Personal finance is about managing your money so you can afford your daily needs and wants, live a comfortable life, and still be able to save and invest in your future. It involves budgeting, planning for retirement, saving for rainy days, insurance, mortgages, retirement plans, estate planning, and tax.
However, insurance is more of a contract represented by a policy. This policy includes where, when, and how a company or individual should receive financial protection in the event of unformidable financial loss. This article aims to emphasize the importance of insurance in personal finances.
Why insurance should be part of your financial plan?
You might be wondering why you even need to consider having any kind of insurance in place. Here are a few compelling reasons why you should invest in insurance:
1. Financial Portfolio Stability
Having a stable financial portfolio in place is something everyone should strive towards, as you will then have a clear understanding of your financial position and the type of lifestyle you can afford. This, coupled with the fact that some insurance types make you eligible for some tax deductions, makes it easier to save for rainy days.
2. Risk Management and Mitigation
Beyond ensuring your financial portfolio is healthy, insurance is best known for its risk management and mitigation. Insurance inherently means trying to hedge your interests the best you can and protect yourself from any of life’s uncertainties. Life’s uncertainties can present themselves in many ways, and insurance offers protection for your personal finances, about which you can learn more here.
The most common risks the right insurance protects the policyholder from is the loss of assets and properties, it reduces the risk of a health crisis and sometimes covers family members, and crucially, income replacement insurance ensures protection if the policyholder is unable to earn, could be as a result of a layoff or injury. These policies ensure that the effect of these unsightly events is kept to a minimum and does not eat into the policyholder’s savings.
3. Helps Secure the Future
Insurance is not just about the now; it ensures that you and your loved ones have a future to dream about. It allows and encourages policyholders to prepare for retirement and have a consistent standard of living as they age with long-term care insurance that ensures they can afford important home renovations amidst other expenses, especially if they want to live in their own place and not in a retirement home or an assisted living service.
The role of different insurance in personal finances
There are various types of personal insurance, each designed for a specific financial need and risk factor. Here is a list of the different types of insurance and the potential impact each has on your finances:
1. Health Insurance
Health insurance can help you live a healthier life by providing you with cover for various doctors in various fields. It can also help detect and manage any illness you might have. With health care, you can have peace of mind, knowing that your health can be taken care of, and it eases any concerns you might have about not having access to proper care.
Aside from the above examples, health insurance can help your finances. Here are a few examples of how healthcare insurance can help you save:
- Assistance with paying for your medical bills and prescription drugs.
- Provides a cap on your yearly health spending.
- It can also help you avoid having large amounts of medical debt.
2. Life Insurance
Although many people feel life insurance is an unnecessary expense, it is something everyone should invest in. You can also use life insurance to protect your business against financial loss.
Here are some financial advantages having life insurance has to offer:
- Some health insurance can be used to pay for medical coverage if you develop any serious illnesses or to pay for a nursing home.
- Depending on the terms and conditions, life insurance payouts are generally income-tax-free.
- A few permanent life insurance policies build up a cash value, which is funds you can access while you’re still alive.
3. Auto Insurance
Auto insurance can help you in an accident, unforeseen damages, or vehicle theft without dipping into your savings or paying out of pocket. It also helps you satisfy the legal requirements of having a vehicle and can prevent a huge setback in repairing it.
4. Homeowners/Renters Insurance
This type of insurance can be for homeowners or renters and helps protect them against theft and damages liable to homeowners. As a renter, the cover will help protect your personal belongings. Both will provide an individual with financial security for accidents and natural disasters.
5. Disability Insurance
If you cannot work due to disability caused by an accident, the disability insurance will be a replacement for a portion of your income. The disability insurance will ensure that your family is cared for.
6. Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-term care insurance is not as popular as the other insurance types, but this does not make it any less important. Long-term care insurance will help you cover any costs exerted on you by extending any healthcare services, such as in-home assistance or nursing homes. It also helps prevent financial strain on the family.
7. Travel Insurance
If you love to travel the world and see new places, then you will love having travel insurance. Travel insurance will help cover additional unforeseen events like trip cancellation fees, medical emergencies, and lost luggage.
8. Pet Insurance
Pet lovers who put their pet’s needs first will love this. Pet insurance will help them cover all your veterinary expenses and ensure your pet’s well-being. We all know that it is quite expensive to care for a pet. From the food they eat to hygiene and personal care, it can take a toll on your finances. With the right kind of pet insurance, you can be assured that your pet’s health will be taken care of without exhausting your pockets.
