Securing Your Family's Future: The Role of Life Insurance in Financial Planning

Life can be unpredictable, and while we can't foresee every twist and turn, we can certainly do something to prepare for them. One of the most vital steps in ensuring your family's enduring financial security is incorporating life insurance into your financial planning. This might seem like a daunting task, but it’s more straightforward than you might think especially with the right advice. Let's break down why life insurance is crucial and how it can secure your family's future without breaking the bank.

Why Life Insurance?

Life insurance is about more than just a policy that pays out to your loved ones or dependents in the event of your passing. Knowing that your loved ones will be financially secure if something happens to you can be a tremendous relief in the here and now, and let you enjoy the precious times with less burden and worry on your mind. Here are a few reasons why life insurance is a cornerstone of sound financial planning:

• Financial Protection: Life insurance provides a safety net that ensures your family can maintain their standard of living, cover daily expenses, and pay off debts like mortgages or loans.
• Debt Coverage: If you have significant debts, life insurance can help prevent these from becoming a burden on your family and pay them off completely. This can be where professional advice can benefit you even further, as it can tell you exactly what sum-assured your policy should have to ensure your debts and responsibilities are fully covered.
• Education Funds: It can ensure that your children’s education funds are secure, even if you’re not there to contribute.
• Income Replacement: It helps replace lost income, so your family doesn’t have to worry about where the next paycheck will come from.

Types of Life Insurance

In New Zealand, there are several types of life insurance to consider, each with its unique benefits:

• Term Life Insurance: This is the most straightforward type. It provides coverage for a specified period (the term), and is typically more affordable. If you pass away during the term, the policy pays out to your beneficiaries.
• Whole of Life Insurance: This type of policy covers you for your entire life and includes an investment component. It can be more expensive, but it builds cash value over time. This is usually an older style of policy and may not be as prevalent in the marketplace anymore.
• Trauma Insurance: Also known as critical illness insurance, this pays out a lump sum if you’re diagnosed with a specified serious illness. It’s designed to help cover medical costs and provide financial support during recovery.

How Much Coverage Do You Need?

Determining the right amount of coverage depends on several factors and can be aided by consulting with an insurance professional:

• Current and Future Expenses: Consider your family's daily living expenses, future education costs for your children, and any outstanding debts.
• Income Replacement: A common rule of thumb is to have a policy that covers 10-12 times your annual income, but your personal circumstances can always be different from the norm and everybody needs to consider things slightly differently.
• Long-term Financial Goals: Think about your family's long-term financial needs and goals. This might include retirement funds for your spouse or setting up a trust for your children.

Choosing the Right Policy

Selecting the right policy might seem overwhelming, but here are a few tips to help you navigate the process:

• Consult with an Insurance Adviser: An experienced insurance adviser like us can provide tailored advice based on your specific needs and circumstances. Advisers can also provide claims management when the time comes to claim on your policy to take the stress out of your family's hands.
• Compare Policies: Look at different policies from various providers to find the best fit. Consider factors like coverage amount, premium costs, and policy terms.
• Review Regularly: Life changes, and so do your insurance needs. Review your policy regularly to ensure it still meets your needs, especially after major life events like marriage, the birth of a child, or buying a home.

Imagine the peace of mind knowing that your partner won’t have to sell the family home to make ends meet, or that your children's education won’t be compromised. Life insurance isn’t just about preparing for the worst; it’s about ensuring the best possible future for your loved ones.

Life insurance plays a pivotal role in financial planning, providing security and peace of mind for you and your family. By understanding the types of coverage available and determining the right amount for your needs, you can take a significant step toward securing your family's future.

At Spratt Financial Services, we're here to help you navigate the complexities of life insurance and ensure you have the coverage you need. Let’s work together to safeguard your family’s future.

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 Insurance Advice We Give

With over 30 years of experience in the insurance field, our team specialises in problem-solving to ensure your financial independence remains intact during unexpected events and especially during challenging health situations.

In partnership with professionals and your own personal insight, along with trusted Solicitors and Accountants, we can create secure financial structures around your assets, ensuring your long-term plans are safeguarded.

When facing the uncertainties of disablement due to medical conditions, your reliance on earned income can be severely threatened. Maintaining your financial independence and funding amidst health challenges is paramount for your goals and your future. Here are the key factors we focus on to establish and regain control when faced with the disablement process:

1. Swift Access to Medical Support: Private medical insurance ensures immediate access to necessary medical advice, treatment, and technology without delay, providing peace of mind during critical times.
   
   
2. Control Your Debt Arrangements: We can help you be able to continue to service your loans in the early stages of disablement, reducing them significantly if your health continues to deteriorate and finally eliminating all debts in the event of your untimely impending or actual departure. This is where monthly mortgage repayment cover fits, along with lumpsums that pay out when a critical illness/condition is diagnosed, or if your disability becomes permanent.
   
   
3. Securing Artificial Income: Your ability to access a source of income becomes invaluable when earning your own living becomes impossible. This is where income protection fits, providing a stable source of income, enabling you to support dependents, completing retirement savings, and covering daily living expenses, ensuring your long-term projects stay on track.
   
   

Navigating the disablement process can be unpredictable, and it needs a more thorough set of appropriate structures and advice than many people think. By establishing proper structures, seeking expert advice, and selecting suitable insurance options, you regain control. Once control is regained, the Consolidation Stage begins as life continues, allowing your life to be addressed, resourced and funded as it continues.

The truth is that a holistic approach to the disablement process is necessary because, in our experience, the process is never predictable and never unfolds as you might expect. With our long term structured approach and comprehensive claims management we can ensure that your debt payments are met, solvency is established and ongoing needs are provided for. This can involve a complex claims process with multiple steps, which our service helps navigate for you. We take into account every facet of your needs from the lens of experienced industry professionals and help provide you with what you actually need at claim time, with no mistaken assumptions.

We specialise in a personalized approach, tailored to your unique situation. Let's meet to assess your current situation, evaluate existing resources, and discuss tailored solutions. We can and will also review Allied Professional Advice, existing structures like wills, trusts and guardianships, ensuring you and your dependents are well-prepared for the future.

Talk to an Adviser 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.

The Benefits of Using an Insurance Broker

1. Insurance Mistakes Can be Costly.

While we can sometimes think of insurance as being a simple matter, it can no doubt be a complicated prospect and the costs of getting things wrong can be high. If you don't have the right amount of cover you could be left unable to service your debt if something goes wrong, or people who depend on you could end up in trouble or out of pocket. In our years of professional experience, we've come across people who've filled out forms incorrectly, chosen the wrong type of insurance entirely, or overlooked a crucial detail, leaving them in a much worse situation when they need their claims.

Nearly all of these mistakes could have been avoided by consulting with a professional adviser. Insurance brokers take the time to assess what you really need and guide you through the process, eliminating unneeded costs, getting you the right insurance, making sure your real needs are covered and getting those forms 100% correct every time.

2. Your Claims Processed Stress Free

If you need to make a claim on your insurance, chances are you are going through one of the most stressful times of your life. During this time, processing claims, filling out forms and making sure everything is squared away is a true hassle, and one that you really can't afford to get wrong. Our Insurance service includes full claims management and support, helping you fill out forms correctly, guiding you every step of the way and making sure you get your claim processed as you need it every single time.

You don't need any more stress in your life, and making the choice to use an insurance broker to source your cover will take this claims stress out of your hands.

3. The Insurance Marketplace Can Change

The insurance market in New Zealand is ever-changing. New products and providers come and go, and the best insurance for your situation one year could be very different to the best insurance for you the next year. An insurance broker will conduct regular reviews of your insurance to make sure that what you're getting is still the best deal for you. If it is found that it's not, you'll be able to change to continue to get the best cover at the lowest prices. The best way to keep on top of the market and always get the best is to have a professional insurance broker in your service.

4. Zero Cost and Zero Obligation.

All the service that an insurance broker provides for you, from giving advice to sourcing your insurance, to conducting reviews and providing ongoing support, is entirely 100% cost free. All you pay for is your insurance premiums. Your insurance broker is paid by the insurance companies themselves at no additional cost to you, so you have nothing to lose by consulting one.

5. Better Deals Than Going It Alone   

In many cases, a reputable insurance broker can leverage their solid relationships with New Zealand's insurance providers to secure you better terms and/or better rates than you could find by going it alone. A broker can also get you indirect savings in cutting out aspects or benefits that you don't need and setting your sums assured at the level you need and not too far in excess of it. When combined with all the other benefits, we believe that taking the time to consult with an insurance broker is a no-brainer.

6. The Knowledge and Experience You Need

Our insurance team has over 100 years of combined experience in the insurance field. That's over a century's worth of knowledge and experience that they bring to help clients get the best and deal with anything that could arise. That knowledge is simply invaluable in crafting your insurance policy, maintaining it and making sure that it works the way it needs to and only the way it needs to. Alone, you could be at risk but with 100 years of experience behind you, you will be secure.

Visit our official website for more information.

Meet our professional team.

Send us an enquiry or request a quote today.

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.