What happens when your business Key Person dies, becomes disabled or so sick that they are no longer any use to the company?

Most of the time this means the end of the company, as without his vision, expertise and knowledge there is just no business left. The result are huge losses for everyone involved.

Example: I went into business with an ex-professor who found a way to mark music with sounds below what humans can hear – he was the man! This had a great of applications in monitoring both advert content and artist royalties. Unfortunately for me the professor died and I did not have the know-how to update and fix minor bugs in his system, so I had to write off all the time and money I had invested in the project.

There is a solution for this problem, if only I had made use of it...

It is called Key Man or Key Person insurance and it is a life insurance policy that is taken out on the Key Man to be paid to whoever will have losses as a result of his untimely death, disability or dreaded diseases that may befall this Key Man.

So what is needed to qualify to be able to get this Key Man cover?

• You have to show that there will be a loss due to this person's absence
• You have to show how much this loss will be
• This potential loss will have to be verified
• This Key Person will have to be under written – life insurance on Key Man
• A business plan will be needed for a start-up company

Then there is the question of cost?

With life insurance there are costs involved in the insurance taken out on the Key Person/Key Man.

Life insurance is hedging your bets; in this case your risk. With all forms of hedging the basis is that you are willing to give up some of your profit in the knowledge that you will never be left with nothing. In this scenario you are willing to pay the insurance premiums on the Key Man or Key Person in the knowledge that if he or she dies, becomes disabled or contracts or develops a disabitating sickness. you will not be left with nothing.

In the payment of the premiums you have two options.

You can pay the premiums with after taxed money and then if there is a claim the money you receive will be tax free.

OR

You can pay the premiums and deduct it from tax, but then if there is a claim you will have to pay tax on it as if it is an income to you.

This normally has a lot to do with the tax position your company finds itself in, what tax bracket your company is in, etc.

Conclusion

As you can see the problem of the untimely demise or disability or serious sickness of your Key Man can have devistating consequences for your business. If you have not made the nesasary arrangements and do not have the right strategy in place it could cost you your business. But if you put Key Man insurance in place you will always get paid for your work.

If you have any further quistions or if you would like to find out how much it will cost to get your Key Man insured, do not hesitate to call or email me, or follow the link to my website sandtonkeymaninsurance.webs.com