The data presented on the CALI website was collected in April 2026.

The CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker is an online survey conducted using a quality consumer opt-in research panel with access to millions of Australians. Each wave applies a consistent research methodology, using a core set of repeat questions to track changes in community sentiment, attitudes and perceptions toward life insurance over time, alongside additional one-off questions that explore emerging issues.

The CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker is conducted by 89 Degrees East.

Each wave of the CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker collects responses from approximately 1,000 working Australians (18-65 years). Each sample is weighted to reflect ABS workforce proportions in the population by age, gender and location.

Working Australians with life insurance are most likely to say they obtained cover to provide financial protection and a sense of security for loved ones.

In the CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker, close to one two working Australians with life insurance (46%) selected financial protection and a sense of security for loved ones as a reason for obtaining life insurance.

Other commonly selected reasons included income replacement (32%), covering funeral expenses (31%) and protecting against future health issues and expenses (29%).

For some Australians, life insurance is already provided through their superannuation fund (30%).

Working Australians with life insurance cover have varying levels of understanding of life insurance products and the benefits they offer.

Seven in ten working Australians with life insurance cover (68%) had at least a basic understanding of life insurance products and their benefits. However, 32% had limited or no understanding.

The CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker asks working Australians how the current level of financial uncertainty is influencing their decisions relating to maintaining, increasing, reducing, cancelling or considering life insurance cover.

Working Australians reported mixed impacts of current financial uncertainty. One in four (25%) said the current level of financial uncertainty would make them more likely to maintain their level of cover, while 14% said it would make them more likely to increase their level of cover. Additionally, 10% of working Australians said financial uncertainty would make them more likely to consider obtaining life insurance cover; these respondents did not currently hold life insurance. Conversely, 20% said current financial uncertainty would make them more likely to reduce their level of cover, and 10% said it would make them more likely to cancel their cover.

The CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker measured how certain or uncertain working Australians felt about their personal financial situation over the next 12 months, considering the broader economic environment, including factors such as rising interest rates, fuel prices and global instability.

Working Australians were most likely to report feeling quite or very uncertain about their own financial situation in the current economic context (40%). Close to a third felt neither certain nor uncertain (31%), while a similar proportion (29%) felt either quite certain or very certain about their financial situation over the next 12 months.

In the CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker, working Australians with life insurance were most likely to say they obtained their life insurance through their superannuation fund (50%). A third had obtained life insurance direct from a life insurer (34%), while a quarter had accessed life insurance through a financial adviser or planner (25%).

Close to one in two working Australians (47%) have considered or sought financial advice about life insurance in the past three months.

The CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker reveals that one in ten working Australians has received financial advice relating to life insurance in the past 3 months (10%). A further four in ten have considered seeking financial advice about life insurance in the past 3 months (37%).

Working Australians who have considered seeking financial advice are considering a range of sources for advice about life insurance.

The CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker found friends and family (38%), a financial adviser or planner (32%) and superannuation funds (31%) and insurers (30%) were the most commonly considered sources.

Working Australians are most likely to say they would speak to a financial adviser or planner to determine their needs in the event they were reviewing their life insurance cover due to a change of circumstance.

The CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker found that one in two working Australians (48%) would speak to a financial adviser or planner to determine their needs. Other commonly considered approaches included making a direct enquiry with their insurer (35%) or seeking advice through their superannuation fund (29%).

The CALI Life Insurance Sentiment Tracker found that four in five working Australians (79%) are concerned that an experience of mental health challenges could impact their ability to work and manage financial commitments.

Working Australians are most likely to consider turning to government for financial assistance in the event that mental health challenges meant they were unable to work for an extended period.

Four in ten (41%) said they would apply for government assistance, and 37% would approach their superannuation fund, while 30% said they would manage on their own savings. Over a quarter (27%) said they would turn to their life insurer to see what their policy covers.