Over a third of British families (37%) have never discussed with their partner or another family member what will happen to their dependent children if either of them dies.
Parents' reluctance to face up to their mortality is just one part of the ‘family protection gap' identified by research from Tesco Bank Life Insurance.
Over 40% of all parents with children under the age of 18 do not currently have life insurance, with 60% of these parents citing money worries as a key reason.
Of the parents who don't have life insurance, 39% indicated that the main reason for this is because they couldn't afford it.
However, the research shows that almost half (46%) of parents surveyed spend at least the equivalent of an average monthly life insurance premium (£15-£20) on some entertainment activities for their kids over just one weekend.
One in five parents surveyed (20%) also admitted that they don't really understand how life insurance works.
Psychologist Honey Langcaster-James said: "This issue throws up big, challenging questions about life and death and many would prefer to just stick their head in the sand.
"Families are using the perceived cost to justify why they do not have the necessary cover in place. However the real issue here is not one of cost as the findings above clearly demonstrate."
