As a business coach I get to meet a lot of business owners. Some of them work 60-70 hours per week in their business but not many have found the way to having their business work for them. That is to say, an enterprise that they can step away from for a period while it still makes money - and even grows.
Essentially this means that the owner’s income stream from most business enterprises would collapse if the proprietor was unable to work for a period of time. Fully one in three business owners will find themselves at some time unable to work for three months or more due to accident, illness or disablement.
For many small business owners, that means at least three months of no income plus business overhead expenses to pay. Medical bills can prove an additional burden .
So what’s the solution to overcoming this risk? The way I see it there are at least two conspicuous moves an owner can take:
- Build the enterprise so that it doesn’t require the owner being involved for it to be profitable. A good business coach may be able to assist with this.
- Take out a decent Income ProtectionInsurance policy .
Income protection insurance assures the proprietor will still receive 75% of their income if they find that they are unable to work because of illness, injury or disability. That means if you get hit with cancer, heart attack, depression, a car accident or broken arm, you can be sure that your income stream won’t completely break down . Income protection insurance may save you from bankruptcy, and what’s more, insurance premiums may be a deduction for tax purposes, check with your financial adviser to be certain.
Don’t just take out the first random income protection policy that gets presented to you by your bank. They sometimes contain clauses that will see you paying premiums but never give you the benefit that you expect, so ensure that you read the policy well and comprehend it . A good insurance advisor who specialises in Personal Risk Insurance will be able to assist you in finding the best policy for your circumstances and can suggest other personal and business insurances that might of relevance to you.