A Life Line Can't be a Credit Line

A term insurance and an emergency fund are must-do for the breadwinner of the family to avert an unforeseeable exigency and keep yourself out of a debt trap

- LARISSA FERNAND

The pandemic has brought home the reality that we are only as strong as our weakest link.

The Theory of Constraints states that in the system there is one constraint that must be improved upon or eliminated. If it erupts, it could jeopardize the entire process and block you from achieving your goal. This is the system’s weakest link. It must be identified and rectified so that it is no longer a handicap.

Now apply that to your finances.

If your entire financial situation and goal of wealth creation is only as strong as its weakest link, what is it? Identify the one issue that has the potential to unleash havoc on your finances. Then work on rectifying it to achieve financial stability.

The pandemic and its repercussions have shoved two learnings into the limelight. One of the awakenings for many is that the link between health security and financial security is nearly not as diffused as imagined. The two are very intrinsically linked together.

1. Living without insurance is risky

Let’s consider an individual who is the sole breadwinner of his family. He has a wife, two little children, and he partially supports his parents. Despite his promising career, fat paycheques, and well-diversified portfolio, he is the weakest link. This sounds perversely counterintuitive but is a fact. Imagine the tragedy of this individual being involved in an accident that leaves him partially paralyzed. Or, being a victim of the pandemic. Or, suffering a fatal heart attack.