One in four UK adults without a life insurance policy believe the cover is too expensive, research by AXA suggests.

One in five didn’t believe they needed it, while just over one in ten said they had never thought about it.

However, the research also suggests UK adults are more likely to have life insurance than their European counterparts.

The study found around 71% of UK adults now have at least one life insurance policy compared with 45% in Italy and 53% in Germany and Spain.

But AXA says few UK adults are adequately covered with just 20% having income protection to tide them through periods of sickness or unemployment, despite worsening economic conditions.

Graham Harvey, AXA managing director of protection, says: “While it is encouraging to see the majority of UK adults now have a life insurance policy, the reality is many people are still underinsured in key areas, particularly in the event of unemployment.

“It is particularly worrying to see how many people say they think protection insurance is either too expensive or that they don’t need it and this underlines the educational job that is still required to ensure more UK adults view adequate protection as a key part of their long term financial planning.

“With the housing market slowing, the trigger of buying a home will further decrease; this further highlights the need for individuals to seek independent financial advice for their protection needs.”

Of course, if you don’t have the time or inclination to visit an IFA, why don’t you use our calculator to assess your protection shortfalls.