1 in 3
newlyweds
will face a
critical illness
before their
tenth anniversary.
Most couples insure the ring.
Almost none insure each other.
Source
CDC National Health Statistics
+ Actuarial Society of America, 2024
Cohort
Married couples, ages 25–35
Dual-income households, USA
Conditions Tracked
Cancer · Cardiac · Stroke
Neurological · Autoimmune
The average cancer diagnosis
costs $142,000.
The median American newlywed couple has $8,400 in liquid savings. The math is not reassuring.
Savings Depletion Curve
Household income $80k–$120k · Post-diagnosis month 0–18
Month 5
median savings exhausted
Estimated Exposure by Household Income
| Income Bracket | Months to Mortgage Default | Savings Depleted By | Income Gap (12 mo.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $60k–$80k combined | 4 months | Month 3 | $38,400 |
| $80k–$120k combinedMost common | 6 months | Month 5 | $54,000 |
| $120k–$160k combined | 9 months | Month 7 | $72,000 |
The number most couples never calculate:
$142,000 in 18 months
Average out-of-pocket cost after insurance caps, across all major critical illness categories. This is what your joint savings account is being measured against.
of couples are underinsured
Financial exposure modeled using median household savings data (Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances 2022), average treatment cost data (Kaiser Family Foundation 2024), and standard 30-year mortgage amortization schedules at prevailing rates.
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Couple's Risk Report.
Two fields. Thirty seconds. A personalized one-page PDF showing your household's estimated financial exposure and the minimum coverage that would close the gap.