Get the cover you deserve with tailored Life insurance
No one can escape death as it will definitely happen to all of us, being covered for something so certain is the most sensible choice we should all make. People tend to think that life cover is only for individuals that have dependents or huge amounts of debt that need to be taken care of.
The truth of the matter is that you need insurance no matter your profile, even if you don’t have any dependents or debt as there will always be costs incurred when you pass away no matter who you are. Leaving your family to have such an unexpected expense does not seem fair, does it?
Furthermore, life insurance will also prevent the repossession of the house or car your dependents are still in need of. If you have children, they will still require food, school fees, etc.
Leaving your spouse with only one income where there were two incomes can be devastating.
Insurance if you are HIV positive
Most mainstream life cover providers do not cover individuals with HIV due to them being viewed as high-risk clients.
The truth is that many HIV-positive clients can live even longer than clients without HIV if their HIV is well controlled and looked after. This has opened the market for a few leading life insurers that designed HIV Life insurance products specifically to cover people that are HIV positive.
Get the cover you deserve
There are more than 5 million people in South Africa that have the HIV virus. So it is always important to remember that you are not alone and that there are great insurance options available for you.
Get the right insurance policy that will ensure that your loved ones are taken care of when you are no longer here.
Unnatural death cover vs. natural death cover
Due to your status, most companies will only offer you accidental death cover also known as unnatural death cover. It is important to note that this will not cover you in the event of you passing away due to a natural cause such as an illness, a heart attack, HIV, cancer, etc.
It will only cover you for unnatural causes of death like an accident, drowning murder, or any cause of death that is unnatural.
It is advisable to always make sure that you are fully covered for natural and unnatural causes of death.
What benefits can my policy include?
In most instances, you will be able to add disability cover, dreaded disease, funeral benefits, and terminal illness benefits to your policy. These benefits may or may not exclude your condition as they can differ from insurer to insurer.
Can I nominate more than one person?
You can add as many beneficiaries as you like and divide your insured amount into percentages of your choice. You can leave the money to anyone no matter your relationship with them.
A beneficiary does not need to be a person as it can also be a business or an NPO of your choice. You can also decide to leave the money in an estate with an appointed executor to handle your affairs.
What happens If I contract HIV after taking out cover?
There is no need for you to inform the insurer about your status as you were only diagnosed after the policy was taken out, in other words, your condition will not be seen as an excluded pre-existing condition.
They will fully cover you in the event that you pass away due to HIV or any other condition that occurred after the inception of your policy.
It is also important to note that according to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), they are not allowed to make any changes to your premiums due to your diagnosis. They have to keep to regulations that will protect you as long as your premiums do not lapse.
How much will HIV life insurance cost?
Your premium is not only determined by if you are HIV positive or not but will be determined by various factors such as your age, smoking status, gender, your income, etc. It also depends on if you have any other pre-existing conditions such as blood pressure, diabetes, or any other conditions.
Your mental health can also play a huge role in your premium as well as the lifestyle you lead, for instance, they might not cover you if you regularly make use of drugs or take part in excessive hazardous sports.
Apply for Life Insurance
You can obtain HIV life cover by speaking to a broker or friendly advisor that will typically ask you a few personal, lifestyle, and medical questions to determine if they are able to approve you for life cover.
The amount of cover and premiums will be discussed with you, so you can make an informed decision.
Can I take out more than one policy?
The great part is that no one can put a price on the worth of your life and you are allowed to have multiple insurance policies if you have the means to afford them and if you are financially approved.
At the claim stage, both insurers will pay out in full. This is not the case with a short-term insurance policy such as an income protector policy, vehicle, building, contents, or business insurance. For instance, if you have taken out more than one credit life policy from two different companies they will each payout 50% of your insured amount.
How much Life insurance is enough?
It is important to make sure that all your outstanding debts plus their interests are covered. This can include, store cards, credit cards, personal loans, home loans, vehicle finance, etc.
Over and above your debt you need to take into account if you have any dependents that you are taking care of financially. This can be a family member, child, spouse, or even friend that relies on you financially and what they will need when you are no longer there.
If you live in a household where you are contributing financially you might want to make financial provisions that will cover your monthly amount for at least 2 years.
There are a few reputable companies that will be more than happy to assist you with getting the very best life cover solution for your profile.
Find the most suitable cover by comparing quotes and making an informed decision. Don’t let your HIV status prevent you from having the life cover you deserve.