Financial protection could provide you with a cash injection when you need it most. Yet, it’s something you may overlook because you think “that will never happen to me”. There are countless stories and anecdotes that prove the unexpected does happen, read on to discover three.

1. Roy Sullivan holds a Guinness World Record for being struck by lightning

“Lightning doesn’t strike twice” might be a common saying, but it’s certainly untrue.

Countless places have been struck by lightning more than once, and unlucky Roy Sullivan holds the Guinness World Record for being struck more times than any other human. Between 1942 and 1977, Roy was struck by lightning on seven separate occasions and miraculously survived all of them.

The odds of being struck by lightning depend on your location. According to Britannica, in the US, the odds of being struck once during your lifetime are around 1 in 15,300 – around 270 people are struck each year.

Roy’s career as a park ranger in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, means his odds of being hit by lightning are higher than the average US citizen. Yet, the odds of being hit seven times are still incredibly slim.

2. Tsutomu Yamaguchi witnessed both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings

You may have heard of the story of Tsutomu Yamaguchi – the man who was present at, and survived, both atomic bombings of Japan in the second world war.

As a marine engineer, he was in Hiroshima on business for his employer on 6 August 1945 when the US dropped an atomic bomb. Despite some wounds, he returned to Nagasaki and was present when just three days later another atomic bomb struck the city.

Speaking to ABC News Australia, Tsutomu described how on the morning of the second bombing, he told his supervisor that one bomb had destroyed Hiroshima only to be told he was “crazy”.

Tsutomu is the only person to have been officially recognised by the government of Japan as surviving both explosions. However, around 70 people are thought to have been affected by both bombings despite the more than 400-kilometre distance between the two cities.

3. 3 Titanic survivors were on board the HMS Britannic when it sank

Violet Jessop, John Priest, and Archie Jewell all not only survived the Titanic disaster but the sinking of its sister ship HMHS Britannic too.

The Titanic was the deadliest sinking of a single ship when the disaster occurred in 1912. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew on board, more than 1,500 perished. Among those that survived were Violet, John, and Archie. Just four years later, all three were involved in another sinking.

HMHS Britannica was the sister ship of the Titanic and was converted to a hospital ship during the first world war. It sank in the Aegean Sea after an explosion. In 2016, a diving expedition suggested the ship struck a deep sea mine. The Britannica incident wasn’t as deadly, partly thanks to changes the shipping line made following the sinking of the Titanic, but 30 people lost their lives.

After surviving one of the most famous maritime disasters, the three survivors perhaps thought their odds of facing another were unlikely.

Financial protection could help you prepare for the unexpected

The chances of you experiencing something like these unlikely stories are very small, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare for the unexpected.

You can’t prevent some things from happening. What you can change is the effect they’ll have on you and your loved ones’ life by preparing. From a financial perspective, taking steps to protect your lifestyle and security if you face a shock may be useful.

If your income temporarily stopped, could you still maintain your lifestyle through your savings, how long would they last? If you or your partner passed away, how would the other cope financially?

These can be difficult questions to contemplate. However, by considering them you could create a plan that might mean you feel confident in your finances if you faced a shock.

For instance, appropriate financial protection could pay out if you’re too ill to work or if you were diagnosed with a critical illness. A cash injection in these circumstances means you could focus on your recovery and ease financial worries.

So, if you’ve been putting off reviewing or taking out financial protection because you believe you’ll never need to make a claim, remember the unexpected does happen.

Contact us to talk about financial protection that suits your needs

Choosing the right type of financial protection for your needs is just as important as deciding to prepare for the unexpected. Contact us to discuss how to create a financial safety net that could provide you with peace of mind.

Please note: This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

Note that financial protection plans typically have no cash in value at any time and cover will cease at the end of the term. If premiums stop, then cover will lapse.