Many businesses would say that their company would not last more than one year without their key person/people. So ask yourself the following and let us help you find the solution you need:
How many people are key to your company's survival? Remember a key person is not always the boss.
Consider that having worked so hard to make your business a success, it would be disastrous for it to fail because of a basic oversight, such as inadequate protection.

Who will own your business if a director/partner dies, retires or suffers a critical illness?
Have you made provision to ensure you remain in control of the business? Is your provision adequate?

Has your business increased in value but your protection remained the same?
Insurer competition has resulted in premium rates falling. Are you paying a competitive premium?

Your employees are invaluable to your success. So, as a responsible employer, you need to think about issues such as: death in service; income replacement; private medical insurance; retirement planning; and critical illness.

Looking to recruit and retain the best?
Do you offer incentives to remain in your employment?
Does your employee benefit package reflect favourably on your business?

It is fair to say that all types of businesses require specialist financial planning advice that is tailored to their needs be they a sole trader, a partnership or a limited company. Expertise is needed to advise on such matters as:

• Key Man Insurance
• Partnership or Share Holder Protection
• Cross Option and Buy/Sell Agreements
• Directors / Partners / Owners Pension Plans
• Life insurance or Death in Service Benefits
• Investing Company Capital
• Company Wills
• Self Invested Personal Pensions
• Small Self Administered Schemes
• Business Loans and Mortgages

Employee Benefits - to attract and retain good quality staff employers should have some or all of the following in place for their employees:

• Pension scheme
• Income protection
• Private Medical Insurance
• Death in Service Benefits
• Critical Illness cover

By taking time to understand your business, we at Alexanders Finance (UK) Ltd can identify and offer your company, employees and directors/principals high quality independent financial advice. Through our customized services, we will help you fulfil your present and future plans, commitments and aspirations and adapt as your business grows.

Income Protection Insurance (or Permanent Health as it is sometimes known) provides an income to your employee if they are off work for a prolonged period due to sickness or accident. In a time of increasing costs associated with employees absence through sickness, a group PHI scheme allows you to provide continued care to your valued employees, whilst at the same time minimizing the employer's costs.

Private Medical Insurance is possibly one of the most important employee benefits, its provision can aid recruitment and retention of staff whilst promoting employee loyalty. Not only that, but if a member of your staff were to suffer an illness or injury, relying on the NHS could prove expensive in terms of the impact of sick pay and the costs of temporary staff.

Under these present conditions it is no wonder that more and more of our clients are turning to the protection offered by Group Private Medical Schemes. No business is too small for a Private Medical Scheme.

Death in Service Many employees now come to expect life cover as an integral part of their benefits package. Death in service cover is a form of life assurance which will pay out a fixed sum, normally calculated as a multiple of salary. The policy provides security for your employees' dependents and is tax efficient, as the sum assured is payable free of income tax.

Pensions As well as being a legal requirement for employers with over five employees, a pension scheme is an effective way of retaining and motivating employees. In today's employment environment, where individuals move more regularly between jobs employee benefits play an increasingly important role in attracting and keeping staff.

As part of a benefits package, a good group personal pension scheme will offer your employees security and reassurance. It will help to raise morale as individuals see their long-term future is being provided for. It is also tax efficient for the company and employees. Stakeholder pension regulations came into force in April 2001 and have had important implications for employers and employees. All employers who have 'relevant' employees are required to offer them access to a stakeholder pension scheme, unless they are exempt.
 

Your failure to comply with these new regulations could lead to a fine of up to £50,000.