to think that the main breadwinner in a family should have critical illness cover

[splendide]

DH and I are disagreeing on this! Would be useful to know what other couples do.

Insurance is always a must

Not true. Provision for the 'what ifs' is pretty important, but buying an expensive insurance policy is not the only way to go about it.

If you insured everything you could, you would have no money for everything else.

It sounds like the OP could be in a good position to self insure by increasing her savings to tide them over any illnesses or other income losses. Some people get full pay from work for extended periods of sickness so could ride illness out that way.

Single mother here. On a budget.

I am insured up to the hilt. Critical illness, life assurance, private health.

It’s a priority for me.

bellsandwhistles89

Me too. Like your dh.

Worked ten years in Insurance. Those who do tend to insure themselves heavily.

We gave it a miss, as the incapacitating conditions my dh was most likely to get wouldn't be covered. The nature of his job was such that the coverage would be very limited.

I work in the industry and we were quite well insured- which was a godsend when my DP was dx with a critical illness in his twenties.

Insurance is always a waste of money until you need it :-(

We work on building savings. I have "widows and orphans" cover through work, and my credit union gives something on death too (possibly twice the value of my shares (savings) account?). Dh has various insurances and savings policies, all written down in a document somewhere. But we are lucky in that, while DH earns more than I do, we've nearly paid off the mortgage (and could do so tomorrow if necessary from savings), and we both have good salaries. So even if 1 of us got a critical illness or died, the other would manage reasonably ok.

We do have health insurance though.