More than half of British workers admit they would struggle financially if they had to spend more than three months off work through illness.
And three out of 10 people questioned by insurance company Aviva said they thought they could only go a month or less before their finances started to feel the squeeze.
Aviva says its research highlights the fact that most people don't know how much they would be expected to live on if they were forced to take statutory sick pay. When they were made aware, respondents to the survey said they would miss health checks or put up with minor ailments.
Cutting down by eating cheaper or less food would be a major way of making economies, according to half of those questioned.
Yet two-thirds of workers say they would feel under pressure to get back to work as soon as possible because of the financial implications for themselves and their family.
Steve Bridger, Aviva UK Health's head of group risk, said that, while it was understandable that 80 per cent of people thought long-term sickness would not happen to them, "in reality you never know what's around the corner, and few people have the savings available to support themselves and their families for very long".