This was something that I was very worried about initially when I became a social worker. My nightmare would be for something to happen to me and I leave my loved ones in a mess having to pay bills, the mortgage and not even considering the loss of my monthly income.
I know many of my collegues talk about this and how it worries them. Yet, they still haven’t sorted this out and don’t really know where to event start, or what to ask for.
Please note that by no means am I an expert and you should discuss this with a financial advisor for full details. But here’s what I do know and I later explain what has prompted me to write this article today.
Why should social workers have life insurance?
This one is simple to explain. If we passed away unexpectedly it provides our loved ones with a sum of money (tax free) to help cover the financial costs and to offer them some financial security. It can also provide us with some peace of mind that if anthing did happen to us we were as prepared as we could have been to help them.
Whilst a lot of us don’t want to think about such a thing happening, it shouldn’t mean that we don’t sort it. Setting up and finding the right life insurance doesn’t need to be stressful. It can be sorted fairly quickly and once arranged it just runs in the background just in case it’s needed later down the line.
How does life insurance work?
Once you have chosen the right life insurance for you all you need to do is set up your monthly/ yearly payment method of payment and sign the policy. When setting this up you should consider: what is left of your motgage? How much do your children need for their education? How much will the funderal cost? And so on.
It is important to note that you need to obide to the terms and conditions at all times and sure that you have a good understanding of this before you sign this.
Why am I writing this article today?
This year has unfortunately been one where a number of my social work collegues have passed away unexpectedly. Whilst some have been prepared for this others weren’t. I have heard of the struggles that these families have gone through at an already incriebdly difficult and painful time. I want to prevent this additional stress and pressure for my family and want to help others with making this decision too.
We will never know what’s around the next corner. These collegues were great people and amazing social workers who had inspired so many of us with the work that they did. I know, without any doupt that they would not have wanted to see this additional struggle for their loved ones. They would have wished they had sorted this beforehand.
When is a good time to take out life insurance?
- If you’ve got a mortgage
- If you have children
- If you have someone if your family who is financially dependent on you
How much does life insurance cost?
This will depend entirely on the amount you want to be covered for and also what age you are. It will take into consideration any medical conditions you have or particular lifestyle choices. They can start with as little as £5 per month and the ones I was looking up to were around £20 per month.
There are also some insurers who help to encunrage you to have a healthier lifestyle which can provide you with some benefits along the way (e.g. vouchers and incentives).
My tips for you;
- Don’t’ just go with the cheapest option make sure it covers everything you are looking for
- Read through the fine print before making any decision or signing the policy
- Seek some professional advice to make sure this is the right policy for you
Where should I go to get life insurance?
There are a number of comparison sites you can have a look at yourself if you know exectly what you want. I was really lucky when it came to finding the right life insurance for me. I know some financial advsisors’ and they were able to point me in the right direction for this. If you would like me to pass your details on just let me know and I can arrange for them to give you a call.
I have also received correspondene about cricital illness and income protection so I will write a separate aticle about these soon.
I hope you have found this helpful.