Insurance most popular with ‘safe risk takers’

The Galaxy research poll – commissioned by TAL – found 70 per cent of people who could be described as “taking some risks but mostly conservative” had life insurance in place. 

In addition, 75 per cent of this group had disability insurance, 76 per cent had income protection insurance and 72 per cent had critical illness insurance.

By contrast, just 20 per cent of people who “avoid risk” and eight per cent of “risk takers” had taken out a life insurance policy, the poll found.

In terms of disability, income protection and critical illness protection, less than 10 per cent of risk takers and less than 16 per cent of risk avoiders had signed up for these policies.

TAL Group CEO Jim Minto said the results were surprising.

“These findings show that conservative or moderate risk takers are the ones who in most cases have decided to put in place financial protection, not those who embrace or worry about risk,” he said.

Conservatives were also the largest group represented in the survey, comprising around 61 per cent of respondents, according to the poll.

By contrast, risk avoiders made up 28 per cent of respondents and risk takers just five per cent.