A Nation at Risk

Americans remain dramatically uninsured–and underinsured–for life insurance. In fact, life insurance ownership is at an all-time low. A startling 41 percent of U.S. adults have no life insurance at all, according to recent LIMRA data, and 43 percent of those who have coverage admit it’s not enough. Both men and women are less likely to own life insurance today than they were in 2004.

The odds of not having life insurance have increased dramatically for every age group since that time, and only one in 10 insured adults owns both permanent and term life insurance—half as many as in 2004.

This creates a nation of families who could be on the brink of financial ruin if a primary wage-earner dies. For example, of the households that own life insurance, seven in 10 have only enough to replace their household income for 3.5 years.

The general rule of thumb is to carry enough life insurance to replace income for seven to 10 years. For those fortunate enough to have employer-provided life insurance, many assume the relatively small amount of coverage it offers will be adequate for their needs, when in reality it often will pay for little more than final expenses.

Tally up the ongoing costs of mortgage payments, utilities, food, transportation, health care, clothing and all the daily necessities of life—not to mention longer-term expenses such as children’s college education—and you’ll quickly see the gap in coverage.

Those without life protection are obviously at even greater risk, especially since 61 percent of American workers live paycheck to paycheck, and 34 percent of households admit they would immediately have trouble meeting everyday living expenses if a primary wage earner died today.