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November 12, 2012 at 10:39 PM
Financial advisors certainly have their work cut out for them in today’s uncertain environment. But they also have the opportunity to lead the way on best practices and become clients’ voice of reason.
Being a voice of reason includes the ability to clearly articulate the benefits of incorporating life insurance into a financial portfolio to help reduce large concentrations of risk, provide upside potential and add some predictability through a guaranteed death benefit.
In the years since the 2008 financial crisis, more people, especially those of higher wealth, are turning to advisors for a variety of reasons. One reason may be that a lack of intimate market knowledge — and the accompanying anxiety — has exhausted investors, driving them away from being involved in the day-to-day management of their accounts.
The Spectrem Group, a research and consulting firm specializing in the affluent, high net-worth and retirement markets, found in its Future Trends in Wealth Management 2011 report that about one-quarter of all investors, regardless of wealth, considered themselves to be self-directed and made all investment decisions on their own. That means three-quarters of investors are looking for knowledgeable guidance. Among them are wealthy investors, many of whom recognize their portfolios may have excessive risk exposure that needs to be mitigated.
That risk reduction can include greater diversification within a portfolio and, when done properly, can provide security and stability of assets — and sometimes even a guarantee.
Life insurance as an asset class
Generally, a large part of loss to portfolios is related to ineffective asset allocation strategies and oversight. One alternative solution often overlooked as an asset class is life insurance.
Life insurance has evolved and comes in many different forms. It is sophisticated and multi-faceted. Taking it a step further, some carriers have started blending different components of other insurance solutions to create combinations that meet a range of specific needs, including a guaranteed death benefit. That benefit has been the traditional, stand-alone use of life insurance, but it has never truly been viewed as an asset class.
Many traditional asset classes used in developing a financial portfolio are predominantly focused on accumulation. However, none are typically known for providing protection or guarantees around the asset’s value, regardless of the portfolio’s duration. In today’s environment, not paying attention to that particular risk can have enormous impact on the way wealth is transferred to heirs and beneficiaries.
According to modern portfolio theory, recognizing the relationship among asset classes is essential for constructing efficient portfolios. Fundamental to the theory is the idea of combining diverse asset classes, each possessing unique characteristics and attributes relative to other asset classes. Life insurance meets this broad definition, and some policies are recognized and useful as a separate and distinct asset class.
Advisors need to recognize the unique risk and return characteristics of life insurance that make it a legitimate, separate and distinct asset class with many non-conventional uses, such as in the construction of an optimal portfolio. Structured with the right combinations, life insurance can offer predictable value and a sure way to transfer financial legacies via a guaranteed death benefit with tax efficiencies and market-driven growth potential.
For advisors, this means new opportunities.
Special advantages for various life stages
