Most of the young adults responding to a survey by life insurer Beagle Street reported that they do not have life cover.
The survey of 2,000 adults aged between 18 and 40 found 51% did not have cover.
Of those without cover, almost three in 10 (28%) said they have never thought about it and a similar amount (27%) cannot afford it.
One in five (20%) said the cost-of-living crisis meant they have no spare money.
Of those with life insurance, more than a third (34%) said they spoke to a financial adviser, 27% used a price comparison website and 26% had recommendations from family and/or friends.
Ryan Griffin, director of protection at Beagle Street, (pictured) said: “What we’re seeing is a generation of adults without life insurance and we know from speaking to our customers that this includes people from a range of backgrounds, including young families with children.
“This is worrying as many families would struggle to cope if a breadwinner passed away, potentially leaving thousands of people in a vulnerable position.
“I would say that getting cover is easier than people may realise. Our research shows that, of those with cover, many used a financial adviser or price comparison website to find cover that was right for them and I’d say this is a great place to start.”