Investment products are simply financial instruments that are designed to generate income or increase the value of your capital over a period of time. The most common examples of investment products are stocks, mutual funds, bonds, etc.
As an investor, one needs to have a good understanding of these investment products, associated risk, and return before making any investment. One thing that can help investors safely make investments is insurance.
What is insurance?
Insurance is a contract between an individual or entity (policyholder) and an insurance company or carrier.
In the contract, the policyholder pays a specific amount of money (called premium) to the insurance company in exchange for the insurance company to cover certain risks for the policyholder, such as loss, damage, or destruction of property, illness, or death. If the event happens, the insurance company will pay out a predetermined amount of money (called a benefit or claim) to the policyholder.
Why insurance is important for investment products?
The primary purpose of insurance is to provide financial protection and assistance in case of any unforeseen circumstance. Insurance is an essential tool in managing risk, which is an inherent feature of investment products.
There is always a certain degree of uncertainty associated with investment products, and every investment has a potential downside with a risk of losing some or all of the invested capital. Insurance can assist the investment process in the following ways:.
: 1. Mitigating Risks
Insurance can help investors to mitigate potential risks associated with investment products. For instance, if an individual has invested in stocks and there is a sudden downturn in the market, they may face significant losses.
However, if the individual has invested in a stock market-related insurance product, they can be assured that their investment would be insulated from the market downturn, and they’d still get payouts from the insurance company.
: 2. Protection in the event of unforeseen circumstances
Investment in any product carries a level of inherent risk, but some unforeseeable events may severely impact the investment.
For instance, the death of an investor can leave the investment estate in limbo, leading to a significant loss or outright liquidation of the investment. Insurance can protect investment by paying out the investment’s value to the investor’s heirs, allowing the investment to continue as planned without disruption.
: 3. Good for professional investors
Professional investors who manage large sums of money are particularly susceptible to large-scale losses in their investments. In some cases, a single trade or investment may result in significant financial losses.
In such scenarios, insurance can shield the investor from incurring massive losses by covering their damaged investments.
: 4. Vehicle for safe investment
Many investment products offer coverage through a combination of investment and insurance, ensuring that the invested capital is protected even if the investment itself proved to be unsuccessful.
In this way, investors can guarantee that their invested capital is protected, growing, and accessible, providing the peace of mind essential for successful investment.
: 5. Enjoying multiple benefits
Insurance policies that also include investment benefits offer investors many financial and tax benefits. These insurance policies may offer tax-deductible premiums, tax-deferred investment income, and tax-free death benefits, among other benefits.
In this scenario, one product offers the investor many benefits, including investment gains and tax benefits.
: Conclusion
Investment products are essential for anyone looking to grow their wealth or plan for their financial future.
While these investment products carry varying levels of inherent risk, insurance can provide an essential layer of protection for every investor. Insurance isn’t just a tool for achieving financial protection but is also an effective instrument for managing risk, guaranteeing investment success, and even providing tax benefits.
The combination of investment products and insurance deliver an unprecedented level of financial security and are the ultimate key to successful and safe investment.