It is highly likely that one of your biggest assets is your earning power. It is vital to protect this asset and ensure you maintain a steady salary until you have reached your financial goals.
Many people take a head-in-sand approach when it comes to income protection, believing that they’ll never be inflicted with a disability, or assuming they can find a quick resolution if they are. However, this doesn’t necessarily equate to positive thinking, but rather naivety. A more responsible approach would be to hope that disaster won’t strike, while still having a back-up plan in place in case life has other ideas.
The truth is that a lot of circumstances are completely out of our control. And for most people, the reality is that losing a regular income stream (particularly that of the breadwinner) could potentially result in not being able to afford everyday items, such as groceries, as well as larger expenses, such as school fees and bond repayments.
If an unforeseen circumstance arises that prevents you from working, and you haven’t protected your income, you could immediately feel the blow and the knock-on financial effects for years.
Statistics highlighted in an article published on Money Marketing highlight that over a quarter of people will suffer a disability between their twenties and when they retire, and that 10 people per hour have a stroke in South Africa. Unfortunately, anyone can have a debilitating accident or develop a medical condition at any given time, so it’s important to safeguard our financial affairs in order to look after our liabilities and loved ones.
When it comes to disability cover, there are many options, but it’s advisable to choose the most comprehensive cover that you can afford. Fortunately, income protection benefits offer much more holistic protection nowadays, and can cover other claim categories, such as critical illness, hospitalisation and functional impairment. This is of particular note as, in 2017, almost half of the disability claims paid by a leading insurer fell under the classification of functional impairment.
You can easily reduce your financial risk exposure, protect your investments and ensure you can meet all your obligations by investing in comprehensive disability cover. A holistic disability cover will provide you with more certainty, so that you can rest assured that your financial situation is protected in all eventualities. Please don’t hesitate to arrange a meeting to seek advice on selecting the right disability cover for you.
(Info from moneymarketing.co.za)
