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Endowment insurance is Kenya’s most popular life insurance product — combining life protection with a disciplined, structured savings plan over a fixed term
Benefits include: lump-sum maturity payment at the end of the policy term (sum assured plus accrued bonuses), death benefit paid to beneficiaries if the insured dies before maturity, partial maturity payments at regular intervals during the policy term (varies by product), accrued reversionary and terminal bonuses that grow the pay-out over time, surrender value after a minimum of three years of premium payments, policy loan facility against accumulated surrender value, and 15% tax relief on premiums (up to KES 60,000 p.a.). Ideal for building a guaranteed lump sum for a specific goal — school fees, a property deposit, business start-up capital, or retirement. Premiums are paid monthly, quarterly, or annually and can be structured to match cash flow.
Credit providers, such as hire purchase firms, banks, microfinance institutions, and others, require customers to have credit or loan insurance policies in order to receive the facility. The sum assured provides lenders with financial security in the case of a customer’s premature death or disability. A common example is the acquisition of a house with a mortgage, in which the policyholder can obtain decreasing or endowment life insurance to protect the outstanding loan plus interest in the event of the customer’s death or disability.
People can transact business in the form of a partnership, in which their individual shares are held separately. When a partner dies and the partnership is dissolved, the deceased partner’s ownership passes to their dependents, who may not be competent or interested in entering the partnership. As a result of this complication, most partners enter into an arrangement that allows their counterpart(s) to buy their shares after their death. As a result, the partners would purchase a partnership protection insurance policy that would give the surviving partner the funds needed to buy such shares upon the death of the counterpart(s).
The premiums paid for certain life insurance plans serve as money saved now for later purpose, such as saving for children’s further education or earning an income in old age. Unlike savings through financial institutions such as banks, savings and credit cooperatives, and others, saves through life insurance instills discipline in saving. How? By ensuring that such funds are not to be withdrawn until they have at least reached surrender value. This means that the policy has been in effect and premiums have been paid for three years.
The pool of premiums collected by insurance companies are ideally held to indemnify or compensate the sum covered in the event of a loss. However, the loss is not guaranteed, so insurers can lend a considerable percentage of the premium funds to the government and other capital market players. The policyholders may receive returns on premiums lent. In this way, insurance creates opportunities for policyholders to invest.
The basic idea of insurance is that if a loss occurs, the insurer will compensate or indemnify the insured. As a result, when people, families, and businesses pay small premiums and obtain insurance, they have peace of mind knowing that if the covered risk occurs, they will be reimbursed or indemnified. For example, if the business premises catch fire, the investor is so much worried because the insurer will step in to cover the losses. Similarly, in case of a premature death of policyholder in life assurance, the dependants will be guaranteed some income in the future.
Insurance protects individuals, families, and organizations against financial loss. For example, in the event of a policyholder’s untimely death under life assurance, the dependants will be paid a lump sum or an income to compensate for the financial loss caused by the death. When a business suffers a loss, the insurance indemnifies the insured and ensures the business’s continuity.
Why do most Kenyans fail to achieve big financial goals?
Because they focus on income — not structure, investment, and protection.
Financial success is built, not wished for.
P.O Box 37775-00100 Nairobi Mogotio Road, Westlands FT3
info@comelyglobalconsulting.com
simon@comelyglobalconsulting.com
Monday - Friday 8 am - 5pm
Saturday and Sunday - Closed
