UK based Barclays Bank penned a deal with Norwich Union to provide life insurance products for the retail market online, a strategy which contrasts the approach of many Australian insurance firms.

The deal means Barclays will offer both level and decreasing term insurance products online. The Norwich Union products will be marketed as Simplified Life on the website.

"The Norwich Union partnership enables us to expand our protection offering to include life insurance - a product which is essential to many customers," said Gary Duggan, Barclays managing director for consumer lending and insurance.'

Aviva owned Norwich Union already provides motor, travel and home insurance to Barclays.

Barclays move is at odds to the approach of many top Australian insurers which use financial advisers to provide life insurance.

In May, Clive Levinthal, CommInsure general manager of life, super and investment products, said the firm was not looking to launch a direct to market online insurance product.

"We will not do anything that's hurts our advisers, it's an important access area. We'll compliment it with distributing products with telemarketing, but that's a specific segment for vanilla type products," he said.

Richard Klipin, Association of Financial Advisers chief executive, affirmed this notion. He said life insurance needed advisers to help clients choose an appropriate product.

"The role of websites helps with the education, but it doesn't mean [the customer will] do anything with it," he said.

"The catalyst comes with the adviser. Particularly in the complex areas, there is the paper trail, there is underwriting and they need to know your medical history."