Half the life insurance claims received by Scottish Provident last year were made for those under 55 years old, the insurer has revealed.
It noted that the average age of claimant was 56 and that it paid out almost £42m in benefits to bereaved families.
Scottish Provident said the data served as a reminder for adults of all ages to look after their financial responsibilities throughout the whole of their lives.
The figures show that nearly one in five claims paid out (18%) were for policyholders aged just 44 or under, with a further third (32%) aged between 45 and 54 years old.
In total during 2011 the provider paid out £41,863,503 in life cover claims with the average claim being £84,744.
Jennifer Gilchrist, senior product development manager at Scottish Provident, said: "There has been plenty of discussion in recent years about Britain's aging population, with new figures showing that almost one in four Britons will be 65 or over in 2051.
"However, our claims figures are a stark reminder about the very real need for individuals to look after themselves and their families' financial livelihood throughout their whole lives.
"Tragically, in an age where there are regular calls for people to provide for their pension, there are many thousands of people who do not live to retirement age," she added.
