Disability Insurance Policy

Many people don’t comprehend how costly becoming permanently disabled can be. Not only could you be rendered unable to work in your current job, but you could also be saddled with extra medical bills. On top of this, you still have to be able to afford your regular bills and expenses. If you don’t have reliable Disability Cover to back you up in these unfortunate circumstances, you run the risk of plunging yourself and your loved ones into financial hardship. Researching and implementing an effective Disability Cover scheme is wise, especially if you’re the primary breadwinner in your family. Equally important is researching life insurance.

Some reputable insurance providers will pay out a cash lump sum of up to R5 000 000 if you’re disabled and unable to work in your current job or any job for which you are trained, qualified or educated. You can use this money to pay debts, adjust your lifestyle or use it to supplement your future income.

Why Disability Cover is a good idea

To best explain the advantages of having disability cover, you should look at the consequences of becoming disabled and being unable to earn a living (without having an effective cover scheme in place) could entail:

• Lack of employer coverage – Some businesses don’t offer their employees any kind of disability cover. While some may continue to pay your salary in the hopes that you will recover and return to work, a permanent disability could leave you completely unable to work in your current position. How long would your employer continue to pay you if you’re unable to work? If your employer decides to hire a replacement while you’re out of commission, you should be prepared for the possibility that they won’t be able to keep your position indefinitely.

• Wasted savings – Hypothetically, if you’ve saved 10% of your income each year, one year of disability could eradicate 10 years’ worth of savings. If you can’t afford to lose that much, then a disability policy is a good option.

• Burden on spouse or partner – It’s a large burden for your significant other to be expected to support you financially, be a parent, and help you to adjust at the same time. This can put unnecessary strain on the relationships that are the most valuable to you. This financial burden can be compared to that of a household losing a breadwinner and missing out on the financial aid of life cover.

• Selling investments – Although selling off assets or liquidating investments is an option, it may not be the best time to do so. As a result, you may not realise their true value. Relying on the hopes that your investments will be enough to cover you if you’re disabled is a risk best avoided with Disability Cover.

Looking at the consequences of becoming permanently disabled, you can see that Disability Cover is in both your and your family’s best interests.

Source: http://www.saindustries.co.za/the-benefits-of-a-direct-disability-insurance-policy/