Top 7 Insurance Myths Exposed: Common Misconceptions About Insurance Coverage in New Zealand

Insurance is a crucial component of financial planning, yet there are many myths and misconceptions surrounding it - myths that the Spratt Financial team have encountered countless times over our 30 years in operation. In this article, we aim to debunk some of the most common myths about risk insurance coverage (life, health, income protection, mortgage coverage, permanent disability etc) for Kiwis.

• Myth 1: Insurance is Only for the Elderly or Unhealthy

  • Reality: Insurance is for everyone, regardless of age or health status. From our 30 years of claims experience - accidents and illnesses do not discriminate by age and can happen to anyone at any time, sometimes with no warning signs whatsoever. Having tailored insurance coverage to the risks you actually face provides a crucial safety net for individuals and their families in times of need.

• Myth 2: Insurance is Too Expensive

  • Reality: While insurance premiums may seem costly at first glance, the financial consequences of not having insurance can be far greater. Insurance premiums are based on various factors, including age, health, occupation, and coverage amount, and there are often options available to tailor aspects of your cover to fit within most people's budget. You have nothing to lose by seeing what an adviser might be able to help you put together!

• Myth 3: I Don't Need Insurance Because I Have Savings

  • Reality: While savings are no doubt important, they may not always be sufficient to cover unexpected expenses resulting from accidents, illnesses, or other unforeseen events. While some believe that illness or accident is likely to result in either a quick recovery or be fatal, the reality is in most instances it results in a protracted disablement process. Over a potentially long term period of recovery where you are unable to continue earning a living - insurance can provide a means to protect savings and assets from being depleted in times of crisis.

• Myth 4: Insurance Doesn't Pay Out When You Need It

  • Reality: Insurance companies have a legal obligation to honor valid claims made by policyholders. And if you're with a specialist adviser such as us, we have a 99% successful claims record over our decades of operation in the NZ marketplace. As long as the policyholder has met the terms and conditions outlined in the policy, such as paying premiums on time and providing accurate information, legitimate claims are typically processed and paid out promptly.

• Myth 5: I'm Covered by ACC, So I Don't Need Additional Insurance

  • Reality: While ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) provides coverage for accidents and injuries sustained in New Zealand, it does not cover all types of disabilities or illnesses. Additionally, ACC benefits may not be sufficient to replace lost income or cover ongoing expenses.

• Myth 6: I Don't Need Insurance Because I'm Young and Healthy

  • Reality: While youth and good health may reduce the risk of certain health issues, accidents and unforeseen events can still occur at any age. We've seen it happen time and time again. Securing insurance coverage while young and healthy can also result in lower premiums and fewer exclusions for pre-existing conditions. One of our staff was lucky enough to secure health insurance for himself at the age of 18 when he was young and healthy. A mere two years afterward, he was diagnosed with serious Crohn's Disease. Having the cover has over the forthcoming ten years saved him close to $60,000 in surgical, diagnostic and treatment costs and the premium he pays monthly is half of what it would be if he had taken out the policy after his diagnosis.

• Myth 7: Insurance is Complicated and Confusing

  • Reality: While insurance policies may contain legal language and complex terms, insurance advisers are available to help individuals understand their options and make informed decisions. Working with an experienced adviser can simplify the process of selecting and obtaining the right insurance coverage tailored to individual needs and circumstances.

By debunking these myths and working together with free professional insurance advice, individuals can make informed decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones with appropriate insurance coverage. Remember, insurance is a valuable tool for financial security and peace of mind, and it's never too early to start planning for the future.

The Importance of Medical Insurance: A $169,000 medical claim case study

In the unpredictable journey of life, unforeseen medical emergencies can quickly become financial disasters. Private Medical/Health Insurance is invaluable to have when faced with the exorbitant costs associated with comprehensive healthcare and getting you back on your feet. Spratt Insurance Brokers recently processed a medical insurance claim that exemplifies the significance of having adequate coverage, providing a stark reminder of the potential financial devastation without it, one of the highest claims ever processed by our agency (specifics and personal details have been withheld). The claim in question involved a myriad of medical and surgical procedures, a hospital stay, recovery and scans each carrying a substantial price tag. The breakdown of the expenses serves as a testament to the diverse and expensive nature of the care you may need at any time that you may not be able to afford out of your own pocket:

• Firstly, a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was performed, incurring a cost of $2,870. This diagnostic tool is crucial for detailed imaging and diagnostics, but its expense highlights the financial challenges patients may face without insurance coverage.
• A Computed Tomography (CT) scan came with a price tag of $850. These imaging techniques are essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
• The heart of the claim lay in the surgeon's fee, a whopping $58,650. Life-saving surgical interventions can be financially crippling without insurance, making it clear that comprehensive coverage is indispensable in times of medical crisis.
• Intensive Care Unit (ICU) expenses amounted to $2,405.01, underlining the fact that even brief stays in specialized units can lead to astronomical bills. The peace of mind offered by medical insurance becomes apparent as it shields individuals from such financial strain during critical periods of recovery.
• The anaesthetist fee, totaling $30,797, showcases the multifaceted costs associated with surgical procedures.
• Implants, costing $5,995.61, and hospitalization expenses, including room and medical supplies, amounted to a staggering $68,000.26.

Spratt Insurance Brokers, understanding the significance of robust coverage, ensured that the entire medical bill of $169,567.88 was paid in full. This example serves as a poignant reminder of the financial protection that medical insurance provides, alleviating the burden of healthcare expenses and allowing individuals to focus on recovery rather than financial distress. If you are interested in sourcing the best in medical insurance for yourself, your family or a group scheme, our professional adviser team would be happy to assist.

Visit our official website for more information. Request a free quote or meeting on your Insurance needs.

Surgical Waitlists in NZ - Health Insurance

Surgical wait lists

Due to the effects of COVID, closed borders and a staff shortage, New Zealand is currently experiencing a crisis of long waitlists for elective surgeries in public hospitals. 

Moreover, they are now growing longer and longer with the increase in COVID and Flu cases in the winter months. Hospitals around the country have also slashed elective surgery theatre operations due to the pandemic. And even those that are scheduled, many are cancelled or deferred at the last minute as a result of staff illness or hospital bed shortages.

In early May the wait list had grown to 27,000 for planned, non-acute treatment, up from 8000 in February 2020 before the first Covid arrivals in NZ and subsequent lockdowns took hold. One Christchurch based surgeon said there are over 6000 people waiting for elective hip. Over a recent 8-week period he would have expected to have completed over a dozen hip or new operations – in reality he performed just one.

It is certainly true that the Private Health care system and hospitals aren’t immune from delays in the current taxing environment, but they still do provide much more certainty, which means a good private health insurance plan remains the best way to ensure that you get the treatment you need with the minimum possible delay if something goes wrong with your health. 

With numerous individual and group plans available for you, your family, your business or your employees, we can help you get covered at the best prices today with a free, no obligation consultation on your insurance needs. Don't get waitlisted, let us help today.

Contact us for a free, no obligation quote today.

Insurance Advice and Tips from the Spratt Financial Team

Insurance works best when it is used as the foundation for a plan that will protect a business, family or estate that is confronted by serious illness, long term disablement or injury. If you already have an insurance package (or you’re looking for insurance) and you want to know whether your insurance will really be sufficient to provide for all of your financial needs, here are the questions you should know the answers to:

WHAT WILL YOU NEED THE INSURANCE COVER FOR?

We recommend that you grab a pen and paper and write down what your insurance claim proceeds will need to be used for when it is paid out. If you can’t do this now before tragedy strikes then you may be facing trouble later. Having this list in place can give you a reminder of where the money needs to go when it comes time to claim. With insurance, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

WILL YOU BE ABLE TO CLAIM SOON ENOUGH?

Life Insurance pays out in the event of actual or impending “medical death”. However, in 94% of cases in New Zealand, deaths are due to medical conditions not accidents. 65% are these are due to degenerative medical conditions such as cancers, heart disease and strokes which can kill slowly over what may be an extended period of time. During this time, unable to work and unable to support yourself, your family or your business, you will be facing tremendous financial strain which your insurance may not cover for. Will the bank or your creditors wait until you are terminally ill before your life insurance cover pays out? This is perhaps the most crucial consideration to take into account when assessing your insurance. We can help you ensure that you are fully covered financially in the face of these worrying statistics as unfortunately, basic life cover is most of the time, simply not sufficient.

IS THE SUM-ASSURED OF YOUR INSURANCE ENOUGH?

It may sound strange, but a $250,000 insurance claim may not be enough to repay a $250,000 debt. You may have additional interest payments, penalties for being in arrears and you may need to pay a Solicitor, Trustee or your Accountant to carry out these transactions for you. It is crucial that you set your sum assured at the right amount to cover your debt and provide adequately for your family and dependants should something happen to you. Take into account all factors, costs and if necessary, talk to us and we can help you find the amount you need.

DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT INSURANCE?

If you have income protection insurance – do you have the right kind? If you have health insurance – what does your health insurance actually cover and what do you need it to? If you have permanent disability or critical illness insurance – how are these insurances structured within your overall portfolio of insurance and how will they work if something happens to you? The bottom line is, you need to figure out what risks you are most likely to face, take into account your lifestyle and your financial situation and then select the right insurance to meet your individual needs. This is why it’s so important to have robust insurance advice from insurance professionals like us – we can find out what’s right for you. Sometimes having the wrong kind of insurance is almost as bad as having no insurance at all.

ARE YOU MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT YOUR INSURANCE?

Making assumptions about your insurance without proper and solid research and planning is always a mistake. Even assuming that you or someone close to you will be physically, mentally and emotionally capable of applying the claim proceeds to your predetermined targets is not supported by our experience of dealing with over 200 insurance claims. Question everything, and get a second opinion from insurance professionals to make sure you’ve got it right.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? 

What have we learned? We recommend that you use our experienced professional advisers to not only design and review the underlying plan, but to execute it and carry out the tasks they are best suited to handle. If you don’t have a plan now, prepared with clear-headed purpose, then any insurance you do have may well be insufficient or not adequately fit to your unique needs. Use our experienced professionals if you need guidance or advice – our service is completely free and no obligation, so you have nothing to lose!

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

For more information on how Spratt Financial’s team of advisers can assist with managing your insurance program,  use our contact form below. You can also contact us by calling 09 307 8200 or by email at enquiry@sprattfinancial.co.nz.

Covid-19 and your Insurance: WHEN TO REVIEW YOUR INSURANCE AND WHEN TO MAKE CHANGES.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and spending many weeks and months in lockdown, many of us have undergone significant and impactful life changes. Our financial situation might be different, our job or employment role may have changed and we may be facing both new challenges and opportunities. moving forward. This could mean that now is a great time to review your insurance cover, what you have, what you need and if there could be better options out there for your new post-Covid life circumstances.

If you have current insurance, there may be clauses in your policy (life, critical illness, permanent disablement, medical insurance, income protection etc.) that allow you to make changes quickly and easily, without any additional medical tests or screenings. These clauses can be triggered if you have experienced certain special events in the last 12 months. These events include:

• Having a child (by birth or legal adoption) or become responsible for the care of a family member.
• Getting married.
• Getting divorced.
• Supporting a dependent child through a first course of full time tertiary education.
• Commencement of secondary school education for the first time by your child (if you are the life assured of your policy).
• Taking out or increasing a home loan, residential investment, vacation home or bare block of zoned land as residential.
• Becoming responsible for the full time care or payment for long term care of a close relative.
• Annual salary increase.
• Death of a spouse or de facto partner.
• You take out a new home loan or increasing an existing one.
• You gain a significant salary increase of 10% or more.
• Your spouse or partner passes away.
• You get married or finalise a divorce.
• You undergo significant changes to your personal financial situation.

Even if you don’t meet these particular criteria, the Spratt Financial team can help you make the needed changes quickly and efficiently with no hassle. We can also conduct a free, no obligation review to find out if you’re still getting the best deal possible and hopefully save you some money on your insurance cover.

We take the time regularly to review policies and make sure they still fit your unique needs and lifestyle, but we encourage you to contact us anytime something changes in your life and you want to ensure your cover still fits as it should. All aspects of our insurance service are completely free to you and we are always happy to help. Email us here, fill out our online contact form below or call us any time at 09 307 8200.

Contact our team to find out if your Insurance contains Special Events Clauses today.
Find out more about the insurance options we can provide.

Attraction and Retention - Solving An Employer Challenge for 2022

Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SME’s) are the lifeblood of the New Zealand economy, with over 470,000 SME’s employing over 584,000 staff. Much has been made recently of the staff shortages NZ businesses are experiencing,  and the predicted “great resignation’’ once the borders open after prolonged closure. In a tight labour market, employers are always looking for new ways to attract and retain talent. A recent global wellbeing survey indicated that 82% of organisations believe wellbeing is important within their company. However, 'wellbeing' can have can have different meanings to different people.

Two meanings that are universally accepted in relation to it are Health Wellbeing, and Financial  Wellbeing.  Employers can provide this wellbeing via “Employee" insurance programs that provide staff with Health insurance benefits so they can getter better, and back to work faster, and insurance benefits that pay cash to staff should they suffer a major illness or disability, relieving financial worry and stress. 

Employee or “Group” insurance places value on employees’ wellbeing and shows that their employers genuinely care about them. If you are an employer with at least 5 employees, it’s a fantastic gesture to build loyalty, retain staff and reward them for their hard work. These plans also have the valuable advantage of providing a higher level of coverage, and at a much lower premium cost than an individual employee could access themselves.
 
A recent report by the Financial Services Council of New Zealand shows that “Group" insurance for employees is one of the fastest growing sectors of the insurance industry. This is because more and more employers realise the value it holds for employees from internationally mobile staff through to blue collar workers, and what great value it represents on ROI per dollar spent (cost is usually well below 1% of remuneration expenditure). Group medical insurance schemes are also available and are generally an exceptional and cost-effective option that gives your employees medical cover at lower costs than they could access themselves.
 
To find out more, or to receive a free no obligation consultation or quote you can contact our resident expert,  Peter Wilkening of Spratt Corporate Employee Benefits for a chat.

Read More about Employee Group Schemes here.
Visit our official website.

Insurance FAQ (Updated)

What Kind of Insurance Do I Need?

Health Insurance: Health Insurance is a form of cover which pays for medical costs, and makes it easier for you to access private health services outside of the public system. Although it may seem easy to adopt a standpoint of ‘it won’t happen to me’ as it relates to your health, it is an unfortunate statistical fact that you will require hospitalisation, surgery or medical procedures at some point in your life, in many cases more than once. Within the current medical system, the only way to ensure that you and your family will receive the treatment you need promptly and without throwing your finances into turmoil is by taking out health insurance. We recommend some form of health insurance as a necessity to everyone. If cost is a factor, there are a number of options that are less expensive that we can discuss with you anytime.
  
Life Insurance: Life Insurance is insurance that pays an agreed upon lump sum to the people you choose if you passing away. If you are the breadwinner of your family, or you want to make sure your loved ones are supported in the event of your passing, some form of life insurance is a very good idea. Unless you have an extremely significant amount of savings to cover all of your debt and provide for your dependants as long as they will require, we believe that you should always have a life insurance policy in place. Life insurance, depending on age and physical health, is generally inexpensive and with our help, you could have even better deals, making a life insurance policy extremely useful without being a burden on your finances.

Income Protection and Disability Insurance: Income Protection is designed to pay you an amount reflective of your monthly income if you are rendered unable to work through illness or injury. We can sometimes operate under assumptions that severe illness will result in recovery or in a relatively quick passing away. Unfortunately, that is most often not the case. The biggest proportion of cases of serious illness (heart attack, strokes, cancer etc) result in a protracted period of physical disablement, during which time you will be unable to work and maintain the income necessary to cover your expenses - which will not be on hold until you get better! This is why income protection can be a good option if your family depends on your income to maintain their way of life. With the right cover, you can have the peace of mind that your income will be maintained in the event that accident or illness strikes.

Trauma/Critical Illness Insurance: Trauma Insurance is a form of cover which pays out a full or partial lump sum (which is agreed upon when taking out the policy) upon diagnosis of a serious health condition. This is different from income protection in that you are paid the full amount on your policy immediately when a diagnosis is confirmed (or a partial payment for numerous less serious conditions or procedures). This can allow you more flexibility on paying debt, providing capital for your business or supporting your family. Different people have different needs, and depending on your situation a trauma policy could be the best bet. We advise that if you are unsure, contact our professional team. We specialise in looking at your unique financial situation and determining whether your situation would best be suited to trauma insurance, income protection or a combination of both.

Key Person Insurance: If you run a business and your business prosperity relies on several key employees or directors, key person insurance is a very good idea. It will provide compensation to your business for their loss if they are disabled through illness or injury and support your business financially until an adequate replacement is found and the business is back on its feet. In some instances, proper key person insurance can be the difference between a business surviving or having to shut down.

Insurance can sometimes seem confusing and daunting, but it doesn't have to be. If you are unsure which type of cover is best for your situation, we can help with our completely free and no obligation insurance advice. Simply fill out the form on this page and one of our professional team can be in contact whenever is convenient for you.

I Can't Afford Every Type Of Insurance - Which Ones Are Most Important?

For most people, it is simply unfeasible financially to have every possible form of insurance available. As such, it becomes a question of discerning which ones are most important for you to have. The answer to this will differ based on your personal situation and our team can discuss this with you more fully at any time if you wish. However, in most circumstances, we recommend at least a basic combination of health insurance (to insure that any medical procedures you need are covered) and life insurance (to provide for the people close to you if something should happen to you). If you have room for more in your personal budget, trauma insurance and/or income protection can provide you with good peace of mind if you were to suffer a protracted illness that renders you unable to earn a living.

Keep in mind that many insurers that we deal with offer additional discounts for bundled insurance policies, so even if you think the cost of different insurances could be prohibitive, you could be surprised at the deals we can provide you.

What Sort of Insurance Can You Offer?

Spratt Financial Services can offer you the best, most comprehensive service in all types of risk insurance for both individuals and businesses/corporations, no matter what the size. This includes: 

• Life Insurance
• Medical/Health Insurance and Group Medical Insurance for Businesses.
• Trauma Insurance
• Income Protection and Redundancy Cover
• Mortgage Protection Insurance
• Key Person Insurance Cover
• Total Permanent Disablement Insurance

Spratt Financial Services can also be your link to a full range of fire and general insurance, including home, contents, vehicle insurance, business stock/vehicle/building insurance, travel insurance and liability cover.

Our Insurance Service goes beyond securing you the best cover at the lowest prices. We also provide full claims management, regular reviews to make sure you are always getting the best deal and a professional support staff on hand at all times to help you with anything you may need.

Can You Help Me Save Money on My Insurance?

It is very likely that we can. Spratt Financial Services can offer you many avenues to save money on your insurance. Firstly, with our special relationship with New Zealand's top insurance providers, we can often negotiate better deals for your cover than you will find alone. Also, many people can end up paying more than they need to for their insurance by not having the right sum assured or not having the right type of cover for them entirely. Our professional insurance brokers will take the time to find out your personal circumstances and secure the right cover for you at the lowest prices available.  

Are There Any Other Options To Save Money On My Insurance?

Yes there are. If you are looking to save more money on your insurance, there are certain more specific and less costly options available to you. For example, if you cannot afford a full income protection policy, redundancy cover or personal accident and injury cover are cheaper alternatives (although they come with additional conditions and restrictions). Another less expensive option is mortgage repayment insurance, which will cover your mortgage payments if you are disabled and cannot earn an income.

With almost all forms of insurance there are more limited options and conditions that can be applied that will result in lower premiums. Taking the time to plan out which features you need and which you don't could result in higher savings, and we can help anytime making sure those decisions are the right ones for you. 

Health Insurance: Which Type Of Health Cover Is Best?

The primary benefits of having health or medical insurance are guaranteed protection from the risk of having to pay for your own treatment, as well as obtaining the best possible care with the least amount of delay or stress. In general, for most cases, a hospital and surgical combined with a tests and specialist policy will provide you with a basic and effective level of cover. We also specialise in more specific insurance plans covering optical and dental expenses, and also routine GP visits and checkups. As to which specific plan is the best for you, there are a number of variables which our advisers are more than capable of explaining personally in a thorough and understandable way. Feel free to get in touch with us and we can talk you through the options that are best for you.

Health Insurance: Are There Alternatives to Health Insurance?

Not really. Although it may be tempting to think that you could save the money you would normally pay into a medical insurance policy for possible future use, the levels of medical inflation means that an investment would need to grow at an unrealistic rate to keep up. Obviously there is a chance that you could go through your entire life without ever making a claim (which would be a good thing) but there's also the possibility that you need to make several significant claims. The fact that a record $1.14 billion was paid out in health insurance claims last year speaks to the importance health insurance has to a huge amount of New Zealanders.

Health Insurance: What is an Excess and Should I Add One?

Having an excess on your policy means that you will pay a part of the cost of your treatment and the insurer will pay the rest. For instance, a $500 excess means that if you required a procedure that cost $5,000, you will pay $500 and the insurer will pay $4,500. Adding an excess to your policy can have practical benefits, as you will get a discount on the policy's cost for doing so. This saving, over time, can add up to a significant total over the course of several years. Furthermore, it is an unfortunate fact that premiums will continue to increase over time. Adding an excess is one of the options we can provide you in order to mitigate these increases, keeping your insurance costs manageable and saving you money.

Trauma Insurance: Which Medical Conditions will Allow Me To Claim?

In our experience, many New Zealanders who have trauma insurance could make a substantial claim which could help their finances tremendously and are unaware that they qualify. Your trauma insurance policy will tell you exactly what claim you are entitled to and which conditions will make you eligible. For the most specific list of these conditions, please consult your policy wordings. A list of conditions could include:

Cancer (including malignant tumors), Angioplasty, Aortic surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary artery bypass surgery, Heart attacks, Cardiac Arrest, Alzheimer's Disease, Coma, Dementia, Encephalitis, Major head trauma, Meningitis, Motor neurone disease, Multiple sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Stroke, Paralysis and loss of functionality, loss of hearing, loss of sight, loss of speech, loss of use of limbs, advanced diabetes, liver failure, lung disease, renal failure, HIV, major burns, major transplant surgery.

If you're unsure what these conditions entail or if you qualify, you can ask us anytime and we'll be happy to help.

Which Insurer Provides The Best Insurance Policy?

The answer to this question will vary depending on your own personal needs from your insurance plan. There are a number of factors which need to be taken into account when choosing a provider. Every company is slightly different in the way that it structures its cover. For instance, some companies base their premiums on the age of the youngest adult covered, some have ‘per-child’ premiums, whilst others have a flat rate no matter how many children are covered. Companies also differ in the way they process claims for procedures (health insurance) or in the event of the policy holder's death (life insurance). This is why the service we provide can be so beneficial to you, as our knowledge of each company is unmatched, and taking your personal situation into account, we can quickly and easily find the best insurance option for you.

What If I Need To Make A Claim?

Making claims can be extremely stressful and add a burden to you during already hard times. That's why our insurance service to you offers free claims management to take the stress out of your hands and make sure you get the claims you need quickly, easily and efficiently. We have an unmatched history of getting results at claim time and this is part of the service we offer to all of our clients completely free.

How Important is my Health?

In general, when it comes to insurance, the better health you're in when taking out your insurance, the less you will pay. If you make the effort to keep in good condition, you will be rewarded with lower premiums and fewer conditions and exclusions (things that the insurance policy will not pay out for). For instance, the cost of risk insurance policies are cheaper for non-smokers and those with fewer pre-existing conditions. The good news is that if you have an existing policy and your health improves or you quit smoking, your rates can be renegotiated and brought down. As well as for your general wellbeing, a healthy lifestyle will definitely pay off when it comes to insurance.

Can You Explain Insurance Jargon and Terminology to Me?

Sometimes the terms surrounding insurance can be difficult to understand for newcomers. Check out this article from the Spratt Financial Blog which will explain some of the common terms you will encounter when dealing with risk insurance.

Will My Insurance Premiums Increase Over Time?

This will depend on the choice of company, and will be taken into account in our initial consultation with you. Some providers have age-related premiums that increase each year, whereas others calculate premiums on five year age bands. Regardless of how often these age-related increases are applied, you can expect to receive an increase every year or so. Factors that contribute to higher premiums include:

• Increased risk to the insurer as we age.
• New medical technology (more costly to provide treatment).
• An aging population (with higher average claims amounts).
• Rising currency inflation.
• Rising medical inflation (increasing consultation, treatment and equipment costs).

Increasing premiums are a necessary fact of life in terms of insurance, but they are generally small and incremental over time. If you are concerned about premium increases, we can provide several strategies in order to lessen these costs. These strategies can include adding an excess, shifting insurance providers or making policy adjustments, always ensuring your best interests are our top priority.

I'm Applying For Insurance - Do I Need To Remember Details Of My Medical History?

It is necessary that you can recall as much as you can of your significant medical history. The main thing when completing an application for insurance is to disclose as much as possible of any past medical treatment or consultations. Failure to do so could impact claims on your insurance policy.

How Do I Get Started?

For more information on how Spratt Financial's team of insurance brokers can assist with your insurance, you can use our contact form to the right of this blog. You can also call us any time at 09 307 8200, or find our individual advisers contact details through the Meet the Team Page. 

Why You Need an Insurance Plan

Insurance works best when it is used as the foundation for a plan that will protect a business, family or estate that is confronted by the disablement process. If you already have an insurance package (or you're looking for insurance) and you want to know whether your insurance will really be sufficient for your needs, here are the questions you should know the answers to:

1. What do you really need the Insurance for?

We recommend that you grab a pen and paper and write down what your insurance claim proceeds will need to be used for when it is paid out. If you can't do this now before tragedy strikes, then you may be facing trouble later. Also, having this list in place can give you a reminder of where the money needs to go when it comes time to claim. With insurance, it's always better to be safe than sorry.

2. Will you be able to claim soon enough?

Life Insurance pays out in the event of actual or impending "medical death". However, in 94% of cases in New Zealand, deaths are due to medical conditions not accidents. 65% are these are due to degenerative medical conditions such as cancers, heart disease and strokes which can kill slowly over what may be an extended period of time. During this time, unable to work and unable to support yourself, your family or your business, you will be facing tremendous financial strain which your insurance may not cover for. Will the bank or your creditors wait until you are terminally ill before your life insurance cover pays out? This is perhaps the most crucial consideration to take into account when assessing your insurance. We can help you ensure that you are fully covered financially in the face of these worrying statistics as unfortunately, basic life cover is most of the time, simply not sufficient.

3. Is the Sum-Assured of your Insurance policy enough?

It may sound strange, but a $250,000 insurance claim may not be enough to repay a $250,000 debt. You may have additional interest payments, penalties for being in arrears and you may need to pay a Solicitor, Trustee or your Accountant to carry out these transactions for you. It is crucial that you set your sum assured at the right amount to cover your debt and provide adequately for your family and dependants should something happen to you. Take into account all factors, costs and if necessary, talk to our professional team and we can help you determine the amount you need.

4. Do you know the right type of Insurance you need?

If you have income protection insurance - do you have the right kind? If you have health insurance - what does your health insurance actually cover and what do you need it to? If you have permanent disability or critical illness insurance - how are these insurances structured within your overall portfolio of insurance, and how will they work if something happens to you? The bottom line is, you need to figure out what risks you are most likely to face, take into account your lifestyle and your financial situation and then select the right insurance to meet your individual needs. This is why it's so important to have robust insurance advice from insurance professionals like Spratt Financial Services - we can find out what's right for you. Sometimes having the wrong kind of insurance is almost as bad as having no insurance at all.

5. Are you making unwarranted assumptions about your Insurance?

Making assumptions about your insurance without proper and solid research and planning is always a mistake. Even assuming that you or someone close to you will be physically, mentally and emotionally capable of applying the claim proceeds to your predetermined targets is not supported by our experience of dealing with hundreds of insurance claims. Question everything, and get a second opinion from insurance professionals to make sure you've got it right.

6. What should you do?

We recommend wholeheartedly that you use our experienced professional advisers to not only design and review your underlying insurance plan, but to execute it and carry out the tasks they are best suited to handle. If you don't have a plan now, prepared with clear-headed purpose, then any insurance you do have may well be insufficient or not adequately fit to your unique needs. Use our experienced professionals if you need guidance or advice - our service is completely free and no obligation, so you have nothing to lose!

Contact our team for a free, no obligation chat today.

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