Health and life insurance companies hedge their bets with baby boomers, sending them more marketing materials than members of Generation X and Generation Y.

The findings, based on research from Mintel Comperemedia, a Chicago-based direct marketing competitive intelligence service, appear to suggest two apparently underserved markets within the life and health insurance sectors, according to the study’s author.

“Health and life insurers seem to favor marketing to older adults, but in doing so they’re missing vast market opportunities,” said Daniel Hayes, vice president of insurance services at Mintel Comperemedia, in a statement. “All generations can benefit from health and life insurance coverage, so age shouldn’t dictate insurers’ direct marketing strategy.”

In the 12 months ending in June, members of Generation X, those people born between 1965 and 1980, received 15% fewer health insurance marketing direct mail pieces than baby boomers, people born between 1945 and 1965.

Members of Generation Y, those people born in the 1980s and early 1990s, also called “millenials,” received 25% fewer pieces of marketing materials for health insurance than members of Generation X.

With life insurance, the younger generations are equally ignored: Generation X received 18% fewer mailings, while Generation Y received 23% fewer mailings than members of the baby boomer set.

The research also found great interest in life and health insurance products among younger adults.

Gen Xers are less likely than average to say they own non-employer based life or health insurance, but they’re more likely to say they’ll purchase these products in the near future (17% more likely for health insurance, 23% for life insurance).

Exactly 63% of Gen X adults told researchers “it is important to be well-insured when it comes to life insurance,” compared to 58% of the general population agreeing with that same statement.

“Generation X is under-served and over-interested in life and health insurance, making them the perfect target market,” comments Hayes. “Because Gen Xers are concerned about providing for both young children and aging parents, adequate insurance coverage is extremely important. They want to keep themselves and their dependants healthy, but they also need to know their families will be provided for if they aren’t around.”

Gen Xers are 72% more likely than the average American to say they are saving for a child’s education. But at the same time, they are preparing to support their parents: 53% of Gen Xers say they expect to be the primary caregiver for a parent or other relative.