January has a funny way of sharpening our focus. Once you cut through the “New Year, New You” chorus that bombards us at this time of year, there’s a quieter question that deserves some attention: am I actually set up if life throws a curveball?
We check our bank balances, tweak our budgets, maybe even promise ourselves we’ll finally get round to sorting our pensions. But when it comes to the parts of our finances designed for life’s bigger shocks, many of us still look the other way.
Life insurance is usually top of that list. And it’s understandable. Thinking about death isn’t exactly uplifting – but there is a different way to look at it. Life insurance isn’t about worst-case scenarios.. it’s about love, care and responsibility. It’s about making sure the people you care about aren’t left dealing with grief and financial stress at the same time.
That’s why we’ve created The Good Guide to Life Insurance, sponsored by ethical financial planners EQ Investors.
This short guide breaks down how life insurance actually works (in plain English), how much cover you might realistically need, and what affects the cost. We look at the different types of policies and how life insurance fits into a bigger financial plan. Crucially, we also dig into something that rarely gets talked about with insurance, and that’s ethics.
Because if you’re thinking carefully about where your money goes when you bank or invest, it makes sense to ask the same questions of your insurance. Some insurers invest heavily in fossil fuels or arms. Others are making real efforts to do better. No provider is perfect, but there are meaningful differences.
We also tackle common mistakes (buying too little cover, forgetting to review it, relying solely on work benefits), and explain when and why it’s worth checking your policy still does what you think it does. Life insurance doesn’t need to be complicated, expensive or depressing. But you do need to be intentional about it.
If you have people who rely on you such as a partner, children, parents, or even just shared financial commitments, this is one of the strongest and most caring money moves you can make.
So if fresh finances are on your mind this year, start here.
Download the Good Guide to Life Insurance here.
