Whether he’s the one that got away, the office husband, or a gym partner, chances are he is the “Plan B” man you fantasize about running away with. Like an insurance policy, this man is the handpicked boyfriend or husband replacement you have on standby once “plan A” starts to break down on you. According to a survey conducted by OnePoll.com, an online market research company, half of women who are married or in relationships have a Plan B man on standby who is “ready and waiting” because of “unfinished business.”

When there’s trouble in paradise, and eventually a break-up, women are left at the starting line again. This means there’s more ladies' night, late-night rom-com marathons, and wine — lots of wine. However, to avoid playing the field and going through all the bases, women have taken a shortcut to get back to the finish line with a Plan B man. "The saying that 'the grass isn't always greener' clearly isn't deterring women of today. They understand that anything can happen and are ensuring they have a solid back-up plan should things go sour with their current man,” a spokesman for OnePoll.com told the Daily Mail.

To analyze women’s relationship contingency plans, the survey of 1,000 women found nearly half of the respondents had a man on deck that they could call out to the plate. However, this man isn’t any rookie; he’s likely to be one of the woman’s all-star friends she’s had around for seven years. More than four in 10 women admitted they had got to know this man while they were with their partner, while almost the same percent said he was “on the scene” long before the relationship.

One in 10 women confessed their Plan B has professed their undying love to them, while two in 10 knew that their Plan B would “drop everything” for them. These first alternatives were on call for their lady friends for several reasons. A quarter of the ladies blatantly admitted they have strong feelings for their Plan B as they do for their current partner, while 15 percent responded with feeling more for the Plan B man than their significant other, Yahoo reported.

“For our research to establish that 50 percent of women in relationships have a 'Plan B' is a worrying sign,” said the OnePoll.com spokesman. “This news may cause a few men in relationships to think twice about not taking the rubbish out or choosing a night down the pub in favor of a cozy night in with his partner. This could spark fear in men across the UK and be great news for women looking for that extra bit of love and care so that their attentions aren't swayed.”

Despite the alarming statistics, men can rest assured their significant other won't call the man on deck to step to the plate. One in three women said they “doubted” anything would happen with the man in the background, while half had a “never say never” approach. However, one in six confessed they were “seriously considering" rekindling their romance with Plan B. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter make it feasible to rekindle with an old flame and remind men any “old friends” can turn up out of the blue.

These survey results suggest men should make sure they are attentive to their women’s needs, even when the relationship is on the rocks. In a blog post on TheArtofCharm.com, a site dedicated to helping people develop world class social skills, the academy wrote: “Keeping your girlfriend interested is part of keeping your relationship healthy. Make no mistake about it — the “game” never ends. It’s always going to go on and you’re always going to have to try and keep the relationship fresh. The good news is that this isn’t a chore. On the contrary, it’s a heck of a lot of fun.”

This is a wake-up call for couples who let their relationships become routine and let the romance die. This is when couples look elsewhere for the fresh and exciting fun they once experienced with each other.

Men, don’t be replaced with a Plan B man. Be your lady’s Plan A and only plan by keeping the romance alive.