Brits are naturally squeamish about death. But talking about the subject, and managing it financially, can be a gift for our loved ones, says Sam Grice in today’s Notebook
Why do we not insure against death?
We insure our phones, our holidays and even our pets. Yet when it comes to something as precious as our lives, many of us shy away from planning for death. Whether that’s life insurance, wills, planning our funerals – or even just talking about it.
Part of the reason is the practical barriers people dread from the outset; providers requiring medical exams for life insurance, for example. But there is also, of course, a general British squeamishness around talking about death as a subject.
Luckily, there are signs things are starting to change. Recently, Ed Sheeran spoke on the Graham Norton Show about having already planned his posthumous album, the music for his funeral and even where he wants to be buried. In fact, the singer has already had his own grave dug on his estate, where he also has had his own chapel built. “People think it’s really weird and really morbid, but I’ve had friends die without wills, and no one knows what to do,” he said in an interview.
His openness is a signal not only that people may be becoming more comfortable about thinking about death, but also how the plans we leave are becoming more personal to us. A way of us insuring against the emotional and practical fallout of death.
Estate planning is still a fragmented sector. Financial protection, wills, life insurance and emotional support are often treated as separate tasks, despite all sitting under one life event – which can make the whole process feel harder and more overwhelming.
It is easy to keep putting it off – especially when the thought of making these kinds of plans can feel morbid or make death feel more real. But as conversations continue to open up, I hope more people will be able to put these important plans in place and make life easier for the people they leave behind.
What founders need to consider in the AI era
AI has unlocked a new superpower for startups, and made becoming a founder easier for some. What once took years can now happen in weeks. That speed changes everything.
The biggest shift for founders to consider is this: execution now matters more than certainty. AI unlocks velocity at a scale we’ve never seen, which means process-heavy thinking quickly becomes a liability. In 2026, speed won’t just be an advantage, it will be survival.
For new startups, product-market fit still takes time, but learning cannot. The strongest teams will get a product live quickly, put it in front of real customers, and adapt fast. Months spent researching, planning and polishing in isolation will increasingly mean starting behind.
Finally, as everything becomes tech-first, creating businesses that behave like humans becomes a key differentiator. Founders should think beyond what they’re building to how they build it. How you act, communicate, and show up will define your brand. Building a big company is hard. Building one that people genuinely love requires intention, not just intelligence.
A recommendation: What I’m reading
Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely is a book that reshapes how you see everyday decisions, and, by extension, the ones we avoid most. Ariely shows that humans aren’t irrational at random; we’re irrational in predictable ways, especially when discomfort or emotion is involved.
There’s nothing more irrational than how we don’t plan for death. Despite its certainty, not planning for it may be the most irrational behaviour of all. We procrastinate. We dodge discomfort. Ariely’s insights into avoidance, emotional decision-making and short-term bias explain exactly why.
The experiments are interesting, often funny, and uncomfortably relatable. It doesn’t tell you what to do, but it makes you pause. And sometimes, that pause is enough to change how you act.
Sam Grice is founder and CEO of Octopus Legacy