5 Ways To Protect Yourself And Your Family

With the way 2020 went and the way 2021 is going, the safety of our families has become a household focus. From Covid risks to equality measures to financial security, these past years have shifted our culture’s headspace from ourselves to our communities and network of loved ones.

From securing our homes to securing our finances and even legal security, we’ve never had a stronger desire to have all our bases covered so our families are as safe as is possible. In these uncertain times, security has in many ways, become the new luxury. Here are a few simple steps you can take to give yourself a little well-deserved peace of mind.

Protecting Your Home

Home is indeed where the heart is, and we want to protect it so, as it inherently protects our families.

• Home Insurance

So many of us tend to ignore the importance of home insurance, assuming it’s just a waste of resources and money, and that there won’t ever be a need to use it. But life is far too unpredictable to take that kind of chance with the security of your loved ones. Were there to be a fire or an earthquake and you were to lose your house as a result, your family would be rendered homeless. With home insurance in place, not only will you sleep better at night, it will be far faster and easier to get your family, life, and finances back on track should anything happen, from a flood or fire to a leaky roof.

• Home security

Security systems are one of those things where you don’t realize how necessary it is until you have one. With systems ranging in extensiveness and costs, there’s a home security option for everyone. If you don’t want to go full blast, a great place to start is with a battery operated camera by your front door and a check to make sure all your locks and window locks are updated and secured.

Legal Protection

For those who have their own business or company, it is important to have legal protection as well, so as to protect yourself - and by extension your family - from any work-related legal issues. LLCs are a great way to protect you if you’re an entrepreneur who wants to separate business assets from personal ones, for example. If you have a smaller business, having a lawyer on hand or access to the services of a law firm for first-class legal representation will give you great peace of mind.

Health Insurance 

Health is wealth, we keep saying, but do we actually do enough to protect our health? Yes, we try to eat healthy and exercise and get enough sleep (or at least we try to do all of the above), but for the rare but life-altering situations such as critical illnesses and hospital expenses, investing in health insurance keeps your mind at ease, were the worst to happen. Depending on your area, secondary health insurance might be an option as well. Make sure you take the time to understand what your insurance covers and doesn’t cover so you aren’t caught by any nasty surprises. Additionally, with the latest stimulus plan, there have been some updates to out-of-network costs, so be sure to comb your medical bills carefully upon receiving. You’d be surprised at how often they can contain mistakes..

Making a Will

This is one thing most of us don’t take seriously enough and one thing we ALL need to have - especially the second you have children. We associate the act of making a will to be associated with old age, but what if you become incapacitated or die when younger? What would happen to your property and life savings, how would it be distributed among your family and more importantly, were both parents to die before making a will, who would be the guardians of your children? Making a will is probably one of the best things you can do for the security of your loved ones. Not only does it protect the handing down of your assets, but it provides peace of mind for those who would have to deal with your loss amidst the legal issues.

Emergency Savings

The general rule is to have 6 months of emergency savings in case we lose your job or source of income. While this sounds difficult to do, allotting a certain amount per month to a savings account is easier than it sounds. Simply automate it or treat it like a bill. It’s surprising how our budgets can often accommodate additional expenses when we want things - so make sure financial security is something you prioritize. You’ll be glad you did!