De Klerk says you should check that your insurer is providing a competitive premium for your insurance benefits. "Don?t shy away from investigating the market. There may well be a better deal available. However, make sure you consult a professional adviser in any decision you make regarding changing of benefits. Insurance products vary greatly in the benefits they provide and price is not necessarily a good indicator of value for money. Ensure also that you deal with an insurer that has a good reputation for paying claims. Also check potential insurance policy terms for clauses relating to pre-existing conditions or exclusions. Make sure that any policy you enter into covers you for the risks you want covered."

It makes sense to critically review your overall risk cover with an adviser. Do you have the right level of sickness, life, income, dread disease and disability cover? Look at the total amount of your cover, including any provided by, for example, your employer?s staff pension fund. "Our experience is that South Africans are generally underinsured, but in the review of your particular insurance benefits you may find there are areas you can cut back on."

Finally, he says that if you have income, disability or incapacity benefits which provide you with an income should you be disabled, remember that ? depending on your particular circumstances ? you may be able to claim the premiums on these policies as a deduction from SARS. This helps reduce the overall cost of your insurance.