Half of British adults find sex the most challenging topic to talk about
Today's Brits are continuing to live up to their straight-laced conservative stereotype despite the emergence of warts and all reality TV and erotic fiction with many admitting that talking about sex, death and money causes them to break out in to a cold sweat, according to research by Santander Insurance.
The research, which asked people to rate the topics they find most uncomfortable to talk about, found one in 2 (56%) admitting they find sex the most difficult topic of conversation to discuss with partners and friends. And despite the '50 Shades of Grey' effect, women find it more difficult to broach the subject than men with many admitting they would rather talk about anything else. Death (29%) and money (22%) were second and third on the list, again with women considerably less likely than men to broach the subjects.
When it comes to specific conversations, telling your family you're ill, informing someone that a loved one has died, or asking a family member for money are ranked more difficult than asking for a divorce with one in five (33%) claiming they would find this conversation the most difficult to initiate. Meanwhile, discussions about inheritance entitlement rounds out the top five most difficult chats.
Staying with financial matters, one in 10 surveyed admitted that they either quite or very unfamiliar with their partner's financial affairs with only four in 10 saying they knew everything. And if the worst was to happen and they lost their partner unexpectedly, just under a quarter (22 per cent) believe their partner's debts would be expunged while a further 27 per cent admit they don't know what would happen to their partner's estate. More than half (54 per cent) fear they would not cope financially, with women faring less well than men as 4 in 10 (39 per cent) feel they would be financially sound compared to almost 6 in 10 (58 per cent) men.
Steve Burton, Santander Insurance, said: "Despite there being numerous ways to communicate these days, people still find it tricky to talk about the ‘taboo' subjects of sex, death and money. When it comes to financial matters, no-one likes thinking about what may happen if a loved was to die or be diagnosed with serious illness but these difficult conversations do need to be had to ensure that family and dependents are aware of any financial provisions they can access.
"Putting steps in place to prepare can certainly help if the worst was to happen. Our research found that 3 in 10 people admit to having no plans or provision to secure their future financially. Yet life insurance can be relatively inexpensive, with premiums starting from as little as £5 per month, and can provide reassurance to people that their loved ones will be financially secure if they die or suffer a critical illness."