Some people may have death in service benefits in place through their employer. This is a free benefit offered by some firms which pays out a tax-free lump sum (usually based on your salary) should you die while still on the payroll.
However, you should carefully consider whether this would provide enough coverage for you. In many cases, it is prudent to have this alongside a separate life insurance policy. Death in service benefit pay outs are based on your salary (usually two or four times your annual salary) and may not be enough to provide for your family in the long-term. In addition, if you have death in service benefit through your employer but retire or no longer work for that company, you may not get the same benefit or level of protection. Remember that the older you are, the more expensive life cover can be so putting a life insurance policy in place when you are younger can reduce the cost of it.