According to a survey conducted by YouGov in December last year, 1 in 5 Brits intended to make New Year resolutions – 25% of all women surveyed. Although, YouGov also reports that in 2017 a quarter of those who made resolutions failed to keep to any of them! In fact, of those people who had made resolutions last year, one in five (22%) had already failed to keep to all their resolutions just six days into the year.

As it’s that time of year again, when some of us are still trying to figure out what our New Year’s resolutions will be (and some may have already failed to keep theirs), we thought we’d see how buying life insurance could help you achieve some of the classics; leading a healthier lifestyle, saving money or not being a terrible person.

Doubtful? Here’s how buying life insurance might help you keep three of the classic New Year’s resolutions for 2018.

Be a better person
There are lots of ways you can try to be a better person. You can be nicer to people, you can donate to charity, you can be more patient with your children, the list could go on.

Or, you could buy life insurance.

Life insurance helps protect your family by making sure their financial needs – housing, university fees, everyday costs – are secured. There’s no "what if" when it comes to paying for a mortgage once you’re gone, no wondering how your spouse will reach retirement without your income to contribute.

It also helps protect your family against inheriting your debt. Some debt, especially if a family member jointly applied for it, will follow your family even if you’re not around. The last thing they’ll want is debt collectors calling nonstop. Mortgage, student loans, credit card debt – they can all be handled with a life insurance pay out.

Looking beyond your family, did you know you can also donate your life insurance pay out to a charity of your choice? Nominating a charity (or museum, or school, or anything else) as your beneficiary ensures that your legacy will live on for years to come, allowing people you’ve never even met to continue enjoying education, culture, and the arts.

Not a bad way to become a better person, right?

Spend less and save more
Financial-related resolutions are common, and life insurance can play a role. Most often people start with something simple, like setting a budget or saving more – which is great! – but you shouldn’t stop there. Budgeting is a good foundation for better money habits, and life insurance can be part of that foundation too.

When you buy life insurance, you’re thinking years – decades – down the line. Buying a 30-year term policy means you’re getting a big picture view of your life and your finances, which is a great way to think about money. You need to think about the future when it comes to your money, and you’re doing that with life insurance.

Life insurance also forces you to think about your money in a more holistic way. One of the best ways to calculate your life insurance needs is to think about all the expenses, debts, and financial plans you have. You need to know how much coverage will ensure that all your financial obligations are taken care of for your family; that might mean scrutinising your credit card debt more closely, finally looking into savings plans for your children’s further education, or seriously tackling your own student loans. By thinking about life insurance, you’re thinking about every aspect of your financial plan and you’ve just supercharged your financial resolution.

Enjoy life
How are you going to enjoy life more in 2018? Will you be less negative? Will you take up a new hobby?

One thing you might try is reducing the stress in your life. Do you know what can help you do that?

That’s right. Life insurance.

No one knows that the future will hold, so there’s no point in worrying about every little thing that can go wrong. The best we can do is, as they say, plan for the worst and hope for the best. While you’re investing, saving, and building your financial safety net, wouldn’t it be nice to know that if you die before you finish investing, saving, and building your financial safety net, your family is still taken care of?

Buying life insurance can take the stress of an unknown financial future off your shoulders. People say it gives them ‘peace of mind’. That way you can focus on what really matters – making other plans and spending more time in the present – instead of always worrying about "what if...".

New Year’s resolutions are a way to start fresh and achieve new goals. Even if we don’t reach all of them, it’s worth putting in the effort to see how we can better ourselves. Buying life insurance could be a good goal for you and a good goal for your family and their future. So, why not add it to your list this year and see how many other resolutions it can help you cross off in 2018.

If you’d like to discuss your options, our advisors are here to help. Simply give us a call on 0800 612 8005 and we can help you to decide the best plan for you and your family.