Insurance is not required by law in South Africa. Given this fact, most South Africans choose to save a little bit of money and go without the insurance. In the long run, however, this has proven to be a very costly mistake.
We can learn a lot from financial institutions in regard to the importance of insurance.. Banks will very often require car insurance before approving your auto loan. Banks also require homeowners insurance and sometimes life insurance before approving a home loan. Doing so protects the bank from financial losses in the event your property is lost, stolen or damaged or in the event of your death. You are also protected since insurance cover will provide you the means to pay the bank under these circumstances.
Knowing this, doesnt it make sense to protect yourself without the bank requiring you to do it? If youve made the choice not to insure your property, or yourself, take a moment to review the most common types of insurance and their benefits.
A good number of South Africans do not take advantage of all their insurance options, with life insurance being the leader. While many of us know that decreasing term life insurance is linked to things like home loans, it can provide more for you then paying off debt. Life insurance can maintain the standard of living for your family in the event of your passing by providing your beneficiary the payout of the policy. Obtaining the proper life insurance will ensure your family has security.
South Africa is a leader in providing life insurance for people with HIV/AIDS. Thanks to the growing success of the treatment of this disease, South Africa is now one of two countries in the world where people with HIV/AIDS can purchase insurance cover.
South Africa is one of the countries where a driver is not required to purchase Car Insurance to drive. Approximately 65 percent of car owners in South Africa do not have any form of insurance coverage one way or another. Insurance cover should be necessitated by the looking hard at the risks involved when driving. The risks range from accidents, hijackings and thefts which are an everyday occurrence. If one cannot afford to pay for repair or replace damaged property, medical expenses, property damage caused by fire or theft, then it is best recommended to have car insurance. A complete Comprehensive Cover policy should protect you in all these situations.
If you own your home you most likely have homeowners insurance. But, if you rent, you should consider renters insurance to protect your belongings in the event of fire, theft or other property damage. To lower your premiums for these policies, you can add voluntary excess amounts and add security devices. For homeowners, do not include the value of the land your home is built on when you estimate your homes value. No matter what happens to your house, the land will still be there.
You might think that insurance is an unnecessary expense. It may seem so, but what would you do if you had to pay to have your or another person’s car replaced following an accident? Just think about how hard it would be for your family to get by if you were to die suddenly. This type of thing happens to people every day, but you and your family don’t have to be among them. Don’t wait any longer, start looking for the insurance you and your family need to be safe.
Knowing this, doesnt it make sense to protect yourself without the bank requiring you to do it? If youve made the choice not to insure your property, or yourself, take a moment to review the most common types of insurance and their benefits.
Tom Martens is the syndication coordinator Insurance-south-africa.co.za. South Aricas leading Insurance information portal.