OK, that was really bad, but then, what did you expect from me?
Unlike you, I cannot point to a defining moment. There have been several throughout my career but one does come to mind.
I was helping a buddy out a few years ago. He had some school systems as clients for
WSM. He asked me to help doing enrollments.
The money was OK. He needed help. I said OK so I packed my bags and went to SC for 5 weeks.
In one of the schools a lady came by at the insistence of a fellow teacher. She told me she did not want to buy anything, money was tight, but she wanted some advice on her benefits.
She was almost in tears as she told me her husband was terminal and had only a few months to live. She wanted to know about her benefits, and particularly what kind of benefits were on him.
Specifically, life insurance.
I looked it up and told her he had $40,000 of coverage. This was open enrollment so she could double his coverage to $80,000 if she increased her own coverage.
The coverage on her husband was guaranteed issue but only one qualifier. He had to be alive on January 1 of the following year for the increased benefit to go into effect.
It was mid October.
She increased her life coverage so she could increase his as well. I could tell she was skeptical, but I assured her I had no financial interest in her base benefits. I only got paid when she purchased ancillary products via PRD.
I also showed her how she should be taking advantage of the
FSA to minimize her taxes and put more money in her take home check. I don't recall the exact figures but even with the increased premiums for life insurance she still would take home around $150 MORE than she did now.
The next day she came back to see me. I could tell she was even more emotional than the day before.
She told me her husband had been to the pharmacy to get a new med. The pharmacist asked if he really wanted it filled, so he asked why.
The new Rx was going to cost $800 without health insurance.
With health insurance his copay was $40.
She told me it was at that point that she really understood what health insurance was all about.
She also told me she had called HR to validate what I had told her about the
FSA and the increased life insurance.
I thought she was going to hug me . . . but she didn't.
Needless to say, she was pleased she had stopped by.
Her story touched me so much I kept in contact with her over the next few months. Her husband lived until March. She collected the additional life insurance.
No, her life is not the same, but she is better off financially than she would have been had she not stopped by to see me.
That $80k was the only life insurance he had.
WHAT made you a believer in this business?
but.......... it's not that difficult if you do it right. 
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