Is Insurance Worth It? Protection or Just Another Expense? Part 2
Philippe Soriano and financial advisor Marc Bernardo explore whether insurance is a smart protection or just another expense. Discover how the right coverage can safeguard your financial future.
Episode 28
In this episode of The Philippe Soriano Podcast, Philippe sits down with financial advisor Marc Bernardo for an insightful discussion about insurance — is it just another expense, or a vital safeguard for your future?
They uncover the real value of insurance, break down common misconceptions, and explore how the right mindset can change the way you view financial protection.
Whether you think of insurance as a burden or a safety net, this conversation might just shift how you see financial security.
Philippe: What would be the best? What would your advice be? For the minimum wager, what kind of insurance would you advise?
Marc: Again, I will go back to analyzing the profile of the person. Ano yung kaya niya talaga? And then after that, hanapan ko siya ng insurance na yung swak sa kanya.
Huwag nating tignan yung insurance na gastos. Tignan natin siya bilang isang vehikulo o bilang isang instrument para ihanda natin yung ating sarili sa pagtanda. Lahat tayo tatanda.
Marc: Darating dun sa time na magkakasakit na rin.Yung pinakamalala, darating tayo dun sa araw ng ating kamatayo. Pagdumating yun, ang iwan natin sa pamilya natin, hindi lang yung kalungkutan.
Mag-iwan tayo ng isang pagpapangiti sa kanila.
Philippe: Give me three red flags of finding the wrong advisor.
Marc: Number one
This transcript is machine-generated, and we apologize for any errors.
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Philippe: So, nag-term na tayo, nag-VUL. So, what’s the next, after VUL, what’s the next most common insurance?
Marc: Yeah, the traditional insurance. Pag sinabing traditional, it’s more on guaranteed. Guaranteed in the sense na kung ano yung sinabi sa’yo. For example, meron siyang cash payout.
Meron mga insurance kayo na 10 years to pay. Tapos on the 6th year, meron ko na magkukuha ng cash payout yearly. Those are traditional type of insurance.
Marc: Limited pay lang siya, 10 years to pay. Pero on the 6th year, ito na magkukuha mo. Merong exacto, merong guaranteed amount na yearly na magkukuha mo pag dumating na yung time ng maturity ng policy.
Philippe: So, is this like if we would compare it to like a time deposit? Parang ganun?
Marc: It’s more than that. It’s more than that actually. A time deposit kasi where you’re putting it there, and yeah, may makukuha ka. Pero wala lang siyang insurance.
Yung time deposit, walang insurance. Mantalang ito, nakakuha ka ng yearly cash payout at the same time may insurance. At saka ito, nabayaran mo na siya ng 10 years.
Marc: Pero yung cash payout mo is yearly for the rest of your life. So, it’s more on pamana sa mga anak. Like for example, ako may anak ako.
Kinuhanan ko siya. So, after 6 years, may nakukuha na siya yearly. Hanggang sa mag-asawa siya, magka-anak siya, magka-apo na siya ulit.
Marc: Hanggang buhay siya. Meron siyang yearly tinatanggap. Pero binayanan ko lang ng 10 years yung policy na yun.
So, with that, napakaganda nun, I will be remembered every year. Maalala ako ng anak ko na si tatay, si daddy, si papa. Kahit wala na siya, laging niya pa rin ako binibigyan ng 100,000 pesos every year.
Philippe: That’s interesting. So, it doesn’t stop?
Marc: Yes.Hanggang buhay yung anak mo na binilan mo ng policy na yun. It’s a traditional type of insurance pero guaranteed yung yearly na makukuha niya. Napakaganda.
One of the best policy ni Sunlight na very, very interested ang mga lolo, lola, tatay na ikuha. Kasi nga this is a legacy plan. Something that will live.
Marc: Na iiwan nila. At lagi silang maaalala bilang isang legacy na nagbigay sila sa kanilang mga apo ng yearly. Meron silang tinatanggap.Pagdating noong buwan na yun, makakatanggap na sila ng cash payout wala dun sa policy na yun.
At maganda dun, pagka sila naman ay nawala na, okay, sila naman yung namatay, meron pa silang insurance na ipamamano naman nila sa mga anak nila. So imagine mo kung ilang generation yung makikinabang dun sa ipinundan ng magulang.
Marc: It’s actually a generational financial plan. It’s going to be enjoyed by the next generation
Philippe: So I’m sure the first question everyone’s going to ask, baka kana naman yung babayaran?
Marc: Actually because it’s guaranteed and it’s a continuous. Medyo malaki lang yung premium niyan. Medyo these are policies, sorry ha, it’s designed dun sa talagang merong budget.
Philippe: So ito yung pangmayaman sabihin natin?
Marc: Hindi naman pangmayaman. Pwede din naman sa middle class. Kasi kaya ko siya bilhin. Hindi naman ako mayaman, diba? So kaya ng middle class at syempre mas kaya ng mga nasa upper class.
Philippe: Give us an example for a 20-year-old healthy, bakaano babayaran for this generation?
Marc: Okay, if you are insured, for example, kapag siya yung 100,000 na cash payout, ang face amount niya is 1,750,000. 6% of that is 105,000.
So ang insurance nyo is 3.5 million. Ang face amount niya is 1,750,000.
Philippe: Can you educate us what does face amount mean?
Marc: Yung face amount niya is… It’s the face amount. Kasi the insurance coverage is double the face amount. Ang pinakamadaling itindihin niyo, how much is your insurance? Insurance is 3.5 million. Pero the face amount of that is half of it, 1.750.
Yung face amount, 6% of the face amount will be your cash payout which is 105,000 pesos every year na makukuha ng bata o nung anak o nung binila ng policy. So how much is the premium for that? Around nearly 300.
Philippe: Per year?
Marc: Yes, 300,000 per year. Yeah, if I’m not mistaken. Wala akong gano’n eh.
Philippe: And this is 300,000 per year after 10 years. So that’s amounting of about 3 million.
Marc: Yes, something like that.
Philippe: And then the amount that the apo or the son, the daughter will receive all throughout their lives?
Marc: It’s 105,000 every year starting on the 6th year.
Philippe: On the 6th year of?
Marc: Of the child. Of the child. Of the policy.
Yeah, of the policy of the child. Because for example, gumawa siya ng one year old or after 6 years, may 6 years old na yung bata. So starting na 6 years old niya, for the rest of his life, there’s 105,000 every year.
Philippe: Okay, so here’s the next debate that I would like to ask you about. Debate kasi we’re gonna have to have an argument about your 100,000 in the next 10 years is gonna have a different type of value. Yes.
So 100,000 ngayon, okay, malaki eh. Pero after 10 years, baka yung 100,000, it feels like 50,000. But that’s still 100,000.
Philippe: So if it feels like 50,000, it’s still 50,000. Give it another 20 years pag naging lolo na siya, hindi 100,000 parang 10,000 na lang. It’s still not bad.
Marc: Yeah.
Philippe: Kasi if it feels like kung feeling mo na tumatangkap ng 10,000, hindi si yung apo mo meron pang Starbucks that time. Baka price ng Starbucks, 5,000 na per drink. You never know. By 30 years, di ba? Hindi mo mananam eh. Right?
But still, at least you’re getting something. I think for the longevity of the companies that offer legacy plans, I think they did it smart. Kasi we all know that after inflation, after taxes, after 10, 20 years, 100,000, actually, if you think about it, 1 billion these days, it feels like 100,000 only
Marc: Yes, actually, yes.
Phiippe: It really feels like 100,000. Actually, even less if you think about it. Ang bilis ubusin. With back then, 1 million, you could buy house and lot, kotse.
Hindi naman yung mga, mumurahin lang. Right now, yung mumurahin na koche, 1 million na. Interesting ano. Interesting.
Marc: I would like to react on that.
Philippe: Go.
Marc: My personal opinion, whether the amount of 1 million by that time or 100,000 is not 105,000 anymore, still there is 105,000 compared sa wala.
And to think, na makakareceive ang isang tao, like for example, when I was 20 years old, now I’m 53 years old, if I will receive 105,000 today, starting today or this year, I still be very thankful na meron akong 105,000 compared sa wala. Diba?
Philippe: I agree.
Marc: Whether whatever is your argument na gano’na lang ang value noon when that time comes, what is important is meron.
Philippe: Meron.
Marc: Diba? Kasi I guess, babalik ako dun sa mindset ulit eh, na totoo yung sinasabi natin na pagdating ng panahon, baka hindi na gano’n ang rate ng pera na yun, pero totoo din na dapat nating tanggapin na kung hindi ka nagsimula, ngayon, after six years, wala ka naman makukuha.
It’s better that you get something when compared to you’re not going to get anything. Diba? So, ang sagot ko dun, mas okay na yung meron kesa wala na tinatanggap.
Philippe: What would you recommend? Kasi we talked about three types of insurance. Of course, not everyone would be aligned, especially the masses. They’re not aligned with the idea of, they love the idea, but their budget or their wallet is not aligned to the idea that they want.
Or they’re ambitious, but their wallet doesn’t align to what they need or what they want, rather. So, what would be the best? What would your advice be for the minimum wager? What kind of insurance would you advise? For example, someone who is 20 to 40 years old, what is your best advice for them?
Philippe: Let’s say sila, driver ng isang truck, truck driver. Gusto ko muna insurance, pero kaya lang yung tipong, let’s say, 300 a month. Katulad din kay SingLife. What would, what are the, is there, do you have an advice for different types of insurance to get? And, for a starting point, what would you advise?
Marc: Actually, hirap na tanong. Again, I will go back to analyzing the profile of the person. Ano yung kaya niya talaga? And then after that, hanapan ko siya ng insurance na yung swak sa kanya. Okay. What would I advise? Depende rin yan sa trabaho, sa risk ng trabaho niya.
If, for example, sabihin natin, truck driver. Mura lang kasi yung accidental insurance. May mga gano’n na it only covers accident. Hindi siya kino-cover yung natural death. If you die through accident, your family gets something.
Marc: Maliliit yung premium yan if you get hospitalized due to accident. Maliliit lang yung premium yan. Actually, pag bumili ka nga ng mga membership, may kasamang accidental insurance yan. Maliliit yung premium yan. Okay, maliit lang siya. Maliit lang din yung coverage.
Ang limited lang yung coverage na accidental death lang. If you die, natural death, di-cover. Pero pag namatay ka, accidental death, covered. Pag na-accident ka, na-hospitalized ka due to accident, covered. Pag na-hospital ka due to illness, hindi covered.
Marc: Pagka-accidental lang yung coverage niya, mura lang premium yan. Kaya, yung sinasabi natin na anong i-advise mo, kung ano lang yung fit nung sa tao. Kung ang fit niya lang is accidental coverage lang, okay, cover natin sa kanya. What is important?
May coverage. Diba? What is important? Kasi, hindi naman kita bibigyan ng life and accidental. Kung hindi mo naman kaya, it’s useless. Hindi mo naman mababayaran. Diba? How can we claim if the policy is lapse?
Philippe: Para kay kuya tricycle driver, what would you recommend?
Marc: Okay, meron tayong mga group insurance. Okay? Nakapagka ang isang, for example, Toda. Samahan. Lahat ng mga nagtotricycle Okay?
Bigyan natin ng group insurance. Magkano yan? 100 pesos a year? 150 pesos a year?
Philippe: Magkano naman coverage?
Marc: Diba? 50,000? 50,000? 30,000? Aksidente lang. Aksidente lang. Pag namatay ka due to natural death, wala. Kailangan aksidente. May mga gano’n.
Philippe: Okay.Toda. Halimbawa, buong Toda, 50% lang gusto. Iba, ayaw. Or let’s say, part ako ng Toda. Tricycle driver ako. Gusto ko. Ibang kaibigan ko, ayaw. Can I get?
Marc: Ang mga insurance company, may minimum din. May mga minimum requirement applicant nila.
Philippe: What’s the minimum?
Marc: I think 50. Minsan may 25 din. Depende. Kung saan mo sila maihanap. Term insurance ito ha. Sa mga gano’n. Parang insurance ng kotse.
Philippe: Still, may coverage.
Marc: Yes, may coverage.
Philippe: Pero what if ako si kuya tricycle driver na hindi ako part ng Toda. Basta, ano lang, dito-dito lang sa gilid.
Marc: Ano kasi, nire-require ng insurance company nakasama ka dun sa Toda. Sa group operative. Meron yan list ng mga members. Kailangan isang group, isang organization para tanggapin ng insurance company yung application. It’s a group insurance.
Philippe: That’s quite interesting. Pati yung mga, for example, si Street Sweeper, gusto nila pumuna insurance. Kasi, street sweeper, higher risk pag may accident.
Marc: Basta meron silang kinabibilangan na group. Na legit registered a group.
Philippe: Is this something that you help with LGUs or any communities?
Marc: nagbibigay sila ng gano’n. May mga gano’ng offer. Actually, may mga gano’n talaga na nagbibigay.
Philippe: So for example, yung mga nanonood ngayon gusto nila pumuha ng si Kuya Driver, Kuya Tricycle Driver, o si Truck Driver, o si Grab, lalagun.
Yung iba, meron naman nag-offer insurance for their, kasi dahil sa company na. But what if yung mga yan, Toda Tricycle Driver, where would you recommend them to go get this type of insurance?
Marc: Right now, I will have to check. Kasi, pagka mga group, hindi ko rin masyado kabisado talaga. Pero, meron. E, maaaring, kami, meron kami sa Sunlight na group insurance. I just need to check kung ano yung mga papano siya. But there is.
Basta, accidental, yung mga malilit na accidental insurance nangyayari niya. Accidental insurance nangyayari niya. Kasi nga, malitang yung premium doon. Okay.
Philippe: Alright.
Marc: Actually, meron pa kayo kasama yung hospitalization.If you are, if you got hospitalized due to accident, kinukover din na.
Philippe: So, what’s the difference kung accident and hospital? Ano siya? Two different things.
Marc: You were hospitalized. The reason of your confinement or hospitalization is due to accident.
Philippe: But isn’t accident part of it na? Na dapat, accident yung ma-hospital naman. Usually, that’s the case. Or it’s still two separate…
Marc: Yeah, it’s accidental death and accident. Accidental death, tapos yung hospitalization, yun naman, is due to accident.
Philippe: Due to accident.
Marc: So, dalawa yun. Accidental death, at saka na hospitalized due to accident.
Philippe: Due to accident. Ah, okay. So, those are the two categories.
Marc: Yes.
Philippe: akaaa ko kasi, okay.
Marc: Siguraduhin mong patay ka sa aksidente, mas malaking makukuha mo.
Philippe: Hindi ka pa patay. Pinatay mo yung sarili mo. Ay, buhay pa ako.
Marc: At saka, may duration din pala yan. Say, for example, na-accident ka, para makaklaim ka, parang may 30 days lang you have to report that accident.
Philippe: I see.
Marc: 30 days grace period that you should report your case sa insurance company para makaklaim ka. If you, for example, reported it beyond the required time na ma-report mo siya, mabuboid yung claim mo.
Philippe: Another question. Okay, let’s say na-accident. Ano yung mga… Ito yung, okay, people know how to get insurance. What happens when there’s an accident? Halimbawa, unconscious, ano ba dapat gawin ng family member, ng anak, ng asawa?
Marc: Claim lang, at tawag lang sa…
Philippe: How do you claim your insurance?
Marc: Number one, dapat meron ka talagang advisor. Yung advisor, kilala mo. Yung advisor active. Yung company is legit company, no?
Kung wala advisor at policy lang ano, tawag ka lang doon sa number na yun. So, you have to report it. Yes.
Philippe: What is required in the reporting? Kailangan ba ng police report?
Marc: Yes, of course. Police report, the hospitalization due to accident, or kung halimbawa naman ay sa bahay, na aksidente. Okay?
So, yung mismong medical report, medical abstract, kung bakit siya na-hospitalized is due to, for example, nalaglag sa hagdaan, may panadulas.
Philippe: So, for example, kasi yung mag-aasik-aasin nito, pag walang advisor, first degree, or kaibigan, whatever, eh kung wala siya…
Marc: Yung family mismo, kailangan may alam. Kailangan alam mo, Kuya Kim, ano na?
Philippe: Pero madaming may insurance, hindi alam ng mga spouses nila, or family na, hindi nila alam anong gano’n.
Marc: Dapat alam. Sinasabi ko, dapat alam.
Philippe: So, it’s not enough just to get insurance. Kailangan ma-educate pa din yung, halimbawa may nangyari sa’yo, na comatose ka.Paano na i-claim? 30 days pass. Eh kasi hindi alam. So, that’s the one thing.
Marc: Actually, meron akong ganyang experience. Ninang ko. Okay. Hindi alam ng mga anak na may insurance. So, hindi na-claim.
Philippe: Kasi comatose siya.
Marc: Kasi hindi… Well, whatever. Comatose siya, o na-hospital siya, or namatay siya. Hindi nila alam na may insurance. Kaya sabi ko, dapat talaga inaalam.
Philippe: So, a part of responsibility of a policyholder is to inform family members, friends, and the process of doing it. Because, ang daming…This year’s another stigma. Lahat na bumubili ng insurance from a… Iniiwan sila ng mga advisor kasi binentahan sila ng insurance.
So, that’s the stigma of getting insurance as well. Siyempre, there are exceptions just like you, na talagang from the start to the end, inaasikang sumupa din sila.
Marc: Yeah. Tsaka ano kasi, unang-una, lalago sinasabi, Sir, maging kukuha doon insurance doon sa mga medyo bata. Sorry, hindi ako laban doon sa mga bata.
Philippe: Ang daming magagalit sayo.
Marc: Oo, ang daming galing, bata.
Philippe: Ang daming magagalit sayo.
Marc: Hindi naman lahat. Hindi lahat. Hindi lahat. Kaya kasi, nakikita natin yung mga bata. Advisor sila ngayon. After three, two, three years, two to three years, content creator na sila ngayon. Hindi ko alam. Ang mga bata ngayon, napaka bilis magbago ng isip.
Napaka bilis magpalitang career. Parang, hindi na sila concerned kung anong magyayari doon sa mga taong gumuha sa kanila, nagtiwala sa kanila. But, to us, na medyo nasa papunta na sa senior years, ito na. Ako nga, ito na yung buhay ko. Ito na yung gagawin ko.
Marc: Kasi, masaya ako dito. Ito na yung advocacy ko. Ito na yung gusto kong gawin for the rest of my life na mag-advise, mag-remind, mag-educate ng mga tao about preparation. So, I guess, that’s very, very one good reason why you choose me as your advisor. Ano ito?
Philippe: Give us a few tips on how to find the right advisor just like you.
Marc: Mararamdaman niyan habang kinakausap niyo sila. Mararamdaman niyan habang nagpre-present sila sa iyo.
Philippe: Oh, huwag na tips. Red flags.
Marc: Or red flags.
Philippe: Give me three red flags of finding the wrong advisor.
Marc: Number one, para sa akin, maraming magigalit. Ako para sa akin, hindi ako talaga komporme ng advisor mo bata.
Philippe: Bakit?
Marc: Unang-una, pagbata, ngayon, yung mga kabataan ngayon, madali silang magpalit ng career. Pag nakakita sila ng ibang opportunity, pag na-exhaust na nila yung market, at wala na silang benta, for example, mga tatlong buwan na silang walang benta.
Parang bumibitaw na sila. Change na ako ng career. Kasi, this is not for me. Diba? Kaya ayoko na. Suko na ako. Diba? Number one, pagbata, magigil na gigil yan sa simula, pero after two, three years, bibitaw na. Yun yung napansin ko.
Marc: Number two, paano mo ipagtitiwala yung iyong insurance, yung investment mo sa isang tao na hindi ka din sigurado kung marunong siyang magmanage ng finances niya. Paano mo naman malalaman na marunong siyang magmanage ng finances niya?
Siyempre, meron na siyang napatunayan na minanage niya. At namanage niya lang maayos. Diba? So, hindi lang ako ang magchecheck ng background ng kliyente. Checheck ko rin yung background ng advisor. Kung ito man taong ito, paano niya ba minanage ang buhay niya?
Marc: Mapapatunayan ba yun ng isang 21, 22-year-old na bata na marunong siyang magmanage ng finances niya? Diba?
Philippe: So, it’s important na hindi lang ikaw iba background check. Iba background check mo yun.
Marc: Yeah. Iba background check. Guys, para sa akin lang ito. Baka maraming personal opinion lang. Hindi ito official but just my personal. Yun lang naman yung aking nakikita.
Number three, mapapansin mo pag nag-represent iyang advisor na yan. Basta ma-presentan ka lang niya. Diba?
Marc: Ma-present ka lang niya pero kung pag-aaralan mo, may mga product na talagang para sa iyo. Kaya, pagka ganyan yung advisor, medyo mararamdaman mo na hindi alam ang sinasabi nito.
Dapat, diba? Dapat ito binibigay niya sa akin kasi ito yung parang hinainang ka ng pagkain na hindi mo gusto. O hinainang ka ng pagkain o pinapakain sa’yo yung pagkain na hindi pala para sa edad mo. E, ikaw ay diabetis na, diabetic na. Hinainang ka ng ano? Nang cake.
Marc: Tapos may ice cream.Tapos may salad. Lahat ng matatamis. Diba? Hindi siya tapot sa’yo. Dapat sa’yo, salad, yung mga healthy food ang pinapakain. So, makikita mo doon na hindi niya alam. Kung hindi niya alam na… Diba? Doon pa lang mag-engage mo na siya na ala to. Hindi ito maalam. Diba? So, I think yun. Yun yung mga three red flags para sa akin.
Number one, bata. Number two, diba? Pagtitiwala mo ba yung investment mo, yung insurance mo sa tao na hindi mo sigurado kung marunong ba siya talagang mag-manage ng sarili niyang… How can you guide people if you yourself, you don’t know how to guide? How can you share?
Marc: Love. If you lack love, how can you share? Diba? Money. If you don’t have money. Kailangan meron ka nun. Dapat overflowing ka nun. And it entails a lot of time. And it’s… panahon. Diba? Age. Para mo ma-establish yung gano’ng bagay. Diba?
Number three, mag-engage mo siya. Kapag ka… ang pinakakain niya sa’yo, inire-recommenda niya sa’yo. Hindi pa ka sa’yo. Bawat edad, merong product para sa kanya. Number one, pagkang kausap ko, 40 years old na, hindi na ako nag-offer ng VUL.
Marc: Ang ino-offer ko unang una, health insurance. Kasi when you age 40, parang sisimula ka ng magpa-check ng whole abdomen with prostate. Bakit? Kasi diyan ang nagsisimula. Diba? So, bakit kita bibigyan ng VUL? Kailangan, health insurance muna.
Ang health insurance, pag na-diagnose ka ng sakit, may makukuha tayong claim. Pag VUL ka, walang attachment ng critical illness, wala tayong makukuha.
Marc: Kailangan ka munang mamatay bago tayong maka-claim. Samantanang si health insurance, pag na-diagnose ka, na-diagnose ka pa lang, na-hospital ka pa lang, may makukuha na tayo. Diba? So, mapapakinabangan mo.
Ilagay mo ang sarili mo sa kliyente mo. Kung ito ay si kliyente, ano kukunin mo? Diba? Okay.
Philippe: Thank you for this session.
Marc: Meron ba akong nasabing na tama? Matuto ka ba?
Philippe: Madami lang. Kulang. Kulang. Especially sa mga general information, kulang na kulang. Kasi insurance can be so technical. So we’ll probably shoot this at another session kasi we’re out of time.
But we’ve learned a lot from you, Mr. Mark. So sa mga gustong mag-avail ng insurance or you want to learn more from Mr. Mark Bernardo, you could always find him in Sunlife.
Marc: Yeah. Thank you very much.
Philippe: Abangan nyo yung bagong socials niya and channel niya. Coming soon.
Marc: Sana.
Philippe: Coming soon.
Marc: Pero bagay tayo magtapos, no? Last words, Docs. Last words, eh, no?Nananawagan ako sa lahat. Nananawagan ako. Tatakbo na. Tatakbo, no? Hindi.
Ano lang, boss. Huwag nating tignan yung insurance na gastos. Tignan natin siya bilang isang vehikulo o bilang isang instrument para ihanda natin yung ating sarili sa pagtanda.
Marc: Lahat tayo tatanda. Lahat tayo huwag naman sana, no? Darating dun sa time na magkakasakit na rin, no? At yung pinakamalala, darating tayo dun sa araw ng ating kamataya. ana.
Pag dumating yun, ang iwan natin sa pamilya natin, hindi lang yung kalungkutan. Mag iwan tayo ng isang mag papangiti sa kanila, pagkatapos mailubog tayo sa lupa, isang bagay na maalala nila tayo
