SunLife currently offers over 50s life insurance and equity release in the United Kingdom.

[8] The society's first office opened opposite the Bank of England in London, and actuary Joshua Milne was appointed the first member of staff.

[9] At an 1815 board meeting it was decided that, for the future, burial as well as death certificates would be required to substantiate claims.

Dr Henry Herbert Southey had previously been a Physician-in-Ordinary to the Monarch in 1823, and later Physician-Extraordinary for Queen Adelaide.

[11] 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”.

Towards the end of that year, they became the first company in the industry to offer life assurance without a medical examination.

[17] 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.

[18] In the years leading up to the Second World War, Sun Life Assurance Society owned East Hall, a house in the outskirts of Orpington.

[26] In 1992, French insurer UAP became Sun Life Assurance Society's major shareholder.

[32] In the same year, SunLife announced a range of savings products, including stocks and shares ISAs.

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.

SunLife is known for their use of celebrity personalities in their advertising, including Frank Windsor,[41] June Whitfield,[42] Annette Crosbie,[43] Michael Parkinson,[44] Carol Vorderman,[45] Alan Titchmarsh and Roger Martin.