Carlton Crabbe
Founder and CEO, Capital for Life
Carlton Crabbe has 30 years of specialist experience in international life insurance, IUL and PPLI, for HNW and UHNW internationally mobile families, entrepreneurs and their advisers across the UAE, UK, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. He is the author of the IUL Buyer Survey 2026 and of Capital for Life's guides to IUL and PPLI.
Carlton Crabbe
Founder and CEO, Capital for Life
Carlton Crabbe: background and work
Carlton Crabbe is the Founder and CEO of Capital for Life. Capital for Life specialises in IUL and PPLI for internationally mobile families and the advisers who serve them. Carlton is based in Dubai, and Capital for Life Ltd is headquartered in the United Kingdom.
With 30 years of specialist experience, earlier FCA-approved roles at Barclays Private Bank and Grant Thornton UK, and a role with Barclays Private Bank in the DIFC, Dubai, from 2011 to 2014, he designs cross-border IUL and PPLI structures for protection, liquidity and global estate planning across the UAE, UK, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Capital for Life has worked with (U)HNW and corporate clients from Google, Red Bull, BlackRock and L'Oréal, private equity executives, the UK government, hedge fund managers, billionaires, and pop and sports stars. The firm works alongside financial advisers, tax specialists, trustees, private bankers, fiduciaries and family offices, designing high-value IUL and PPLI strategies, multi-pay solutions, policy loan arrangements and trust-based planning.
Capital for Life can arrange premium financing for IUL. Carlton prefers multi-pay, with premiums paid over several years, and presents it alongside premium financing.
Most of the firm's business comes from the UAE and the Middle East, alongside UK nationals abroad and clients in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. IUL and PPLI through Capital for Life are available to residents of more than 150 countries, where allowable, subject to local regulation and insurer acceptance.
At a glance
- Role
- Founder and CEO, Capital for Life
- Based in
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Company
- Capital for Life Ltd, UK company 12976386, incorporated 2020
- Experience
- 30 years in international life insurance
- Qualification
- CII Financial Planning Certificate
- FCA Register
- CJC00058, formerly approved; regulatory approval no longer required
- Private bank
- Barclays Private Bank, UK 2009 to 2012, and DIFC, Dubai 2011 to 2014
- Award
- Estate Planning Specialist of the Year, Finalist 2023
- Research
- Author, IUL Buyer Survey 2026
Career: 2001 to date
Carlton Crabbe was formerly FCA-approved. His UK roles are on the FCA public register under his individual reference, CJC00058. From 2011 to 2014 he was with Barclays Private Bank in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), which was not an FCA-approved role.
UK roles from 2001, Barclays Private Bank in Dubai from 2011, and Capital for Life from 2020
UK roles: years as listed on the FCA Register. Dubai role: years confirmed by Carlton Crabbe.
- FCA-approved role (public register)5 firms
- Barclays Private Bank, DIFC, Dubai (not FCA-approved)2011 to 2014
- Capital for Life, Founder and CEO2020 to date
| Firm | Years | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Chase de Vere Financial Solutions | 2001 to 2004 | FCA-approved role |
| Ethical Investment Network | 2005 to 2006 | FCA-approved role |
| Paradigm Norton Financial Planning | 2006 to 2008 | FCA-approved role |
| Grant Thornton UK | 2008 | FCA-approved role |
| Barclays Private Bank | 2009 to 2012 | FCA-approved role |
| Barclays Private Bank, DIFC, Dubai | 2011 to 2014 | Dubai role, not FCA-approved |
| Capital for Life | 2020 to date | Founder and CEO |
Check the record. Search the FCA Register for individual reference CJC00058 to see each role, its dates and the current status.
Credentials: qualification, record and recognition
CII Financial Planning Certificate
Carlton holds the Financial Planning Certificate of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).
Formerly FCA-approved
FCA Register individual reference CJC00058. Status: regulatory approval no longer required. No FCA or PRA disciplinary or regulatory action. Check the FCA Register.
Estate Planning Specialist of the Year
Finalist, 2023.
$868m+ of life cover placed
Total life cover placed over Carlton Crabbe's career. This is his own career figure, not a Capital for Life firm statistic.
Research
Carlton Crabbe is the author of the IUL Buyer Survey 2026, published by Capital for Life Research.
The survey in brief
- 1,800 verified enquiries, with data from June 2024 to June 2025.
- Enquirers from more than 40 countries, including the UAE, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and Switzerland.
- 83% had no financial adviser at the point of enquiry.
- 64% planned to decide within 90 days.
How is the survey cited?Crabbe, C. (2026). Indexed Universal Life Insurance (IUL): Annual Survey of High-Net-Worth Buyers 2026. Capital for Life.
Financial adviser at the point of enquiry
1,800 verified enquiries, June 2024 to June 2025. Read the advice gap chapter.
Media: press, podcasts and video
Coverage in which Carlton Crabbe is quoted, interviewed or appears. Each link opens the original.
Press and articles
- Financial Times · 8 June 2007Ethical investments are in vogue
Quoted as a financial planner at Paradigm Norton Financial Planning on interest in ethical investing among high net worth clients.
- Financial Times · 5 October 2007An assured position in the hereafter
Retirement and mortgage planning comment as a senior financial planner at Paradigm Norton.
- The Business Times · 25 February 2026Points to consider before you commit to an indexed universal life plan
Interview on realistic expectations for IUL and funding a policy consistently and on time.
- The Business Times · 14 January 2026Rising appetite for high-net-worth insurance, even among the mass affluent
Coverage of the IUL Buyer Survey and the advice gap it found.
- The Business Times · 28 October 2024The fine print in indexed universal life plans
Four elements to examine when choosing an insurer for an IUL policy.
- The Business Times · 10 May 2021Universal life insurance - not just a wealth protection plan
Comment on the interest rate environment for premium financing.
- Gulf Business · 31 March 2020Covid-19: The new business opportunities in the Middle East and beyond
Comment on high net worth demand for life cover, with quote requests of $5m to $10m.
- International Adviser · 27 June 2014Universal Life policies in vogue to pay less tax
Quoted on demand for universal life among HNW and UHNW clients in Dubai.
- Australian Financial Review · 15 May 2003British feel betrayed by AMP
Quoted as a financial adviser with Chase de Vere on AMP's UK with-profits business.
- The Guardian · 8 July 2000Sixty seconds in: Financial advice
Interview with Miles Brignall, as an account associate at Chase De Vere Investments.
- GSB · 1 November 2021 · Guest articleRetirement Planning: How to build a safer income by adding Index Life Insurance to your portfolio
Article by Carlton Crabbe on using IUL alongside a portfolio for retirement income.
Podcasts and video
- BT Correspondents podcast · 12 May 2026High-net-worth insurance as a multi-generational wealth planning tool
WealthBT podcast with BT wealth editor Genevieve Cua.
- Made in Dubai with Spencer Lodge · 3 June 2024#296: Eye-Opening Advice for Protecting Your Business, Profits & Livelihood With Carlton Crabbe
Podcast on key person cover and protection for business owners.
- Skybound Wealth · 30 January 2023The Expat Investor Podcast - Ep 15
Guest on international life insurance and protection for expatriates.
- PCD Group on YouTube · 18 August 2023Carlton Crabbe, CEO of Capital for Life: Insurance solutions for UHNW clients in the Middle East
Video interview on insurance for UHNW clients in the Middle East.
- PCD Group on YouTube · January 2022The Hot Seat Live with Carlton Crabbe
Live interview with David Bell.
- Enness Global on YouTube · 19 June 2020Enness Webinar: My next guest is Carlton Crabbe, Capital for Life
Webinar on life insurance and other ways to protect wealth.
Adviser reviews: working with Carlton
Named advisers and wealth managers who have worked with Carlton Crabbe and Capital for Life on client cases.
Carlton's knowledge and expertise is invaluable in the field of life assurance planning for HNW individuals and families. A clear communicator who can quickly craft a solution and is unrelenting on a successful delivery.
Matt TailfordCommercial Director, Hoxton Capital ManagementCarlton Crabbe and the team at Capital For Life have been an immeasurable asset. Carlton's experience in structuring solutions for our HNW clients has been a great benefit to our team, and the feedback from our valued clients has been unanimously positive.
Bob BhowmikChief Operating Officer, SVN CapitalI've had the pleasure to work with Carlton and the whole team on a number of occasions. I've found them very professional and thorough when preparing UL cases for my clients. Carlton has a wealth of knowledge on his offering and the whole CFL team is first class in their work behind the scenes.
James GormleySenior Partner, Finsbury WealthCarlton is an invaluable trusted advisor who identified creative solutions for my high net worth clients using specialised life insurance options. He is a true expert in this field and someone who increases the professionalism in this specialist area.
Marc BeattieDirector, Wealth Management ServicesCarlton and the team at Capital for Life have consistently impressed me with their knowledge of the IUL marketplace and their ability to provide creative, bespoke solutions for clients with a variety of personal circumstances. They are professional, informative and always respond promptly — a genuine pleasure to work with.
Gareth BowkettAssociate Director, Indigo Financial AnalysisWorking with Carlton is a pleasure. He delivers a constant high level of quality work and is always responsive and communicative.
Hugh McGrenraBusiness Development Manager, ARIA Capital ManagementWhat Carlton writes about: guides, research and tools
Carlton Crabbe writes Capital for Life's guides to IUL and PPLI and the policy loan pages, and is the author of the IUL Buyer Survey.
- Indexed universal life insurance
- Private placement life insurance
- IUL policy loans
- Cross-border estate planning
- International life insurance underwriting
Indexed Universal Life Insurance
How IUL works and how internationally mobile families use it.
Read the IUL guide Pillar guidePrivate Placement Life Insurance
How a PPLI structure is set up, with the client as policyholder.
Read the PPLI guide HubIUL Policy Loans
Both IUL loan types, tax treatment and the main risks.
Read the overview ComparisonIUL Loan vs Withdrawal
Which route costs less, and what each does to the policy.
Read the comparison CalculatorIUL Fixed Loan Calculator
The fixed loan at different loan-to-value levels and index returns.
Open the calculator CalculatorIUL Participating Loan Calculator
The participating loan with reference scenarios.
Open the calculator ResearchIUL Buyer Survey 2026
1,800 verified enquiries, June 2024 to June 2025.
Read the survey Research chapterThe IUL advice gap
83% of enquirers had no financial adviser at the point of enquiry.
Read the chapter- Technical notes for advisers, including insurer research, are in the adviser briefing library.
- Client cases written up from real planning are in Capital for Life case studies.
“Having worked with Carlton for many years, I saw first-hand the care he took to get to the right solution for clients and how collaborative he was with colleagues. In recent years, he has specialised in offshore planning, notably trusts and life assurance, to an extent that there's nobody I'm aware of in the industry who knows more about those areas.”
Discuss a case with Carlton
Advisers can book a case review with Carlton Crabbe. To request an IUL or PPLI illustration, email quotes@capitalforlife.com.
Basis of this profile
- FCA Register: individual reference CJC00058; roles and years as listed on the public register; status "regulatory approval no longer required".
- Dubai role: Barclays Private Bank, DIFC, 2011 to 2014, confirmed by Carlton Crabbe. It was not an FCA-approved role, so it is not on the FCA Register.
- Qualification: CII Financial Planning Certificate.
- $868m+: total life cover placed over Carlton Crabbe's career. It is his own career figure, not a Capital for Life firm statistic.
- IUL Buyer Survey 2026: 1,800 verified enquiries, data from June 2024 to June 2025.
- Media: every link was opened and checked on 7 November 2026; job titles in older coverage are those used at the time.
Capital for Life Ltd is a UK company, number 12976386, with its registered office at 5 Brayford Square, London, E1 0SG.
Press & Media Enquiries
For interviews, data citations, or media collaboration:
Cite this profile
- Capital for Life (2026). Carlton Crabbe, Founder and CEO of Capital for Life.
capitalforlife.com/about/carlton-crabbe
Capital for Life works with regulated financial advisers, private banks, trustees and family offices, and with the internationally mobile families and entrepreneurs they look after. Where an adviser introduces a client, that adviser's own regulatory permissions govern the advice given to their client.
This profile describes Carlton Crabbe's professional background and is for information only. It is not financial, tax or legal advice. Carlton Crabbe's former FCA approval was his own, as an individual, and his register status is "regulatory approval no longer required". Capital for Life itself is not authorised or regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority.
Capital for Life is a Partner Practice of Forest Wealth for the purpose of advising on the company's wealth management products and services. Forest Wealth is regulated in Switzerland, Mauritius, and South Africa, with recognised regulatory relationships in the UAE, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. Service availability may vary by location.
© 2026 Capital for Life Ltd. All rights reserved.