Women who work are not recognising the importance of protection and need to seek advice, Scottish Provident has warned.
The provider's Women and Protection Report shows females with full-time jobs are increasingly holding the purse strings but are not protected appropriately.
Three in five women in full time employment are predominantly making household financial decisions compared to 47% in 2011.
But 84% did not have critical illness cover with the majority citing expense as the barrier.
Jennifer Gilchrist, senior product development manager at Scottish Provident, said: "Women are increasingly assuming financial responsibility in the home both for making money and making financial decisions.
"It is a cause for concern that they are potentially leaving themselves and their families open to financial hardship if they should become seriously ill, lose their jobs or die."
She added there were only 100 days until female rates would likely rise with the Gender Directive and advisers should urge female clients to organise protection needs now.
Children was a driver of protection purchase, according to two fifths of report respondents; an increase from only a quarter saying the same last year.
A further 28% said a loved one getting seriously ill would make them consider purchasing critical illness cover with a fifth citing marriage as motivation.
