Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – Four out of ten Italians achieve a passing grade in financial and insurance education. This is according to data from the Edufin Index, presented today in Rome by the Alleanza Foundation, in memory of Mario Gasbarri, with the scientific collaboration of the SDA Bocconi School of Management. The index stands at 56 points out of 100, below the passing threshold set at 60 on a scale of 0 to 100.
The research was presented today in Rome, during an event also attended by Senate President Ignazio La Russa, Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Alessandro Morelli, Undersecretary of State to the Ministry of Education and Merit Paola Frassinetti, and Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Chamber of Deputies Paolo Osnato.
Financial and insurance literacy remains low overall: the gap persists between those who know and take concrete action to consciously manage their finances and those who do not.
Thirty-nine percent of Italians (4 out of 10) reach or exceed the passing threshold, while 51% fall into the intermediate range (Edufin level between 41 and 59 out of 100) and 10% remain financially illiterate (Edufin level equal to or lower than 40 out of 100). This picture is essentially stable compared to 2025 and confirms the need to transform knowledge into more informed behavior.
The 2026 edition introduces the new distinction between investors (Italians who have been able to save and invest in financial instruments in the last 24 months) and non-investors.
The former, representing 73% of the population, achieve an average passing score of 60/100. Non-investors, the remaining 27%, achieve a score of 46/100. Among those who invest, both awareness and financial behavior are higher.
For the population as a whole, the Edufin Index stands at 58 points among men and 54 among women, with a gender gap of 4 points, compared to 5 in 2025. On the generational front, the index stands at 57 points among 45-64 year-olds and 52 among 18-24 year-olds, with a gap of 5 points, down from 6 in 2025. Among investors, however, the gap between adults and young people reaches 7 points, highlighting the role of experience in financial and insurance decisions. Two years after the previous study, the financial socialization indicator of young people (showing how financial values, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors are acquired and developed within the family) rises to 66/100, six points higher than in 20242.
Daily purchases and expenses can provide opportunities to broaden the discussion from the present to the future, gradually introducing the topics of saving, risk, protection, and planning. 91% of parents report talking to their children about money and money management. The most frequently discussed topics are money for desired purchases, cited by 59%, and spending decisions, at 46%. These are followed by savings decisions, at 37%, the family budget, at 36%, economic and financial news, at 21%, and investments and insurance, both at 20%.
Independently managing small sums of money offers a real learning opportunity, but differences remain between boys and girls: 33% of boys and 26% of girls regularly receive pocket money. Expanding family conversations from present spending to planning for the future is therefore a crucial step in strengthening independence and self-awareness.
The 2026 edition examines the relationship between financial literacy and well-being for the first time. Italians' overall well-being stands at 59/100, just below the passing threshold (60/100). According to the report, the picture regarding psychological and financial well-being (the indicator that measures how secure a person feels with their money and how capable they are of managing it) remains more fragile, at 51/100. It is above all a lack of peace of mind about the future that negatively impacts Italians' relationship with their finances. Financial and insurance literacy has a positive impact on citizens' well-being when it translates into the ability to act.
"Financial education is a key driver of well-being, resilience, and development. It's not just an individual skill, but a collective resource that strengthens the ability of families, businesses, and communities to address the challenges of the present and future," emphasized Giancarlo Fancel, Country Manager and CEO of Generali Italia. "At Generali, we want to continue working with institutions to raise awareness, which can translate into more effective decisions, planning skills, wealth protection, and financial security. For a more solid, inclusive country that can look to the future with confidence."
"The results presented today highlight an important point: experience and participation in financial decisions are associated with higher levels of expertise," said Marco Oddone, CEO of Alleanza Assicurazioni. "This is why, at Alleanza, together with our network, we want to make financial education increasingly concrete and accessible, bringing it to communities, schools, and people's daily lives. Since 2020, we have engaged 550 citizens in over 10 events, and we will continue to invest in our Advisors' ability to transform knowledge into informed behavior. Knowledge is not enough; financial and insurance education creates value when it helps people choose, act, and look to the future with greater confidence."
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