Many young people are indifferent
to protecting their income. It could be that this type of cover is
misunderstood or simply unknown to them. Either way, the value of such
insurance should not be underrated.
Even though 62.5% of young
people have a degree
(http://education.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/2486310/mgse-youth-report-web2.pdf),
13.3% of youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years old are unemployed; with 18%
underemployed (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/mar/27/third-of-australian-youth-have-no-job-or-are-underemployed-report-finds).
These figures can change: an increasing number of people may lose their jobs,
particularly since retrenchments are higher among younger people.
A solution is to take out income protection.
· Lower
premiums
Premiums for income protection
for young people are much lower than for someone older, young people being
lower risk. For instance, a male aged 22, with a starting salary of $2 000
monthly, will need to pay $35 a month. By contrast, a 60-year-old male earning
$5500 per month will pay $415 monthly for income protection.
· Tax
benefits
It has been stated by ato.gov.au
that income protection is tax deductible. However, the cover must be separate
from that of superannuation, unless you are self-employed.
· Travel
benefits
Many young people enjoying
travelling, with 10.9% of Australians between the ages 25 to 29 travelling
abroad in 2016 http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/products/961B6B53B87C130ACA2574030010BD05. There
is always a possibility of mishap back home. However, a traveler with income
protection can benefit by receiving an economy ticket to return home in the
event of an emergency.
· The
benefit of having funds for rehabilitation
If, for instance, you have
been in an accident, and need rehabilitation, income protection allows for
access to funds to pay for the treatment. Should you not have cover, you are
obliged to foot all the bills from your own pocket, or to depend on family or
others. With access to rehabilitation, you can rejoin the work force sooner.
Some aspects to be aware of
Certainly the premiums will
increase as you age; however, you will have a favourable standing with your
insurer, and therefore you can negotiate better rates in the future. However,
it is better to view income protection as part of your broader lifestyle-protection
solution, than something your parents would opt for. In case you need such
benefits, your lifestyle can continue unaffected by loss of salary.

Comments
Post a Comment