Jess Quinn: Protect what matters most

Protecting what matters most to you, whatever that may be, starts with a plan. Preparing for the unknown could look like getting health insurance and life cover to making small day-to-day changes that will help the future you. Keep reading to see how Jess Quinn plans to tackle the unexpected.

Jess has faced many challenges and changes throughout her life, so she understands the importance of protection. “My health and the health of my family matter most to me,” she explains. Jess' idea of protection comes in two forms. The first is maintaining and protecting her day-to-day health. She does this by making positive lifestyle choices, such as having a diverse diet, regularly exercising and ensuring she gets the quality sleep she needs. She also schedules routine visits to her GP. “I try to look after myself by prioritising regular health checks and reminding my family to do the same,” Jess says. Being proactive is where Jess puts a lot of her energy. “We can't prevent everything, but we can certainly catch things as early as possible.” Jess’ other strategy for protecting herself and her family is by ensuring she has health insurance. “I’ve had health insurance my whole life. My parents had it for me as a child, and I've continued to have it as an adult by choice,” she says. Jess has also recently taken out AIA life cover to protect her finances if anything were to happen. 

All great outcomes start with a sturdy plan. “It's always a priority for me to plan, not just for now, but far into the future,” says Jess. “Insurance is one of the ways I do that. I prioritise my safety net to ensure it's there to catch me when I need it. I completely understand that paying for insurance is a financial consideration. However, the 'agh, I really wish I was insured' conversation I would have with myself if I wasn't covered isn’t worth it." Jess is also a realist when it comes to planning. "As much as I wish it wasn't the case, bad things happen when we least expect it," she says. Jess continues, "the unexpected has happened many times in my life, from the big (like my cancer and endometriosis diagnoses) to the small (having to take unexpected days off, cancelling trips due to illness and rearranging my life to take care of myself).” However, with her protection, she was able to minimise the pressure of the situation. “I’ve had so many unexpected health events pop up in my life and having health insurance has taken a lot of the stress out of it, especially for my aftercare and being able to afford a lot of the ongoing appointments.” Jess believes that security can come in many forms, but knowing she has a plan brings her comfort. “Knowing you have somewhat prepared takes some of the stress out of the unexpected,” Jess explains.

Jess understands the value and advantages of being able to discuss finances with her family. “My parents have always been really open with us about the financial decisions they've made and why they've made them. Learning this way has set me up so I can make my own informed decisions,” says Jess. She continues, “When you're in your earlier adult years, there are many financial things to try to figure out, so having those open conversations as early as possible is important.” Jess also understands how everyone is different and why some women find discussing finances difficult. “We're all in such different positions. We've all had different upbringings, experiences, priorities and goals, which makes talking about finances unfortunately not a straightforward chat,” Jess discusses. Despite these differences, Jess believes there may be a way to meet in the middle. “We don't necessarily need to get into the nitty-gritty of our financial circumstances, but I think talking openly about it in a general sense is important,” says Jess. Talking about your finances with family and friends may also ease any undue stress, improving your financial wellbing, and overall health and wellbeing in the long run.