Customers find insurance terminology and information the most difficult to understand compared to many other sectors including banking, according to new research.
Technical language and intricate product information also put people off buying policies, the Plain English Campaign acknowledged.
It has prompted Unum and the Plain English Campaign to call for insurers to reduce jargon and small print and simplify the language and presentation of product information.
The YouGov survey on behalf of Unum ranked insurance (46%) around twice as difficult to understand as that for banking (29%), retail (25%) and cars (23%).
The food market was the clear winner with a difficulty score of just 8%.
According to the study of more than 2,000 people, jargon-free language (64%) and the use of images (28%) help most in making product information easily understandable for consumers.
As part of its attempts to clarify language Unum has produced a glossary of terms f income protection which it hopes the industry, government and employers will continue to support.
Marie Clair, spokesperson for the Plain English Campaign, explained that technical detail often confused people and complicated decisions.
"Complex information and the perils of small print have made it difficult for people to really understand information about the products they are purchasing," she said.
"Looking at this research, it is clear that the insurance industry needs to ditch the small print, jargon and gobbledygook in their information. Product information should make complex products more accessible to consumers, not more confusing.
"We're backing Unum's plea to the insurance industry to update product information so that it is crystal clear because better understanding brings greater confidence in the choices we make," she added.
Jack McGarry, CEO of Unum UK, continued: "It's not surprising that many people find insurance confusing - there are thousands of products on the market to choose from.
"The results show that, as an industry, we need to make our products more comprehensible to the consumer. I want people to easily understand, that if you can't work because of illness or injury, you need to have a back-up plan in place to support yourself financially.
"By providing consumers with more easily-understood information, we will raise awareness of the risks employees face and explain what income protection is," he added.
