Firstrung: Life insurance is as

Sales of term assurance, which pays out on death, are normally steady throughout the year, typically with only modest volumes of seasonal fluctuation: the popularity reflects the low cost of this core insurance for homeowners with families. "This is not so much a tail off as a catastrophic slump, and you have to wonder how people are going to cover key outgoings such as the mortgage payment in the event of the worst happening," said Moneynet chief executive Richard Brown.