Do I need life insurance if I’m single?
Many single people can benefit from life insurance. And in this guide, we’ll explain why.
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Life insurance isn’t just for couples. In fact, life insurance can protect anyone whose death would have a financial impact on their loved ones.
If you’re single and wondering about life insurance, here are some questions to consider:
- Do other family members (such as siblings or parents) depend on you financially?
- Do you own a property that you would like to leave to a loved one if you were to die?
- Do you have children from a previous relationship who you wish to financially protect?
If the answer is ‘yes’ to any of these questions, getting individual life insurance as a single person could be good idea.
People often think you only need life insurance at certain stages of your life, such as getting married, having children, or buying a property with a spouse. But while it’s certainly true that life insurance becomes especially important if you have financial dependants, this applies to many single people too.
The benefits of life insurance for single people
Let’s look in closer detail at when life insurance for single people can prove beneficial:
Buying a property
If you pass away before your mortgage is paid off, your life insurance could help pay the remaining amount. This could allow you to leave the property to loved ones or charitable causes that may be important to you. But if you don’t have an individual life policy or death in service with your employer, your bank or building society can seek repayment from your estate. If there is still not enough money to cover the costs, your lender can demand that the property is sold and may add interest charges in the meantime. So if you’re buying a property with friends or on your own, it could be a smart idea to take out life insurance.
Protecting your children
If you have children from a previous relationship, life insurance can give you peace of mind knowing your children would be cared for financially if the worst were to happen while you're covered by the policy. It could pay out a cash sum to your beneficiaries to help with things like childcare costs and everyday living expenses.
Friends and family
It’s not only children who might rely on you financially. As a single person, you may choose to help a close relative in full time education, or parents in retirement, for example. Life insurance could ensure this support continues should the worst happen. And there are other circumstances where life insurance could help your loved ones in ways you may not have considered. For example, a friend or family member may have agreed to act as a guarantor for a loan you have taken out and could be liable to repay the debt if you are unable to do so.
Life insurance isn’t always associated with young single adults. This is perhaps because the average age of a first marriage, or buying a first property, is between 30 and 35.
| Average age of first marriage | Average age of having a first child | ||
| Men | Women | Men | Women |
| 34.8 | 33.0 | 33.7 | 30.9 |
Sources: Office for National Statistics (2024 and 2025)*
However, it’s worth remembering that the younger you are, the less your life insurance premiums will typically cost when you take out your policy. So for many young single people, life insurance can be worth it.
If you raise your children without a partner, it can be especially challenging to imagine a world where you were no longer around. Life insurance can provide single mums and dads with the peace of mind in knowing that should the worst happen, there is financial support in place.
And if you’re about to start a family, read our guide to life insurance for expectant parents so you can plan ahead with confidence.
