When their friend Donald unexpectedly drops down dead pub landlord Colin proposes that he and his older friends Oscar, Julian and Vernon take out life insurance policies, with the last one standing taking all the money. Both the pub and Julian's advertising firm are on hard times whilst teacher Oscar, whose marriage has grown stale, has a sexual encounter with precocious pupil Louise. Wrongly believing that Vernon has a heart condition Julian's wife Susy decides to help him on his way with afternoon sex sessions and soon he has acquired a reputation, causing his wife Gaynor to leave him. With Julian bankrupt, Oscar on a life support after Vernon accidentally ran over him, Colin suffering from burns caused by a kitchen fire and a depressed Vernon about to hang himself it seem s unlikely that any of them will survive to claim the pot.