Author: Catriona Singfield

In the UK, as with the rest of Europe, we are now living longer than at any time in the past – and the figure is rising. The average lifespan for a British man is now 76.2 years, with a woman living even longer at 80.7 years. This is excellent news, but sadly there is a downside – we may be living longer, but we’re not as healthy as our fellow Europeans.

According to an EU survey on the subject, conducted over a sample of 60,000 people, longevity is not the only index of old age we should be paying attention to. The survey made a study of age of death, sickness and overall health. Healthy life years, the amount of time we can expect to enjoy an active, able old age, are just not matching up to lifespan.

Out of a average life of 76.2 years, a British man can expect to enjoy only 61.5 years in good physical condition. In the European league table of health, we are fifth from the bottom.

However, it is important not to jump to conclusions too early because as yet, no-one is sure exactly why the study has come up with these findings. There are wide variations across Europe, with cardiovascular disease being far more of a risk the further north you live. According to action group Help the Aged, we are putting ourselves at risk because we do not take one simple factor as seriously as we should - the cold. Failure to wrap up can lead to thickening of the blood, perhaps even a fatal clot. Surely an incentive to keep warm!

The healthiest Europeans are the Italians, with an average of 70.9 healthy life years over a total lifespan of 76.8 years. It’s well known that in Italy, the national diet includes a lot of vegetables and fish, with few saturated fats, which may be one reason why the Italians are living more healthily for longer. Again according to Help the Aged, these differences could be caused by several factors: better diet, the quality of the Health Service, the weather, and prevalence of smoking.

Indeed, in a recent league table comparing healthy life years and lifespan, Italy is number one. Next come Spain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and the UK, followed by France, Hungary, Portugal and Finland.

The figures are interesting. For example, a Finnish woman can expect to live for 81.8 years, but only 56.5 years will be free from ill health, defined in the study as a disabling condition.

Taken together, all these factors point to one conclusion: the average man or woman would be well advised to look for good critical illness cover, not only life insurance. Consider this sobering fact: the average age of retirement now comes after the average age at which ill health sets in – by between three and a half and eight and a half years. The recent rise in official retirement age is matched by many people’s expectations of being not just available, but able to work into their 70s.

So what is critical illness cover? Briefly, this is insurance that pays out if you are diagnosed with a serious condition, for example cancer, a stroke, or heart disease. Be sure to check the policy carefully, as not all policies cover the same conditions. Consider that such an illness can affect your entire lifestyle. You may need to change or even give up your work, or alter your house or car. If you have good critical illness cover in place, at least you can be sure that your needs can be met financially.

If you have a family, you may like to consider what the effect would be were you not there for them. No-one likes to think of the worst happening, but it is only sensible to take a careful look at your life insurance options.

Fortunately, it’s easy to find out good information on these types of insurance, for both cost and cover. Go online and find an Internet insurance broker, who will be able to search for you to find the most competitive quote.

Once you have your plans in place, there’s only one more thing to do – beat those tables and enjoy your old age!

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