As far as commemorative months go, Life Insurance Awareness Month isn’t the most exciting. Miniseries about life insurance don’t interrupt scheduled programming and roads aren’t blocked for life insurance parades. Life insurance doesn’t get much play, probably because it addresses the dreaded issue of one’s mortality.

It’s a topic no one wants to think about, which is likely one reason why according to a consumer survey, one-third of U.S. adults lack life insurance entirely.

But life insurance isn’t about your death or your life. It is about your peace of mind, knowing your family will be financailly secure in your absence.

The main reason people purchase life insurance is to replace their lost income should they die. Obviously, if you have small children you’d want them to continue to live as comfortably as possible. However, life insurance isn’t just for the kids. It can protect the financial future of your siblings, aging parents, a domestic partner and adult children as well. An adequate life insurance policy can help pay for your funeral, burial, remaining medical expenses or debts. Although I’m sure VISA mourns the loss of a customer, they will still expect someone to pay off the plasma T.V.

Maybe you’re loaded and your heirs are sure to see some cash when you kick it, but if you’re like most people there won’t be much left over. A decent life insurance policy can create an inheritance for your family when you name them as beneficiaries. That can mean college funds for your children and no mortgage payments for your spouse.

Use your life insurance as an additional savings account while you’re alive. Permanent life insurance offers a cash value–you can actually accrue money through the life of your policy. Part of your payment goes toward the cost of the insurance, and the remainder is put in a tax-sheltered savings account. And you can borrow from it if money gets tight.

If I haven’t persuaded you to purchase life insurance, maybe Olympic Gold-Medalist Scott Hamilton can. In honor of Life Insurance Awareness Month, the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education has compiled several stories about how life insurance has helped families by easing their financially concerns in the wake of their loss.

Once you’re convinced, check out the Insurance Information Institute for tips on determining the amount you need, choosing a company and saving money on your policy.