IF there is one personal finance decision you take this year, it should be to ensure that both partners in a permanent relationship carry some form of life insurance. Recent statistics gathered by Norwich Union have shown that while

87 per cent of families have some sort of personal insurance (this compares quite favourably to the general population cover which is reckoned to be only 50 per cent), the vast number of those spouses covered happened to be male.

With term assurance rates amongst the lowest in Europe, the Irish Brokers' Association, commenting on the Norwich Union survey, is calling for the insurance of female spouses, especially those with dependant children, to be a priority this year. "There is an understandable tradition that the wife and children should have insurance support in the event of the death of the husband, but this overlooks the financial realities if the wife dies," says Paul Carty of the IBA.

The following are typical, 10 year term assurance premiums for women between the age of 30-45.