There is no shortage of insurance firms jostling for your attention, wanting to offer you the “best deal” for a “special once-off price” if you “call us right now”.

If you plan to make a financial investment in your future, you need to be able to discern between superficial cover and a comprehensive insurance policy that will provide you and your family with the right safety net.

“Clients exploring the insurance market must always do extensive research,” says Mellissa Alberts, legal and compliance manager at Yambu. “Check to see if the insurance company is a licensed financial services provider (FSP). This should be displayed on its website and any marketing material. If not, ask for it, go to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority website and search with the FSP number to see if it is an authorised FSP.

“The search will also tell you who its key individuals and representatives are and what products it is licensed to sell. Your next step would be to ensure you are getting value for your money. See if there are exclusions, excesses to pay, admin fees, annual increases etc.”

If you haven’t heard about Yambu, here are five things you need to know:

1. In operation in SA since 2012, Yambu focuses on giving full access to quality insurance products at the most affordable rates to hardworking South Africans who would not ordinarily be able to afford insurance.
2. Yambu offers the following cover: Yambu Legal Protection, Yambu Domestic Care, Yambu Business Care, and its newest cover Yambu Legacy, which offers immediate accidental death cover starting from R9.99 a month.
3. Yambu Legacy offers the cheapest accidental cover to date and also includes dependants up to the age of 18. You don’t pay extra for them until they are 18 years old.
4. Did you know you could win R10,000 for your domestic worker? Visit the Yambu competition page for more information on how to enter and read this article to find out how else you can invest in the financial well being of your housekeeper.
5. Yambu considers and call its staff and clients family. “We are a tight-knit group that looks after one another and we treat our customers in the same way,” says Vuyiseka Kewuti, marketing and sales coordinator at Yambu.

For more information, visit www.yambu.co.za, email info@yambu.co.za, call 0860 88 88 37 or sms JOIN to 40009 (smses costs R1.50).

This article was paid for by Yambu.