Coming to terms with the death of a loved one is hard enough. But with the possible added financial pressure of losing an income, this can make a distressing situation even more difficult to cope with. Yet, in a recent survey conducted by Aviva, 68% had no plan for dealing with the death of either themselves or their partner.

You may be thinking about putting a plan in place to make sure your family are financially looked after should you die. However, you may be struggling with the decision and cost is a factor that puts a lot of people off taking out life insurance.

But the truth is, life insurance could cost a lot less than you think and for less than 40 pence a day, you* could provide a level of financial security for your family in the event of your death.

The latest figures published by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) show that 36,814 households benefitted from life insurance payouts in 2016 and that almost £3 billion was paid to claimants.

However, for some people the difference is not just about the money, it's about having options. Ben Brooks-Dutton shared his story about the tragic loss of his wife in a car crash in the Mirror. Talking about having a life insurance policy he said that he and his wife had, “initially joked about the policies, believing they would be throwing their money down the drain - before eventually agreeing to sign up for some cover.”

He describes how in the weeks after his wife's death in November 2012, he was so caught up in his grief that money was 'so far' from his mind and he didn't even remember that his wife had taken out a life insurance policy until his financial adviser told him shortly after the deadly smash.

But thanks to the cover, years on, the dad-of-one is able to work on a part-time basis, allowing him to spend valuable time with his son, Jackson. He said: "It's not just about the money, it's about having options. The money has paid for the house Jackson and I live in now and allows me to work part-time. I am able to be with my son and grieve.”

"People think that if they don't have life insurance cover, something would happen. The truth is nothing would happen, there would be no one there with a magic wand."

We know people don’t like to think about what would happen if they died; it’s a difficult subject to talk about. But we help our customers to get the right cover in place so they have peace of mind knowing that their loved ones will be taken care of financially if the worst was to happen.

Please get in touch on 0800 612 8005 if you would like to discuss your life insurance options – our trained advisors are here to help you find the right policy for your needs, at a price you can afford.

*Based on a monthly premium of £11.60 quoted by Essential Insurance based on 40-year old, non- smoker – level term life insurance, £150,000 over a 20-year term. Correct on 29.06.2017.