Hi Scott,
I’m at my breaking point. Three years ago, my husband was seriously ill – you’d think that would be a wake-up call. Since then, I’ve begged him to set up basic insurance and wills. We’re in our mid-40s with two kids. He’s the higher earner but has ZERO life insurance, TPD or income protection. Not even default cover. I’ve helped him get quotes, offered to write wills online myself, but he won’t commit to anything. He hesitates over every sentence. Meanwhile, he’s happily researching stock investments.
We’ve argued about this countless times. I’m not doing it for me – it’s for our family’s basic protection. It’s like car insurance, just in case. But he treats it like I’m asking him to plan his funeral. I’m fed up and stressed. How do I make him understand this is his responsibility as a father and husband? Or do I just take matters into my own hands?
Jill
Hi Jill,
You’re right to be fed up. You’ve carried this alone for too long.
So here’s what I want you to do:
Make him a coffee. Butter some toast. Then put this under his nose and ask him to read it.
Hey mate,
Your job is to protect your family.
And getting insurance and a will is a huge part of being a protector and provider.
If you die tomorrow, your wife becomes a single mum with no income and two kids to raise alone.
You don’t think it will happen to you, but I see enough grief-stricken widows to know that it does.
Spending a few hours planning for it is the final way of saying ‘I love you’.
In fact, to help you along, next week I’m going to write a column that I want you to read.
Stay tuned.