Sad Story About a Man and Life Insurance

medicarebenefitsdirect · 06-13-2009, 11:16 PM

I recently found out that a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. He is 48 and has three very young childeren. He makes abotu 125k per year with his wife not really working. A few years ago we quoted him life insurance but he decided not to take it.

The doctor gave him about 3-6 months to live and he only has 120k of life insurance. That really is said. He needed to have a minumum of 1 million dollars. Our jobs really are important. We are more than salesmen. We have to make people understand (especially with children) how important life insurance is.

SportsNut · 06-14-2009, 11:33 AM

Yes.... Sad, and many folks are very short-sighted and selfish. Selfish in the sense that they don't want to spend the little bit of money for a premium. Selfish in that they are thinking of themselves, not the family that they could leave behind.

There should be a letter that we send to a spouse, when the breadwinner decides NOT to purchase life ins...

Dear Sally:

It is with deep regret that I must inform you that Paul has decided to forgo the expenditure of $ 62.68 per month, at the risk of the future of you and your children.

This appears selfish for the cost and enjoyment of one dinner out per month or a trip to a ballgame, rather than provide the peace of mind that is important to most (surviving) spouses'.

I am so sorry that I have failed in the execution of my job to demonstrate the need and benefit for such vital protection.

My sincerest regrets,

Joe Agent

I wonder how many complaints to the ins comm such a letter would generate...?

somarco · 06-14-2009, 11:49 AM

I gave up a long time ago on trying to change the mindset of clients and prospects. The best I can do is make a recommendation and take the application for what they want or move on.

Some times I just move on.

Winter · 06-14-2009, 12:00 PM

Or the letter could read:

Dear Sally,

I knew right from the get-go that when you contacted me about life insurance for your husband that that meant that it was really something that you cared about rather than your husband.

At first when I spoke with your husband and he told me that the other two agents that he spoken with were alll jerks I thought that I might be able to bring a high degree of professional to the discussion and find a solution. I soon realized that he was just looking for an excuse to not spend the money on the premium and to go ahead and get that new snowmobile with the money instead.

Sally, when I was new to the business I often thought that I failed in my job when I could not convince someone like your husband of the need for life insurance. I realize now that people like him really are not all that concerned about you and the kids and there is not much that I can do about it after I have presented some good options for you. Your husband is too chickenshit to tell you that he doesnt care much about you and probably you two will be divorced in a few years anyway so he will undoubtedly tell you that he wanted to do it but the insurance guy never came through- just as he said about the last two agents.

Sally, good luck with the selfish bastard you are married to. You can piss and moan about insurance people all you want but in the end you chose that jerk, not me. If it were something that he really cared about it would have been in place now instead of the "I need to think about it crap" so smarten up and get the message. I work with couples every day who care about each other and are just looking for the best insurance policy so I don't need to waste my time with you and the Turd trying to do family therapy. Perhaps it would work better if you have the Turd call around for insurance rather than you but that is not going to happen is it?

Have a nice day. Probably he will let you ride on the back of the snowmobile if you are lucky and that snowmobile is about all he will be leaving you if he dies.

Your local agent.

Mr. Bill · 06-14-2009, 01:16 PM

Is there a choice? I think Winter's is the meanest!

How about this:

Dear Sally,

Hopefully with all that extra income your husband earned with all those years of hard work, he made certain your plastic surgery was up-to-date, because you're going to need it. Most men are looking for 20-somethings, not 40 + without breast implants or liposuction, who have let themselves go with their cottage cheese thighs and an ass as wide as the Mississippi.

Good luck finding someone else to "take care of you". Oh, and the kids? Well, remember, you just got yourself knocked up by the wrong guy. A REAL dad would've cared enough to purchase the life insurance.

Best wishes,

Joe Agent

SportsNut · 06-14-2009, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Bill

Is there a choice? I think Winter's is the meanest!

How about this:

Dear Sally,

Hopefully with all that extra income your husband earned with all those years of hard work, he made certain your plastic surgery was up-to-date, because you're going to need it. Most men are looking for 20-somethings, not 40 + without breast implants or liposuction, who have let themselves go with their cottage cheese thighs and an ass as wide as the Mississippi.

Good luck finding someone else to "take care of you". Oh, and the kids? Well, remember, you just got yourself knocked up by the wrong guy. A REAL dad would've cared enough to purchase the life insurance.

Best wishes,

Joe Agent

Mr. Bill - You could amend your letter to state:

(Sally) your azz won't look near as large to the next lucky fellow if you can talk Paul into that Million dollar policy. After all, your closing skillz are much better than mine.

arnguy · 06-14-2009, 07:58 PM

Wow. These letters are gems. They should be in an ebook titled "Insurance Letters that Sell!" I'll bet you guys would find takers and make some big bucks. Just make sure you get a copyright!

YouGotMyMoney · 06-14-2009, 09:23 PM

Dang these are great.

InsureGuy5 · 06-15-2009, 04:16 PM

Funny stuff, but a serious topic. It amazes me how people will spend their discretionary income on absolute worthless crap, but refuse to provide a secure financial future for their families.

Delta76 · 06-15-2009, 04:47 PM

Funny stuff, but a serious topic. It amazes me how people will spend their discretionary income on absolute worthless crap, but refuse to provide a secure financial future for their families.

People have a psycological need to deny their mortality, that's why life is sold, not bought. We absolutely owe it to our clients to be the best salespeople possible, otherwise, their families and businesses will go unprotected. medicarebenefitsdirect, I would take this situation and make it your mission to share it with everyone of your clients this year, they will be able to tell it's coming from the heart. I did something similar last year and it was an enormous success. No everyone will listen, but if done with compassion, many will.

sgriswold · 07-08-2009, 01:19 AM

I can totally identify with this situation. I have a client who quoted both his parents for life insurance back in 2004. At the time, both were healthy and were looking at 250-500k for the mother, and 750-1m for the dad.

After a few rounds of going back and forth, they abandoned the idea.

In 2006, client's mother died abruptly of cancer.

In 2008, client finally decided to go ahead with the life insurance app for his dad. Declined due to abnormal liver panel. Dad died 6 months later due to extremely aggressive cancer.

This is a fantastic example of why you DON'T PROCRASTINATE with life insurance.