Do women underestimate the value of life insurance?

Women have demonstrated they are equal to men in their ability to add value to the workforce and financially provide for their families, all while still being nurturing mothers and caretakers.

But is there a less obvious place where women may not be keeping pace? A recent article by Megg Mueller on www.compuquotes.com, an online insurance information source, suggests there may be. It involves purchasing, or the lack thereof, of life insurance.

The article focuses on a recent survey by JD Power and Associates that reported that 64 percent of American women carry no life insurance and many of those who do are underinsured.

The article does not suggest that women are incapable of making sound financial decisions, just that there's some learning to be done as more women settle into roles as major providers in families or as single parents.

Another theory that's mentioned in the article is that women simply are busy individuals and spend so much time thinking about others that they neglect planning for their own financial futures. After all, the average American woman spends 12 years out of the workforce caring for others, whether it be for children or elderly parents. Many may have been too busy to seek out a life insurance quote.

The article suggests that securing their own and their family's financial futures through purchasing the adequate amount of life insurance is yet another way women can level the playing field with men.

So where do you start if you haven't yet considered purchasing life insurance? A recent article on MSN Money suggests you should buy enough life insurance to cover six to 10 times your annual salary. If you aren't familiar with life insurance policies, it might be a good idea to sit down with a trusted financial expert and go over term life insurance and permanent life insurance rates and determine the mix of insurance options that work best for you.

By setting up the future for yourself and your family, you can again prove that you are not only a fantastic caregiver, but also an astute financial planner.