By Ryno de Kock
The announcement of an increase to VAT has left many South Africans wondering what the impact will be on their budgets. The 0.5 percentage point increase this year, followed by a similar increase next year, means that VAT will increase to 15.5% this year and 16.0% in 2026.
While this could place more strain on your pocket, it’s important not to abandon your financial planning, particularly your short-term insurance cover.
We tend to overlook the value it can bring when we need it most.
Life is unpredictable, and accidents or unforeseen events tend to happen while we’re busy making other plans, as the saying goes.
Short-term insurance serves as a safety net, providing protection and peace of mind in the face of unexpected emergencies and costs.
While it may seem like a luxury item in your budget that you might not need currently, the long-term benefits of having comprehensive insurance cover far outweigh the costs.
After a break-in or following a natural disaster like a fire or flooding, or even if your geyser bursts, there are many expenses to contend with, which are much harder to face without insurance. If you are still paying off a loan for your vehicle or property and disaster strikes, you could find yourself in terrible debt.
Without insurance to cover losses, you would be left to shoulder the burden of replacing your assets while continuing to meet your loan obligations. And even if you’re not still paying off your car or home, the repair costs could be high and are unlikely to be easy to manage within your monthly budget. To have to rely on credit or borrowing from your long-term savings to manage something that could’ve been covered by insurance, doesn’t make good financial sense.
Even if you have access to a substantial sum of money, depleting your savings to cover such expenses could have long-lasting repercussions on your financial stability. Keeping insurance in place safeguards your future self against the financial impact of unexpected setbacks.
It’s entirely possible to find affordable insurance cover and it’s worth consulting an insurance adviser who can assist you with ‘shopping around’ for the right cover to meet your needs – and your pocket.
An adviser will help you to strike a balance between comprehensive coverage and affordability by looking holistically at your needs – such as where you live and work, the car you drive and the items you need to insure.
It’s important to keep in mind that the cost of items like appliances, clothing and furniture tend to go up in price each year, usually due to inflation and import costs, so this is why it’s important to regularly keep track of what you own to ensure your goods are covered effectively.
Hopefully you never have to make a claim on your insurance policy, but it is best to be prepared for unforeseen events than to face financial hardship that could have been prevented. We live in a country that is full of surprises, so prioritising insurance, with the help of tailored advice, is a proactive step towards protecting yourself and your assets against any uncertainty.
De Kock is head of distribution at PSG Insure
BUSINESS REPORT