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Women ‘underestimate their life value’

Women are undervaluing their life insurance needs by an average $373,000, according to research by NobleOak.

The insurer says women estimate they will only need an average of $297,000 in life insurance instead of the recommended $670,000.

Men estimate they only need $487,000 instead of the suggested amount of $584,000, on average.

The research shows millennial women are even worse at estimating their life insurance needs, undervaluing themselves by $609,000. By contrast, women born before 1945 overvalue their life insurance needs by $658,000.

Both Gen-Z men and women “dangerously underestimate” their life insurance needs more than any other age group. Women undervalue themselves by $702,000, and men by $697,000.

Men from both Gen X and the Baby Boomer generation overestimate the amount of life insurance they need by $102,000 and $174,000 respectively. But millennial males underestimate what they need by $268,000.

Divided along industry lines, people working in rental and real estate undervalue themselves by $796,000 on average, and those in agriculture, forestry and fishing by $780,000. Those working in financial services go the other way, overestimating their needs by $102,000.

NobleOak says women consistently undervalue themselves no matter what salary they are earning, with those earning between $60-$80,000 undervaluing themselves by $604,000. Those on the lower income bracket underestimate their life worth by $414,000.

Men undervalue their life worth on the three higher income brackets: those on $40-60,000 have a gap of $385,000 between what they think they need and what they actually need, while men earning $60-$80,000 undervalue themselves by $301,000.