Yes - in the UK most life insurance policies will pay out immediately if you receive a written terminal prognosis of less than 12 months or 6 months (depends on insurer). Assuming the policy runs beyond the expected date of death.This has been the case for at least 25 years, and was intended to avoid the awful situation whereby a family wage earner was dying (of, say cancer) and as a result of losing income during their final stages and being unable to work, but also having exhausted sick pay (12 month max), they would be unable to pay life insurance premiums and the policy lapses before the claim could be made.In more recent times it is acknowledged that the claimant and his/her family might like to utilise the money to do bucket list activities with the terminally ill policyholder and there is no problem with this.You must always read the policy documents for life insurance (or any insurance).I know this answer to be true for the United Kingdom IRO term insurance (plain life insurance) - elsewhere may be very different.