The Money Advantage® Podcast | Infinite Banking Concept & Family Banking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzIkG9x3u1g

If you listen to the “financial experts” on tv or the radio, you will hear the typical blanket advice that you should put money into a 401(k).  But the question is, does that advice apply to everybody?  To get as much of an insider’s perspective as we could find, we interviewed Ted Benna, "inventor" of the 401(k). During this insightful conversation, we discussed the purpose of the 401(k), its history, shortcomings, and the need for reform.  This interview was forthright about why there’s a coming retirement crisis and what you can do about it if you want to take control of your financial destiny.

In this episode, we’ll help you answer:

What does the 401(k) help me accomplish?

Is the 401(k) right for me?

If you remember in How to Find Your Best Investments, we discussed that your investing strategy will be unique to you.  You maximize your gains when you take an active role in investing in what you know and control.

So, where does the 401(k) fit for you?

Table of contentsIndividual Goals Create Individual StrategiesDifferent PerspectivesWhere Does the 401(k) Retirement Plan Fit in the Cash Flow System?Meet Ted Benna, the Father of the 401(k)How Ted Benna and the 401(k) Savings Plan Made HistoryIncreasing Retirement Security for the Middle ClassThe Responsibility for Your Financial Future Is YoursWhat Ted Benna Wants to ChangeWhat Ted Benna Is Doing About 401(k) ReformTed Benna’s PerspectiveAverage Rates of ReturnTypical Advice and Taking RiskDoes a 401(k) Make Sense for Entrepreneurs?Thoughts on ProtectionGiving BackAdditional Topics DiscussedAnother PurposeConnect with Ted BennaIncrease Your Cash Flow, Liquidity and Control Today

Individual Goals Create Individual Strategies

Here at The Money Advantage, our objectives are to help you keep and control more of your money.  As an entrepreneur, you want control, access to your money, liquidity, cash flow, and tax advantages as possible.  A 401(k) doesn’t support those goals.

However, to promote your education, it’s valuable to round out your perspective by considering the full discussion.  When you increase your knowledge, you gain the ability to make decisions and build confidence that you’re doing what’s best.

Whether or not a 401(k) is a fit for you, it’s in your best interest to understand them.  401(k)s may be a part of providing solutions.

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. – F. Scott Fitzgerald

In this previous conversation about abundance, we discussed why being open-minded and considering contrasting information is critical to learning:

Unless you’re willing to expand your map, nothing new exists for you.  When we come into a conversation with people who see differently, it’s important to recognize that if we both had the same map, we’d think the same way. When we each defend our own interpretation of the facts, it leads to conflict.  The only way you can learn something new is to be willing to step off of your map and onto someone else’s.  It’s not about who’s right, but about learning what else is possible.

Today, we’re jumping onto the map of someone with a different perspective so that we can expand our own map.  We invite you to do the same.

Different Perspectives

While you’ll notice a great deal of common ground in our philosophy and perspective, we don’t agree on everything.  We do agree that there are problems, but we do not completely agree about how to solve them.

One specific distinction is that we do not view putting money in a 401(k) to be savings.

We agree that it’s crucial to have a systematic way of setting money aside for the future before spending.  The 401(k) has provided a method for hundreds of thousands of people to invest over $10 Trillion.

However, a 401(k) fails to meet the criteria of being a retirement savings tool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZTM7rAkqD4

Life, health, and disability insurance protect you, your body, your wellness, and your livelihood.  This range of coverage includes some of the most essential protections. Too often, people ask the wrong questions.  This leads them to draw the wrong conclusions about life, health, and disability insurance.   As a result, many remain drastically underinsured or forgo the protection altogether.  Without maximum life, health, and disability insurance, you leave the things that matter most, exposed to the highest risk.Asking how to save money on your life, health, and disability insurance is the wrong place to start. First, you want to best protect what's most important to you.  You get the maximum security and protection by securing the best possible, longest lasting, highest quality coverage.  After you find the best coverage, then you can use smart shopping strategies to lower your costs.

Here’s straight talk about how to get the best insurance and make every dollar you spend in premium count.

The Whole Series on Insurance

In the last five articles, we’ve outlined an insurance philosophy and buying guide to put you in control.

* Why You Want Insurance Part 1 examined what insurance does. It transfers risk.* Why You Want Insurance Part 2 discussed why it matters. It protects your greatest asset.* Why You Want Insurance Part 3 covered the cost and answered why you should pay for insurance. It costs more to self-insure.* How to Shop for Insurance Part 1 outlined the seven tips to save the most money when shopping for insurance in general.* How to Shop for Insurance Part 2 gave guidance on buying home, auto, and business insurance.

In This Article

Today, we’re capping off the series by focusing on life, disability, and health insurance.

We’ll show you how to secure the best life, health, and disability insurance coverage and be efficient with your premium costs.  We’ll answer:

* How do I best protect what matters most? * How do I get the highest quality life, health, and disability insurance? * Then, how do I save the most and spend the least on my life, health, and disability insurance?

We’ll first walk you through understanding your coverages so you can feel protected and secure.  Then we’ll give you the exact tips to get the most and best value life, health, and disability insurance for the least premium.

You’ll gain confidence and peace of mind without giving up any more of your dollars than necessary.

More importantly, no matter what happens in your life, your future self will be secure, protected, and grateful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZTM7rAkqD4

Life, health, and disability insurance protect you, your body, your wellness, and your livelihood.  This range of coverage includes some of the most essential protections. Too often, people ask the wrong questions.  This leads them to draw the wrong conclusions about life, health, and disability insurance.   As a result, many remain drastically underinsured or forgo the protection altogether.  Without maximum life, health, and disability insurance, you leave the things that matter most, exposed to the highest risk.Asking how to save money on your life, health, and disability insurance is the wrong place to start. First, you want to best protect what's most important to you.  You get the maximum security and protection by securing the best possible, longest lasting, highest quality coverage.  After you find the best coverage, then you can use smart shopping strategies to lower your costs.

Here’s straight talk about how to get the best insurance and make every dollar you spend in premium count.

Table of contentsThe Whole Series on InsuranceIn This ArticleWhere Insurance Fits into Your Whole Personal EconomyThe Universe of YouSaving Money on Life, Health, and Disability Insurance: An Oxymoron?No Time Like the PresentHow Much Life, Health, and Disability Insurance Do You Want?The Cost of Not Going BackwardsHealth InsuranceThe Rising CostsUnderstanding Your Health Insurance CoverageHow to Save Premium on Your Health Insurance#1) Consider Group Insurance#2) Pay Out-Of-Pocket for the Small Stuff#3) Count All Your Costs#4) Raise Your Deductible#5) Consider an HSA#6) Narrow Your Network#7) Consider an Alternative with Caution#8) Don’t Rely on SubsidiesDisability InsuranceThe Risk of DisabilityYour Income Is Your ResponsibilityDisability Insurance Handles the Immediate and Extended Impacts of Losing IncomeIf Your Income Source Is Businesses and Real Estate, You Still Need Disability InsuranceUnderstanding Your Disability InsuranceKeys to Getting the Best Disability Income Insurance at the Least Cost#1) Increase Your Elimination Period#2) Ensure You Have True Own-Occupation Coverage#3) Own It Personally#4) Get as Much as You CanLife InsuranceThe Value of the Death BenefitUnderstanding Your Life Insurance OptionsTerm Life InsuranceThe Odds Are Not in Your (Financial) FavorTerm Becomes More Expensive at RenewalBetting Against Death Doesn’t Make Financial SenseWhole Life InsuranceThe Odds Are in Your FavorThe Extra Component: Living BenefitsGuarantees, Not BetsIs Whole Life More Expensive?Keys to Getting the Best Life Insurance for the Least Cost#1) Ensure Your Life Insurance Isn’t Just a Cost#2) Start with Whole Life Insurance and Supplement with Term InsuranceInsure Your Full Human Life Value#3) Maximize Convertible Term Life Insurance#4) Start As Soon As PossibleThe Bottom LineThe Whole Series on Insurance ProtectionGet the Best Quality, Highest Value Insurance Today

The Whole Series on Insurance

In the last five articles, we’ve outlined an insurance philosophy and buying guide to put you in control.

Why You Want Insurance Part 1 examined what insurance does. It transfers risk.Why You Want Insurance Part 2 discussed why it matters. It protects your greatest asset.Why You Want Insurance Part 3 covered the cost and answered why you should pay for insurance. It costs more to self-insure.How to Shop for Insurance Part 1 outlined the seven tips to save the most money when shopping for insurance in general.How to Shop for Insurance Part 2 gave guidance on buying home, auto, and business insurance.

In This Article

Today, we’re capping off the series by focusing on life, disability, and health insurance.

We’ll show you how to secure the best life, health, and disability insurance coverage and be efficient with your premium costs.  We’ll answer:

How do I best protect what matters most? How do I get the highest quality life, health, and disability insurance? Then,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=213FWlAdFY0

Home and auto insurance are two pillars of insurance protection that are almost universally understood to be necessary. However, when it comes to choosing and paying for coverage, you have nearly infinite options.  The range of coverage details, exemptions, coverage amounts, and limitations add complexity.  This can make shopping for insurance seem like a maze without an exit.Without the knowledge of what to look for, your home and auto insurance can become a costly money leak.  But overwhelm is no reason to pay more than you need to or settle for coverage that’s less than best.

Your goal is to pay the least for the best possible coverage.  To help you do that, we want to show you the tricks of the trade.  These insights will help you become more efficient with these coverages, keeping more of your dollars in your pocket.

With these strategies, you’ll get the best deals on your home and auto insurance and win at insurance shopping.

In the last article, we gave you the seven tips to save on insurance in general.  Today, we’ll apply that specifically to your home and auto insurance to answer:

* How do I make the best decisions on my home and auto insurance?* How do I shrink my home and auto insurance cost while maximizing my protection?* What do I include in my home and auto insurance coverage to get the best for the lowest price?

We’ll first walk you through understanding your coverages.  Then we’ll give you the exact tips to get the best value home and auto insurance for the least premium.  You'll feel protected and secure, without mourning the cost.

Once we’ve done that, we’ll walk you through the added layer of business insurances.  We'll show you how to maximize your coverage and minimize your costs as you protect one of your most valuable assets.

You’ll gain confidence and peace of mind without giving up any more of your dollars in monthly expenses than necessary.

Where Insurance Fits into Your Whole Personal Economy

Let’s zoom out for a moment to remember where and why insurance fits into your Cash Flow System.

Your foundation starts with keeping more of the money you make.  Second, you protect what you’ve built.  Finally, you increase your income to create time and money freedom and expand your legacy.

Insurance fits in the protection stage.  With it, your livelihood is no longer at risk, but secure, regardless of the life circumstances you face.

Your protection is like a roof on your financial house.  When the shingles are sufficient and cover the whole house, it keeps storms outside your house, preventing them from getting inside and destroying your belongings.  Similarly, when you have adequate insurance protection, your income and assets you’ve built are safe from financial storms that may occur in your life.

Understanding Your Auto Insurance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=213FWlAdFY0

Home and auto insurance are two pillars of insurance protection that are almost universally understood to be necessary. However, when it comes to choosing and paying for coverage, you have nearly infinite options.  The range of coverage details, exemptions, coverage amounts, and limitations add complexity.  This can make shopping for insurance seem like a maze without an exit.Without the knowledge of what to look for, your home and auto insurance can become a costly money leak.  But overwhelm is no reason to pay more than you need to or settle for coverage that’s less than best.

Your goal is to pay the least for the best possible coverage.  To help you do that, we want to show you the tricks of the trade.  These insights will help you become more efficient with these coverages, keeping more of your dollars in your pocket.

With these strategies, you’ll get the best deals on your home and auto insurance and win at insurance shopping.

In the last article, we gave you the seven tips to save on insurance in general.  Today, we’ll apply that specifically to your home and auto insurance to answer:

How do I make the best decisions on my home and auto insurance?How do I shrink my home and auto insurance cost while maximizing my protection?What do I include in my home and auto insurance coverage to get the best for the lowest price?

We’ll first walk you through understanding your coverages.  Then we’ll give you the exact tips to get the best value home and auto insurance for the least premium.  You'll feel protected and secure, without mourning the cost.

Once we’ve done that, we’ll walk you through the added layer of business insurances.  We'll show you how to maximize your coverage and minimize your costs as you protect one of your most valuable assets.

You’ll gain confidence and peace of mind without giving up any more of your dollars in monthly expenses than necessary.

Table of contentsWhere Insurance Fits into Your Whole Personal EconomyUnderstanding Your Auto InsuranceThe Primary Purpose of Auto Insurance: Liability ProtectionCoverage Limits for Liability ProtectionWhen They’re at Fault, but Their Insurance Isn’t Enough to CoverCoverage Limits for Uninsured/Under-Insured Motorist ProtectionWhat Coverage Protects Me in Other Scenarios?Comprehensive and Collision Auto InsurancePersonal Injury ProtectionHomeowner’s InsuranceProtecting Your StuffStructuresContentsUnderstand Up Front What’s Not CoveredProtecting YouUnderstanding Your Umbrella InsuranceHome and Auto Insurance: Keys to Getting the Most for the Least#1) Start with the Maximum Coverage#2) Raise Your Deductible#3) Get At Least the Minimum Liability Coverage to Get an Umbrella Policy, and Get the Umbrella#4) Rack up Your DiscountsUnderstanding Business InsuranceCommercial Property InsuranceBusiness Liability InsuranceGeneral Liability InsuranceProfessional Liability InsuranceWorker’s CompensationEmployment Practices Liability InsuranceCommercial Umbrella InsuranceOther Coverages to ConsiderBusiness Overhead Expense InsuranceKey Person Life InsuranceBusiness Insurance: Maximizing Your ValueThe Bottom LineUp NextThe Whole Series on Insurance ProtectionTake Action

Where Insurance Fits into Your Whole Personal Economy

Let’s zoom out for a moment to remember where and why insurance fits into your Cash Flow System.

Your foundation starts with keeping more of the money you make.  Second, you protect what you’ve built.  Finally, you increase your income to create time and money freedom and expand your legacy.

Insurance fits in the protection stage.  With it, your livelihood is no longer at risk, but secure, regardless of the life circumstances you face.

Your protection is like a roof on your financial house.  When the shingles are sufficient and cover the whole house, it keeps storms outside your house, preventing them from getting inside and destroying your belongings.  Similarly,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNLoqEr546o

When you shop for insurance, it’s best to start with a game plan.  Then you know what to look for and how to save on insurance without sacrificing value. It’s just like shopping for groceries, a marketing strategist, or an investment property.First, you need to know what you want.  Next, you want to know how to get the best deal. Finally, you need to know where to find it.If you’ve been following along in this series on protection, you know why you want insurance.

You’re here because you want an insurance strategy that transfers as much risk as possible to protect your human life value. You want as much of the best, most enduring, highest quality coverage you can get.

Now it’s time to find the best deals.

Over the next three articles, we’re going to walk you through how to save on insurance.

We’ll answer:

* How do I maximize the value I get for the least premium?* What protections should I have?* What are some pitfalls to avoid, so my protection doesn’t become a money leak?

Today, we’ll show you seven tips to get the most and best value coverage for the least premium so that you can feel protected and secure.  You’ll gain confidence and peace of mind without giving up any more of your dollars in monthly expenses than absolutely necessary.

Previously

If you're not sure why you would want insurance in the first place, here’s the first three articles in the series to help you do exactly that:

* Why You Want Insurance Part 1 examined what insurance does. It transfers risk.* Why You Want Insurance Part 2 discussed why it matters. It protects your greatest asset.* Why You Want Insurance Part 3 covered the cost and answered why you should pay for insurance. It costs more to self-insure.

Where Insurance Fits into Your Whole Personal Economy

Let’s zoom out for a moment to remember where and why insurance fits into your Cash Flow System.

Your foundation starts with keeping more of the money you make.  Second, you protect what you’ve built.  Finally, you increase your income to build time and money freedom and expand your legacy.

Insurance fits in the protection stage.  With it, your livelihood is no longer at risk, but secure, regardless of the life circumstances you face.

Your protection is like a roof on your financial house.  When the shingles are sufficient and cover the whole house, it keeps storms outside your house, preventing them from getting inside and destroying your belongings.  Similarly, when you have adequate insurance protection,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNLoqEr546o

When you shop around for insurance, it’s best to start with a game plan.  Then you know what to look for and how to save on insurance without sacrificing value. It’s just like shopping for groceries, a marketing strategist, or an investment property.First, you need to know what you want.  Next, you want to know how to get the best deal. Finally, you need to know where to find it.If you’ve been following along in this series on protection, you know why you want insurance.

You’re here because you want an insurance strategy that transfers as much risk as possible to protect your human life value. You want as much of the best, most enduring, highest quality coverage you can get.

Now it’s time to find the best deals.

Over the next three articles, we’re going to walk you through how to save on insurance.

We’ll answer:

How do I maximize the value I get for the least premium?What protections should I have?What are some pitfalls to avoid, so my protection doesn’t become a money leak?

Today, we’ll show you seven tips to get the most and best value coverage for the least premium so that you can feel protected and secure.  You’ll gain confidence and peace of mind without giving up any more of your dollars in monthly expenses than absolutely necessary.

Table of contentsPreviouslyWhere Insurance Fits into Your Whole Personal EconomyBanish Buyer’s RemorseConfident Insurance Shopping Is the Goal7 Tips to Save on Insurance#1) Know What You’re GettingFrom Cost-Conscious to Value-Conscious#2) Have Emergency SavingsBoth Parties Must WinRisk Sets RatesThe First Dollars of Coverage Are Most ExpensiveWhat Is the Deductible?Does It Make Financial Sense to Raise My Deductible?Cost-Benefit AnalysisDo You Plan to Use Your Coverage?The Hidden Superpower of Savings#3) Start with the Maximum#4) Get an Umbrella Policy Homeowners Insurance & Car Insurance Is Not Enough #5) Bundle Lines of Coverage With Insurance Companies#6) Cut Duplicate Coverage#7) Own It Personally7 Tips to Save on InsuranceUp NextThe Whole Series on Insurance ProtectionTake Action to Save on Insurance

Previously

If you're not sure why you would want insurance in the first place, here’s the first three articles in the series to help you do exactly that:

Why You Want Insurance Part 1 examined what insurance does. It transfers risk.Why You Want Insurance Part 2 discussed why it matters. It protects your greatest asset.Why You Want Insurance Part 3 covered the cost and answered why you should pay for insurance. It costs more to self-insure.

Where Insurance Fits into Your Whole Personal Economy

Let’s zoom out for a moment to remember where and why insurance fits into your Cash Flow System.

Your foundation starts with keeping more of the money you make.  Second, you protect what you’ve built.  Finally, you increase your income to build time and money freedom and expand your legacy.

Insurance fits in the protection stage.  With it, your livelihood is no longer at risk, but secure, regardless of the life circumstances you face.

Your protection is like a roof on your financial house.  When the shingles are sufficient and cover the whole house, it keeps storms outside your house, preventing them from getting inside and destroying your belongings.  Similarly, when you have adequate insurance protection, your income and assets you’ve built are safe from financial storms that may occur in your life.

Banish Buyer’s Remorse

If you’ve recognized a disparity between the coverage you have and the coverage you want, it’s time to go shopping.  Whether you are purchasing insurance for the first time, adding new lines of coverage, or shoring up an existing strategy, the decision can be quite overwhelming.

At the store, when you go shopping without a plan, a well-meaning salesperson asks you what you’re looking for and how they can help.  Instead of sounding nice,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE2gHoholqo

If you have been reading The Money Advantage blog for a while, you may already know that The Go-Giver book played a central role in How The Money Advantage Began. We are huge fans of Bob Burg and John David Mann's Go-Giver Series.

The Go-Giver is an engaging parable about the unexpected system of getting predictable, proven results in building a prosperous business.This story reveals the five laws of stratospheric success, giving you the recipe to make more money in your entrepreneurial endeavors by adding value and increasing your impact.

The Go-Giver is an engaging parable about the unexpected system of getting predictable, proven results in building a prosperous business.This story reveals the five laws of stratospheric success, giving you the recipe to make more money in your entrepreneurial endeavors by adding value and increasing your impact.If you have been reading The Money Advantage blog for awhile, you may already know that The Go-Giver book played a central role in How The Money Advantage Began.

Where Your Mindset Fits into the Cash Flow System

At The Money Advantage, we are a community of wealth creators.  We are entrepreneurially-minded business owners who are taking control of our lives and financial destiny.  We have a compass that always points back to the principles of wealth, not just to strategies or products.  You need the right mindset, philosophy, and principles of abundance, expansive thinking, creation, cash flow, and control in place first before any financial tactics can genuinely benefit and serve you.

In the Cash Flow System, you first increase cash flow by keeping more of the money you make. Then you protect your money.  Finally, you increase and make more.

This conversation on principles of wealth creation fits right into the very first step of the first phase.

Why a Go-Giver Mindset Matters

In business, you may feel stuck in your current level of achievement.  You may be excelling but want to expand and scale your business outside your current capabilities.

Or, you may find yourself in the struggle for survival, wanting a steady stream of incoming clients in the future to remain profitable.

Perhaps you’re working to meet a quota in sales to qualify for a trip or the next rank in status, or to reach your own goal and internal metric of success.

Many business owners reach a plateau of success, where, try as they might, they need a new skillset and mindset to reach the next level of achievement.

While you want the fruit of success, the hustle, drive, ambition, and force will only take you so far before you burn out and call it quits.

Wherever you find yourself, The Go-Giver shows you the mindset to move from struggling to thriving, or from successful to ultra-successful, without doubling your efforts to get there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE2gHoholqo

If you have been reading The Money Advantage blog for a while, you may already know that The Go-Giver book played a central role in How The Money Advantage Began. We are huge fans of Bob Burg and John David Mann's Go-Giver Series.

The Go-Giver is an engaging parable about the unexpected system of getting predictable, proven results in building a prosperous business.This story reveals the five laws of stratospheric success, giving you the recipe to make more money in your entrepreneurial endeavors by adding value and increasing your impact.

The Go-Giver is an engaging parable about the unexpected system of getting predictable, proven results in building a prosperous business.This story reveals the five laws of stratospheric success, giving you the recipe to make more money in your entrepreneurial endeavors by adding value and increasing your impact.If you have been reading The Money Advantage blog for awhile, you may already know that The Go-Giver book played a central role in How The Money Advantage Began.

Table of contentsWhere Your Mindset Fits into the Cash Flow SystemWhy a Go-Giver Mindset MattersMeet Bob Burg, Co-Author and "How-To Guy" of The Go-GiverThe Main Idea of the Go-GiverThe Five Laws of Stratospheric SuccessLaw #1: The Law of ValueThe Five Elements of ValueLaw #2: The Law of CompensationLaw #3: The Law of InfluenceLaw #4: The Law of AuthenticityLaw #5: The Law of ReceptivityOther Topics Discussed with Bob BurgGet The Go-GiverLet Us Add More Value to Your Life

Where Your Mindset Fits into the Cash Flow System

At The Money Advantage, we are a community of wealth creators.  We are entrepreneurially-minded business owners who are taking control of our lives and financial destiny.  We have a compass that always points back to the principles of wealth, not just to strategies or products.  You need the right mindset, philosophy, and principles of abundance, expansive thinking, creation, cash flow, and control in place first before any financial tactics can genuinely benefit and serve you.

In the Cash Flow System, you first increase cash flow by keeping more of the money you make. Then you protect your money.  Finally, you increase and make more.

This conversation on principles of wealth creation fits right into the very first step of the first phase.

Why a Go-Giver Mindset Matters

In business, you may feel stuck in your current level of achievement.  You may be excelling but want to expand and scale your business outside your current capabilities.

Or, you may find yourself in the struggle for survival, wanting a steady stream of incoming clients in the future to remain profitable.

Perhaps you’re working to meet a quota in sales to qualify for a trip or the next rank in status, or to reach your own goal and internal metric of success.

Many business owners reach a plateau of success, where, try as they might, they need a new skillset and mindset to reach the next level of achievement.

While you want the fruit of success, the hustle, drive, ambition, and force will only take you so far before you burn out and call it quits.

Wherever you find yourself, The Go-Giver shows you the mindset to move from struggling to thriving, or from successful to ultra-successful, without doubling your efforts to get there.

Bob Burg and John David Mann lay out actionable laws of success in this delightfully-written story that will move you from hustling to attracting business instead.

We brought Bob Burg in for an interview to answer:

What is the Go-Giver all about?How do I live the Go-Giver principles to build my business?How can the struggling become successful, or the successful become ultra-successful?

Meet Bob Burg, Co-Author and "How-To Guy" of The Go-Giver

Bob Burg is a sought-after speaker at company leadership and sales conferences sharing the platform with everyone from today’s business leaders and broadcast pers...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1_GwiJtM20

To navigate your insurance decisions, you must weigh the costs and opportunity costs of each option.  While some choose to self-insure as a solution to reduce insurance costs, there are additional costs hidden beneath the surface that you need to be aware of.Insurance is fairly polarizing.  Chances are, you either love it or you hate it.  And for most, it all boils down to cost.If you’re in the maximum-insurance-for-all-time camp, you want as much protection as you can get.  You see no expiration on your desire to be insured, and you have no problem paying for it.

However, if you lean towards just-the-minimums-ma’am, you begrudgingly pay for just what’s legally required.  You would rather do anything else with your money.

Table of contentsWhere Insurance Fits into Your Whole Personal EconomyEveryone Wants InsurancePerception of Cost vs. RealityThe Panoramic ViewPreviously in This SeriesThe Questions We’re Answering TodaySelf-Insuring is The Opposite of InsuranceThe Limitation of NeedsYou Retain Risk When You Self-InsureReasons You Want Insurance#8) It Costs More to be Self-InsuredThe Cost of Being Uninsured vs. the Cost of InsuranceThe Full Cost of ReplacementThe Cost of Insurance#9) Self-Insurance Creates Stagnant AssetsLost Earning PotentialThe Cost of Lost Production#10) Protection Is One of Your Good ExpensesConsumptive ExpensesProductive ExpensesDestructive ExpensesProtective Expenses#11) It’s Easier to Keep What You Have Than to Make MoreIn ConclusionTake ActionWhat’s Up NextThe Whole Series on Insurance ProtectionCreate Your Time and Money Freedom

Where Insurance Fits into Your Whole Personal Economy

Let’s zoom out for a moment to remember where and why insurance fits into your Cash Flow System.

Your foundation starts with keeping more of the money you make.  Second, you protect what you’ve built.  Finally, you increase your income to create time and money freedom and expand your legacy.

Insurance fits in the protection stage.  With it, your livelihood is no longer at risk, but secure, regardless of the life circumstances you face.

Your protection is like a roof on your financial house.  When the shingles are sufficient and cover the whole house, it keeps storms outside your house, preventing them from getting inside and destroying your belongings.  Similarly, when you have adequate insurance protection, your income and assets you’ve built are safe from financial storms that may occur in your life.

Everyone Wants Insurance

Let’s address one misconception so we can start off on the same page.  The truth is that everyone wants insurance and as much of it as they can get.

Why?

If it were free, how much would you get?

You and just about everyone else would want it all. I think the lines would be even longer than the ones camped outside a new Chick-fil-A grand opening that give the first 100 a year of free chicken sandwich meals.

Now, we all know that we can’t get something for nothing.  No insurance company would agree to that arrangement, because it’s unsustainable. They’d always lose money, go out of business, and that would put you right back in the same position of having no insurance.

Because there’s a cost to transfer risk, you now have to decide if it’s worth it to you.

Perception of Cost vs. Reality

On the surface, it appears there’s a positive correlation between the amount coverage and the cost.  When the amount of insurance goes up, so does the price tag. Logically then, the way to achieve the lowest cost would be to have the least insurance.

Given that perspective, most people run the cost-benefit analysis throughout their life to calibrate how much coverage to have at any given point in time.  They carefully measure needs and weigh the benefits and costs like two kids on an old-fashioned see-saw, looking for equilibrium.  Do the benefits outweigh the costs or is it the other way around?