technical experts, supporting consistent, fair and timely outcomes.
1. Employers that want to reduce the administrative and legal burden of running a separate trust.
2. Organisations seeking consistent, independent claims decisions and governance.
3. Companies wanting to move providers without the complexity of new trust deeds or duplicated administration.
When an employee passes away, the trustee board considers the available evidence and makes an independent decision about the appropriate beneficiaries. This approach helps promote consistency and supports a smoother experience for families and employers.
Typically, benefits under a group life scheme are paid at the trustees’ discretion rather than automatically forming part of an employee’s estate. The scheme administrator supports the process by providing the information required for the trustees to make a timely, well documented decision.
Employees should complete an expression of wish form so trustees understand their preferences. It isn’t legally binding, but it’s an important piece of guidance that can help reduce delays and uncertainty when a claim is assessed.
Mercer Marsh Benefits is a trading name used by Mercer Limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 121935). Mercer Limited is registered in England and Wales (Registration Number 984275). Registered Office: 1 Tower Place West, Tower Place, London, EC3R 5BU. © 2026 Marsh. All rights reserved
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