Hands up if you’re glad January’s over? Renowned for being a miserable month and traditionally the time we tackle debt and divorce, many of us are relieved to see the green shoots of spring showing through and the slightly longer evenings that February brings. If you haven’t managed to stick to your resolutions, don’t worry - there’s still time to get back on track and set new goals. And if you have - you could be the reason we’ve been so busy!

The first months of a new year mark the busiest time here at ActiveQuote, as our customers resolve to get their finances in order. The downtime after Christmas can be a good opportunity for many people to take stock and reflect - leading to anything but downtime for our sales team!

We always see a significant increase in queries about life insurance and income protection between January and March, while in the last 12 months we’ve also noticed a 30% spike in queries relating to health insurance. Searches are particularly prevalent at this time of year as winter pressures on the NHS and media stories around staff shortages and funding cuts leave consumers concerned about their own healthcare.

If your new year’s resolutions centred around getting fit and healthy, private medical insurance could help you in more ways than one! Many health insurers offer rewards and benefits for an active lifestyle, such as providing a free Apple watch or pedometer for you to track your daily steps, or offering reduced gym membership.

Should you find that you or a loved one does become ill or have an accident, the right medical cover will give benefits such as access to a quick diagnosis and treatment without a waiting list, in a hospital of your choice. And many policies now include mental health, optical and dental treatment, giving your holistic wellbeing a boost for the coming year. Whether you need individual, family, company or international cover, compare health insurance quotes and see what suits your lifestyle.

Income protection is another of those types of insurance that tend to get overlooked - until we need it! Income protection insurance helps take care of the bills if you’re unable to work for a spell, perhaps because you’ve had an accident or are ill, or you’ve been made redundant. In fact, as well as general income protection, you can take out specific cover, such as redundancy insurance or mortgage protection.

Income protection cover offers security and peace of mind for all sorts of people, especially self-employed workers who don’t have the back-up of sick pay. If 2018 is the year you plan to go freelance, or if you’ve started the new year with a new job and aren’t yet eligible for staff benefits, it could be just the cover you need.

The hardest type of cover to talk about can be life insurance, yet it’s often one of the most vital if you have a family or people who depend on you. Life insurance is paid in the form of a lump sum on the policyholder’s death to their named beneficiaries, and the  quiet winter months can offer a peaceful opportunity to talk to your family about death and future planning.

ActiveQuote protection sales team leader Ben Sparey said: “If you’re young, it’s easy to think that life insurance is something you’ll ‘get around to’ in years to come. But if you have dependents, now might be the time to start thinking about how they would manage practically and financially without you. Life insurance premiums tend to be cheaper the lower your age when you take out a policy, and the cost doesn’t go up as you get older.”

A month into the new year, you might feel those revolutionary resolutions have gone not so much with a bang as with a belly flop. If you’re feeling low, our guide to anxiety and depression might help you work out if you’re experiencing more than ‘just’ the winter blues. And if your next holiday seems a long way off, read our tips on staying healthy at work while you count down the days!