The end of the world? Life insurance premiums tell a different story

First, economic catastrophe. Then a pandemic. What next, a plague of frogs? No, please don't flip this in the bin yet. Because, instead of more doom and gloom, I would like to bring you some good news this bank holiday weekend.

Life is cheap and getting cheaper – in terms of insurance, at least. It costs less than half as much to buy life cover today as it did 30 years ago. When you think about it, the market is trying to tell us something here, and it is a reassuring factor to weigh in the balance against widespread fears that we are all doomed.

Or, as one tabloid screamed this week: "Swine flu could kill millions". To be fair, the "could" keeps that sentence within walking distance of reality. Well, if need be, it could always catch a bus...

Telegraph (UK): The end of the world? Life insurance premiums tell a different story