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Originally published: 2019 | Last updated: September 2025
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Do you remember the first time you drove in the dark? Were you nervous? I was terrified. And lost. Maybe I was terrified because I was lost. And I couldn’t figure out how to use the headlights. So I was terrified, lost, and couldn’t use the headlights. It’s not the best combination for driving in the dark for the first time.
Yeah, good story Nick, but what’s this got to do with life insurance for new parents?
Well, you see, my firstborn, Chloe, was due to arrive imminently. And the way things were going, I wasn’t going to make it to the birth.
17th September 2010 (time flies) Hannah (Mrs Lion) was still in labour; she had been induced three times, but there was no sign of the baby.
“Nothing stirring,” the nurses said, so the hospital advised me to head home. My home was in Tullamore, and the hospital was in Mullingar, so I booked into a hotel that was apparently a few minutes’ drive from the hospital.
Off I went on the supposed 2-minute drive to the hotel. A route I thought I knew quite well. But things look very different in the dark, especially roundabouts. Pretty soon, I was lost, heading out of town and down a dark backroad.
Oh sweet Jesus, I’ve been driving for ages without any headlights on. OK, lights on, phew. More flashing and beeping. More rage. Oh shite, I have full beams on, how do I turn them off?
I pulled into an old petrol station and tried to calm down. I was freaked out due to nerves, caffeine and a lack of sleep. Eventually, I made it back to the hotel unscathed and was there when little Chloe was born the next morning. Holding her for the first time made me think about how her life would have panned out if I hadn’t made it to the hospital. I didn’t have any life cover. I was young, no kids, both Hannah and I were working — so I thought I didn’t need it.
Maybe you’re in the same boat? If you are, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what you need to know about life insurance as a new parent.
Having a baby is great.
Not that I’d know much about it — we menfolk have to deal with the horrors of man-flu.
How unfair would the lord above have been to lumber us with pregnancy too?
I jest, of course.
But those early days are wild — projectile puking, no sleep, and making bottles at 3 a.m. (for one was hard enough; when the twins came along, jeeessh!).
By the time the twins arrived, we had more sense, so they were wheeled about in a Tesco trolley propped up with a couple of pillows.
Anyway, no matter how tired we are, we love them dearly — which is why we have to make sure they’re okay if we pop our clogs unexpectedly.
Basically, we’re all just walking, talking paycheques to little Timmy and Tabitha — and that’s what life insurance replaces.
In plain English: it replaces your future income if you die — by leaving a tax-free lump sum so your family doesn’t go from two incomes to one… or none.
Life insurance covers an income gap. Rough rule: higher income and younger kids → more cover needed.
If you net €60,000/year and have ~25 working years left, that’s roughly €1.5m in future take-home that disappears if you die.
Yes — including stay-at-home parents. Replacing childcare, lifts, cooking, planning, cleaning (and a million other jobs) costs real money.
Parenting solo means every decision — and every euro — counts. There’s no backup income if you get sick or worse, so life insurance and income protection matter even more.
Your biggest asset isn’t your home or your car — it’s your income. If illness or injury stopped you working, could you still cover rent, groceries, or school costs? That’s where income protection comes in. It can replace up to 75% of your income until you’re back on your feet or reach retirement age. In short: it keeps the lights on and life steady for your kids.
Then there’s life insurance itself — your long-term safety net. Aim for roughly 10–15 times your annual income or enough to clear your mortgage and cover education costs. Most single parents run their policy until the youngest child is around 25 and financially independent (well, hopefully 😅).
Good news: cover is more affordable than you might think. A healthy 35-year-old can protect €500k until age 60 for around €34 per month — roughly a euro a day for peace of mind. Compare quotes instantly from Aviva, Irish Life, New Ireland, Royal London and Zurich Life.
To make sure the payout reaches your children directly, write the policy in trust or include it in your will. That keeps funds out of probate delays and guarantees your kids get what you intended.
And yes — buying cover is simple. You can arrange everything online, by email, or over the phone. Even with pre-existing health conditions, we’ll match you to the right insurer so you’re not penalised for being honest.
If you’re raising kids alone, separated, or co-parenting, the right mix of income protection and life insurance will make sure they’re secure no matter what happens. If you’d like help structuring it properly, complete this quick form and I’ll send you a personalised recommendation.
We all know we need it — yet most of us dodge the conversation. If you’ve ever felt awkward talking about life cover, you’re not alone.
Read why so many people avoid talking about life insurance — and how to make the chat a little easier.
Price depends on age, health, smoker status, cover amount, and term. You don’t pay tax on the payout.
Get live pricing in 30 seconds here: compare quotes.
If you’ve a mortgage and a family, you usually need both — on separate policies so you can change one without messing up the other.
More here: Mortgage Protection Explained.
Income protection first, every time. Your income pays for everything. State illness benefit won’t stretch far.
Common approach: run the policy until your youngest turns ~25 (finished full-time education).
Yes. A normal pregnancy isn’t a problem though conditions like gestational diabetes can add a temporary loading until readings normalise.
Usually no. Clean applications (no health issues) are accepted immediately. Moderate cases may need GP reports; full medicals are rare.
Yes — it’s the perfect time. After baby arrives, spare time vanishes. Get it boxed off now.
Most policies include Children’s Life Cover as a built-in extra — typically up to €7,000 from 3 months to age 18 (or 25 if in full-time education).
Everything else falls into place after that.
And if you’re paying into a pension but still don’t have income protection, you’ve got it arse-ways — your income is the foundation.
There’s a lot here, and your situation is unique. I’ll keep it simple:
Thanks for reading,
Nick
Editor’s note: First published 2019. This update September 2025.
As Ireland's leading life insurance broker, we specialise in comparing the rates and policies from the top five Irish life insurance providers and offering the very best value quotes to suit the individual needs of our clients. Our expertise lies in finding a suitable insurance plan for those with specific needs, be it a particular illness, occupation or claim history, we've got you covered in every sense!
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