At a glance, they might look the same, but when you look again both have distinct features that outweigh the other in benefits. It all depends on how much fuzz you want on your fruit. 41% of people consider life insurance to be too complicated, while 1 in 3 wouldn’t know where to start when going about buying life insurance. Knowing the differences between buying life insurance through an insurer and through your superannuation is a start.
Getting life insurance through an insurer
You will be surprised to find that getting life insurance through an insurer either online or face to face is not as expensive as you think. 81% of Australians believed that insurance is expensive, 61% overestimated the cost.
Life insurance through an insurer will ensure that you get a cover that is suited towards you and your needs. It is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, so you can rest assured that you won’t be blanketed under one roof.
The level of cover will be determined by you but in order to make sure that you don’t over or under insure you will have to calculate how much you need beforehand. Speaking to an insurer or a financial advisor is the first step.
Savvy CEO, Bill Tsouvalas points out that, “Professionals work with you to tailor solutions from the ground up, so you pay the right amount for your coverage. Just like a consultation with a solicitor or a doctor, financial advisors work with you in the same regard, explaining everything for you so you make the right decision. It’s the right choice to protect yourself or your family.
Getting life insurance through your superannuation
Life insurance through your superannuation can offer you a huge discount due to the fact that it is purchased in bulk. It offers minimum cover that will offer things such as death cover, Total and permanent disability (TPD), and Income Protection.
You can also adjust how much cover you would like to have depending on your age and your needs when it comes to your super.
Getting life insurance through your super is also helpful when you have a tight budget to stick to. The bonus is that your premiums are paid out of your superannuation balance instead of your taxable income which is a great tax perk.
Your premiums can also be automatically deducted which makes it easier to manage. Some funds go as far as allowing you to join without any medical checks required.
The cons
| Through an insurer | Through a superannuation fund |
| Probing into your medical history to determine the level of premiums you should pay. | It works on a one size fits all basis, which means you won’t be able to tweak it to tailor your needs. Superannuation only. |
| Premiums cost more when compared to using a superannuation fund to cover you. | Risk of being underinsured. Life insurance through supers usually offers $100.000 – $200,00 when you will need something closer to $1 million for your family. |
| More detailed application process to tailor towards your needs. | Payouts may be delayed. |
| You will have to manage your payment plans to make sure that you meet payments. Failure to do so will make your policy void. | Superannuation life insurance doesn’t offer Trauma Insurance. |
| If you are looking to make big savings on premiums you will have to start out while you are still young and healthy, or adjust your lifestyle. | Reduces your retirement balance. |
Now you decide
The choice will lie with you as to whether you choose money over value. The take home is that you compare to make sure that at the end of the day you walk with a cover that will protect you and your family.