Yes, we do sell insurance, but unlike our friends in the short-term end of the market, we can't pretend to put you back in the position you would have been in, had you not quite died. Not yet anyway - science is apparently working on it.

Poor gallows humour apart, what we are trying to do is to help repair the financial damage caused by losing a key provider. As can be testified by any family that has had to carry on minus the major breadwinner, the damage can be severe. And without the type of financial safety net that having enough life insurance can provide, significant and usually unpleasant lifestyle changes and sacrifices have to be made.

The trouble is, disability or a debilitating disease can wreak as much financial havoc in your family's life as death - maybe even more, when you consider medical expenses. And your basic life cover only pays out when you actually shuffle off this mortal coil.

Here is an article which you may find interesting, even if you don't believe you need to consider your insurance position - some statistics from Liberty's claims history last year, possibly startling facts about our health risks, and the most common causes of life and disability claims here in SA.

And if you are spurred to consider whether you have enough insurance (it's not going to cost you anything beyond a little time to just have a look at it), do please contact your financial adviser to ensure you cover all the bases - we all tend to hopelessly underestimate the financial disaster that death, disability or a serious illness can cause.

by Graham Rees