23/11/2011
www.fsadvice.com.au
Volume 06 Number 03 | 2011
Risking Everything The Central Proposition
The central proposition from the research is that advisers enable clients
to make better decisions around their financial futures by identifying
risk and then taking steps to manage and mitigate this risk.
Their levels of cover are more realistic and these clients better understand
the benefits of the cover.
The key insights include:
Underinsurance crisis
Around half of respondents have life insurance (52.0%). Of those
who don’t, almost half (48.5%) say the reason is they do not think
it’s necessary.
Two in five (43.5%) say they are not likely to ever take out
insurance.
The average person with life insurance is underinsured. Across all
wealth segments, the average self-reported level of cover is just 5x
earnings – half of what is recommended by Rice Warner.
Of those who say they are aware of how much life cover they
currently have, the average self-reported amount is $627,156.
Perceptions of adequacy are likewise misguided, and even lower
than actual cover levels.
While the average person with life insurance thinks that they
require $609,481 in cover; adequacy perceptions are much
lower among those who are insured directly through the insurer
($399,474).
There is a strong perception among the uninsured that life
insurance is expensive. Half as many uninsured respondents say
life insurance represents value for money (25.3% vs. 54.4%), while
three quarters (74.7%) say life insurance is not reasonably priced.
Many uninsured respondents are distrustful of the insurance
industry, viewing it as ‘money grabbing’ and ‘fear mongering’.
Life insurance is considered the least important type of insurance
(compared to home and contents, comprehensive car insurance
and medical insurance), while home and contents insurance is
considered the most important.
The Australian Journal of Financial Planning is the definitive source of reference articles and case studies for the financial planning industry in Australia. It provides the highest standards of thought provoking analysis and practical techniques, sourced from academics, practitioners propriety res...