Keeping up with Zeta-Joneses

By This Is Money
Updated: 12:36 BST, 14 March 2005

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FAMILIES want more - and have more - than ever. We are stuffing our homes with expensive electronic gadgets and filling our wardrobes with designer-label 着せる／賦与するs that were once 排除的 to the rich and famous. But it could all end in 涙／ほころびs if 後退，不況 takes 持つ／拘留する or, at an individual level, 事故 or illness strikes. This special 報告（する）／憶測, by Neil Simpson and Sally Hamilton, is ーするつもりであるd to make sure you are better able to 保護する yourself and your family.

WHAT fun it seems going on a spree to keep up with the Catherine Zeta-Joneses of this world. Babylist, the advice service for mothers-to-be, says parents spend an 普通の／平均（する） of £2,000 kitting out their homes before new babies are even born. And many parents spend nearly four times as much.

'It is not just celebrity parents who spend 広大な 量s on their babies,' says company 創立者 Hilly 吊りくさび. 'Designer 着せる／賦与するs are now as much of a feature in babies' wardrobes as in their parents.'

Twentysomethings, 一方／合間, are carrying 所有／入手s, 含むing 着せる／賦与するs, 従犯者s, 動きやすい phones and cash, 価値（がある） an 普通の／平均（する） of £1,762 every time they step outside their 前線 doors, によれば 示すs & Spencer Money.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Saga 保険 says it 取って代わるd £3.25m 価値（がある） of spectacles for retired policyholders last year, with designer でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れるs and high-tech レンズs 押し進めるing the cost up.

The 消費者 にわか景気 has produced at least one other 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の fact. 保険会社 More Than says that 普通の／平均（する） house contents are now 価値（がある） a staggering £44,447 - that is more than the 普通の／平均（する） price of a house as recently as 1987. But while the spending spree should have made us happier and more comfortable, 恐れるs are growing of a 広げるing gap between the 有産国 and have-nots.

And many 専門家s say that unforeseen 災害s could send the whole designer house of cards 宙返り／暴落するing and transform 有産国 into have-nots 夜通し.

'People are very 焦点（を合わせる）d on getting the Hollywood lifestyle,' says Nick Kerwin of Scottish 未亡人s, 'but as an 保険 company, we are worried that they don't spend enough time or money 保護するing it. Our worries don't 適用する only to today's expensive 所有／入手s either. New parents may be planning to send their children to 私的な schools or help them 支払う／賃金 university costs, but they aren't always thinking how this can be 達成するd if they themselves become unable to work.'

In the same way, big mortgages are often unprotected. The value of simple life 保険 政策s taken out to （疑いを）晴らす 貸付金s on the death of a borrower fell far behind the 率 of growth in lending for much of last year, for example.

人物／姿／数字s from the 協会 of British 保険会社s 示唆する that we are massively under-insured and 深く，強烈に 攻撃を受けやすい to any 予期しない personal 危機. The value of 正規の／正選手-賞与金 保険 政策s sold last year was £250m 負かす／撃墜する on 2000, for example. Chris Kenny, 長，率いる of life and 年金s at the ABI, says: 'We need to repeat the message - don't just live for today, think about tomorrow.'

A ちらりと見ること at the 統計（学） for serious illness, 傷害 and death show just how dangerous it is to assume that your 財政／金融s will keep going ever-上向きs.

And while young adults in particular might not 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がる the anguish that comes with 後退，不況, 恐れるs remain of tougher times ahead. Fortunately, acquiring peace of mind is easier, and in some 事例／患者s cheaper, than ever. A host of 保険 政策s are on 申し込む／申し出 at supermarkets, 地位，任命する offices and even garages 同様に as over the phone and internet.

The net is also making it easier to compare 賞与金s and find low prices on most 政策s, though 専門家s say 独立した・無所属 advice is always 価値（がある） having. It can guard against ending up with a 政策 that is cheap for a 推論する／理由 - because it does not cover the 危険s you are most likely to 直面する.

Professionals in 財政上の services also 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がる that few people have limitless 予算s for 保険 and may worry about having too much overlapping - and therefore unnecessary - cover.

Spending it like the 星／主役にするs is all too 平易な when times are good. But proper f inancial 創立／基礎s help make sure the dream does not end in 涙／ほころびs.

IS CRITICAL ILLNESS RIGHT FOR YOU?

I was changing the baby when I had a 一打／打撃
Amanda Douglas was struck 負かす／撃墜する while caring for her daughter. Having the 権利 保険 has been a godsend for her family

CHEAP COVER? NOT ON YOUR LIFE

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As prices start to 辛勝する／優位 up, the market 予報するs the end for low-cost 保険. Now could be the time to shop around for a good 取引，協定

SHARING THE COST OF HEALTHCARE

Tailor made 政策s save cash
A new 治療（薬） for 取引，協定ing with the growing 財政上の 苦痛 of rising 賞与金s for 医療の 治療