Here’s Why That’s Now Risky, Costly, and Unnecessary.
Many executors and trustees continue to rely on a London Gazette Section 27 notice or similar legal ad, hoping it shields them from liability but it doesn't.
A Section 27 notice does not eliminate personal liability.
It does not protect beneficiaries from missed claims or losses.
In contrast, Section 27 notice insurance is cheaper, faster, and offers real protection.
If you're looking for better peace of mind, why not get a Section 27 insurance quote instead?
This guide explains why Section 27 notices are no longer the safest or most cost-effective option—and why Section 27 notice insurance is a faster, cheaper, and more protective alternative.
A London Gazette Section 27 trustee act notice simply advertises the executor’s intent to settle claims, it doesn’t prevent or cover liability, despite perceptions to the contrary. If no Section 27 notice insurance is in place, beneficiaries can still sue personal representatives for failing to protect them from financial loss.
Section 27 insurance offers real financial protection—covering claims, legal costs, and beneficiary disputes, without delay or public disclosure.
Best practice is to request a deceased credit report (free via Experian or Equifax) before buying insurance. This simple step earns you a discount from our insurer and strengthens your protection.
Many solicitors still believe that placing a Section 27 Notice provides legal protection for personal representatives under the Trustee Act 1925. But this is a common misunderstanding.
A Section 27 Notice does not eliminate personal liability.
If a claim arises after the estate has been distributed and no Section 27 Insurance is in place, beneficiaries may still sue the personal representatives for failing to protect them from financial loss.
Worse still, if a law firm advised using a notice instead of insurance, this could trigger a Professional Indemnity Insurance claim.
That’s why relying on a notice alone is a risk—not a safeguard.
Section 27 Insurance offers a stronger, smarter alternative. It protects both personal representatives and beneficiaries against unknown creditor claims. It’s often cheaper than publishing notices and doesn’t impose a two-month wait before distributing the estate.
When combined with an Early Distribution Insurance policy, beneficiaries could receive their inheritance almost as soon as the Grant of Probate is issued. And if the estate includes property still to be sold, the insurance allows the sale proceeds to be passed directly to the beneficiaries once completed.
Meanwhile, if beneficiaries learn that delays are due to waiting for a notice to expire, it can create avoidable pressure and frustration for the personal representatives.
With the availability of affordable, insurer-backed Section 27 Insurance from Insuristic, there is no longer any practical or legal need to place costly notices in The Gazette or local newspapers.
Our insurance goes far beyond what a Section 27 Notice can offer. It provides comprehensive protection for personal representatives and beneficiaries—covering unknown creditor claims that could otherwise result in legal liability.
Section 27 Notices, by contrast, offer no protection to beneficiaries and do not remove liability from the executors or administrators if a claim arises.
Section 27 of the Trustee Act 1925 allows personal representatives to publish notices to help protect against unknown creditor claims.
Traditionally, this has meant placing a Section 27 Notice in The Gazette and a local newspaper, a process that’s now outdated, expensive, and slows everything down.
Here’s why the traditional approach no longer makes sense:
Unnecessary Cost: Publishing notices can cost £300–£400+ per estate.
Built-in Delay: It forces a two-month wait before you can distribute the estate—even if no claims arise.
No Protection for Beneficiaries: Creditors can still make claims against beneficiaries after distribution.
Limited Protection for Executors: Without insurance, personal representatives remain exposed to legal claims from beneficiaries if losses occur.
With Section 27 Insurance from Insuristic, you can move forward faster and with confidence:
Get covered in minutes, entirely online
Distribute the estate sooner—no mandatory wait
Protect both personal representatives and beneficiaries
Enjoy lifetime cover, with no excess
Typically pay less than placing a notice
To save even more we recommend that personal representatives also obtain a Deceased Credit and Liability Report from Equifax or Experian. These reports are free to request and provide a thorough overview of the deceased’s financial liabilities, enabling direct settlement of known debts and further reducing your insurance premium.
Together, this proactive approach offers superior protection, speeds up the process, and demonstrates a responsible standard of care.
For an estate valued at £250,000:
Typical Section 27 Notice:
£390 (includes Gazette and local newspaper placement)
Insuristic Section 27 Insurance:
£119 – Arranged by a law firm
£202 – DIY, but with a law firm’s support
£238 – Fully DIY estate administration
Plus the Section 27 Insurance Provides:
There’s no need to wait two months after placing a notice. You can distribute the estate as soon as you're ready after the Grant of Probate.
Insurance covers both personal representatives and beneficiaries against claims from unknown creditors, protection a Section 27 Notice simply doesn’t provide.
There’s no excess to pay, cover is valid for life, and the policy can be arranged online in just a few minutes.
Choosing insurance shows a proactive and responsible approach to estate administration, supporting your obligations and helping to mitigate legal and reputational risks.
Section 27 Notices are no longer best practice.
They’re expensive, delay estate distribution, offer no protection to beneficiaries, and don’t fully protect personal representatives.
Modern law firms are choosing Section 27 Insurance instead—not just to save money, but to demonstrate a proactive, compliant, and client-focused approach to estate administration.
If your firm is still recommending notices, now is the time to rethink that process.
Join the growing number of firms who are modernising probate.
Offer faster distribution, better protection, and greater peace of mind—without compromise.
Don’t get drawn into outdated practices or unnecessary costs.
Many law firms still recommend Section 27 Notices simply because "that’s how it’s always been done"—but it’s no longer necessary.
You can save money, protect yourself and the beneficiaries, and distribute the estate faster with Section 27 Insurance from Insuristic.
A Section 27 notice is a legal ad—usually placed in the London Gazette, that notifies creditors and sets a deadline to make claims on an estate under the Trustee Act. However, it does not protect personal representatives from liability if a claim arises.
No. A Section 27 notice isn’t mandatory. Insuristic’s no section 27 notice insurance offers better protection without the public exposure or formal notice
No. Filing a section 27 notice during probate is optional, not a legal prerequisite. Most estates proceed without it, relying instead on No Section 27 Insurance.
No. It warns potential claimants, but doesn’t cover any successful claims. Beneficiaries remain unprotected without adequate Section 27 Insurance
Costs include the London Gazette section 27 notice fee (typically £70–£100 for the Notice) plus solicitor or advertising costs often significantly more than what the Section 27 Insurance coverage would cost but without the protection.
The section 27 notice time limit is usually 2 months from publication, though probate procedures may require additional waiting. Meanwhile, liabilities remain unprotected. Which means delays to distributing the estate. There is no waiting period with No Section 27 Insurance.
You risk being personally liable for any late or unknown claims. A missed creditor claim could result in you paying from your own funds after the estate has been distributed.
Yes, but it’s unnecessary. Insurance offers full protection; adding a notice adds cost, delay, and public disclosure with no added benefit.
As an executor or administrator, you can be personally liable for defending claims and covering losses if you don’t have Probate Insurance, even when the claim is made against the estate, not directly against you.
Contentious probate isn’t limited to courtroom battles; it often begins with disagreements over who inherits, how the estate is handled, or whether the Will is valid.
These situations may involve someone being left out of the Will, a dispute over how much someone should receive, concerns about how the Will was created, or confusion when no Will exists. Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 are particularly common.
Such disputes can delay the probate process, increase costs, and expose executors to personal liability. It’s far better to identify and address potential risks early, before they escalate.
They’ll assess your situation, confirm whether a claim is unlikely (which may help you qualify for Early Distribution Insurance), or provide expert guidance on how to protect both yourself and the estate from risk.
Probate Insurance can help protect against:
Rob Faulkner is a leading expert in executor insurance risk and probate insurance, with nearly 30 years’ experience in the UK insurance market. He is the founder of Insuristic, a specialist provider of probate-related insurance solutions and educational content for executors.
Rob is an ACII Chartered Insurance Broker, a Chartered Manager, and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. His background spans insurers, brokers, and Insurtechs, always focused on innovation, transparency, simplicity, and fair value.
He’s passionate about helping everyday people, executors, beneficiaries, and law firms choose the right probate property insurance or unoccupied home insurance, without jargon, inflated fees, or hidden commissions.
Rob is especially passionate about product development and improving insurance education through marketing, helping people understand what they are buying. These values sit at the heart of everything we do at Insuristic.
Want to learn more? Visit my author page or follow me on LinkedIn.
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Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.
Please Note: Our broking team at SJL Insurance will need to talk to you to discuss your requirements. This is an advised service.