The topic of insurance is not sexy by any means. Perhaps that's why so many people avoid addressing it. Another reason may be a bit more subconscious--the avoidance of future, indeterminable events, in favor of present-day issues with more certainty.

You are probably aware that many Americans are vastly under-insured. Home and auto insurance are important, and most people have that covered. What I am referring to, more appropriately, is your (1) life insurance, (2) long-term disability insurance, (3) liability insurance, and (4) long-term care insurance.

It is almost amusing to see someone walking around with a $60 cell phone that they have paid to insure, while their multi-million-dollar body is completely unprotected!

I said almost! Before addressing a client's investment situation, I always ask them to first consider the following four questions:

If you were to die, would your family have enough money to both pay off the house and live off the earnings from your savings?

If you were to injure your back, would you be able to cover the rehabilitation once your short-term coverage ran out?

If you were to develop a long-term debilitating illness, could you afford $90,000 per year for excellent home care?

If you've answered "no" to any of these questions, you might want to consider re-evaluating your level of protection.

? 2004 Matthew S. Clement, All rights reserved

Matthew S. Clement is a financial planner and investment advisor representative with Financial Network Investment Corporation, member SIPC. He provides holistic wealth management and retirement planning to individuals and businesses. He can be reached in New York at (845) 942-8578, or by email: ClementM@FinancialNetwork.com.