Why insurance is important: real benefits for you and your family

You insure your car and your home. But nothing is more important than your life and your ability to make a living. So it makes good sense to insure your greatest asset – you!

As we move through life, find a partner, raise a family, and maybe start a business, the importance of insurance in a long term plan increases.

That’s because insurance is all about providing a financial safety net that helps you to take care of yourself and those you love when you need it the most.

Five reasons why insurance matters

Why is insurance important? Let’s look at five key reasons.

Protection for you and your family

Your family depend on your financial support to enjoy a decent standard of living, which is why insurance is especially important once you start a family.

It means the people who matter most in your life may be protected from financial hardship if the unexpected happens.

Reduce stress during difficult times

None of us know what lies around the corner. Unforeseen tragedies such as illness, injury or permanent disability, even death – can leave you and your family facing tremendous emotional stress, and even grief.

With insurance in place, you or your family’s financial stress will be reduced, and you can focus on recovery and rebuilding your lives.

To enjoy financial security

No matter what your financial position is today, an unexpected event can see it all unravel very quickly.

Insurance offers a payout so that if there is an unforeseen event you and your family can hopefully continue to move forward.

Peace of mind

No amount of money can replace your health and wellbeing – or the role you play in your family.

But you can at least have peace of mind knowing that if anything happened to you, your family’s financial security is assisted by insurance.

A legacy to leave behind

A lump sum death benefit can secure the financial future for your children and protect their  standard of living.

Case Study:

The following scenario is illustrative only to demonstrate the importance of insurance and is not based on an actual event.

Tony (34) and Karen (33) recently upgraded to a new home to allow their twin boys Nicholas and Rocky (aged 4) more room to play.

This also meant taking on a bigger mortgage on one income, as Karen is a homemaker.  To protect the family, Tony decided to take out Income Protection Insurance.

During a simple Saturday afternoon game of backyard cricket with the twins, Tony tripped and broke his leg.

What appeared to be a simple break was more complicated than initially realised and Tony required several reconstructive operations followed by physiotherapy.

It meant Tony was out of the workforce for over six months, and while his employer was sympathetic, Tony only had two weeks of sick leave owing to him.

Thankfully, Tony’s Income Protection insurance meant he received a stream of payments equal to 80% of his regular wage (including super).

The couple needed to tighten their belts a little until Tony was back on his feet but they were able to keep up with their home loan repayments, which would not otherwise have been possible without their Income Protection cover.

Source: BT