With Life Insurance Awareness Month drawing to close I wanted to share a very compelling video clip from a talk given in Washington, DC by Molly Shannon, a former cast member of Saturday night live.
While she (no surprise) starts with a chuckle, she soon gives her real life account
about her mother dying in a car accident and the financial hardship that caused. She also relates, on a very personal level, her feelings about the role life insurance plays in her life.
Bottom line. We all know someone with a story very much like Molly Shannon’s. Let’s all reach out and talk to our friends and family about life insurance.
September 26th, 2007
I received a copy of a news release this morning from NAIFA, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, and I wanted to pass it on to you. I think the message of Life Insurance Awareness is a vital and important message. I think that our Congress passing a resolution on September 24 making September Life Insurance Awareness Month would be funny, if it wasn’t indicative of the norm for our governing bodies.
September 25, 2007 (Washington, DC) —In a move highlighting the urgent need to secure American families’ financial futures, the Senate and House of Representatives have passed resolutions (S. Res. 201 and H. Res. 584, respectively) recognizing September as Life Insurance Awareness Month. The Senate resolution, introduced by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), passed Friday with overwhelming support from members of both political parties. In the House, Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA) and Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL)’s proposed resolution attracted 88 co-sponsors and passed yesterday. A complete list of co-sponsors from both chambers of Congress is available on the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors’ (”NAIFA”) at http://capwiz.com/naifa.
“Life insurance is an important foundation of financial security. Without it, families’ dreams for the future can be lost with the untimely death of a loved one. Unfortunately, there are too many Americans who lack adequate life insurance coverage,” said Sen. Chambliss. “It is my hope that the adoption of this resolution helps underscore the need for people to address their life insurance needs.”
“This legislation will help raise awareness of the importance of life insurance,” said Sen. Nelson. “I hope this designation will encourage more Americans to seek information and secure the lifetime protection their families need.”
This is the fourth consecutive year that Congress has passed resolutions supporting Life Insurance Awareness Month, during which the life insurance industry conducts a wide array of public relations and marketing programs. The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (”LIFE”) coordinates the efforts of more than 100 life insurance companies and trade associations, including NAIFA. This year, actress and Saturday Night Live alum Molly Shannon was retained by LIFE to be the 2007 campaign’s spokesperson. She has shared her personal story of family loss and the value of life insurance at various public appearances this month and in dozens of interviews with TV, radio and print media.
“I am pleased that the House of Representatives passed the resolution recognizing September as National Life Insurance Awareness Month,” Rep. Kanjorski said. “This resolution highlights the importance of life insurance and will hopefully encourage more Americans to gain the coverage needed to meet the long-term financial needs of their families.”
“How many times have any of us heard friends or loved ones sadly reflecting that the deceased had no life insurance or had too little life insurance to safeguard the financial future of their loved ones?” said Rep. Biggert. “That’s why it’s so important that consumers are aware of their insurance needs, seek professional advice, and take the actions necessary to achieve financial security for their families.”
In an August letter, President Bush commended the efforts of those who observe and promote Life Insurance Awareness Month. Governors in 35 states and the mayor of the District of Columbia have also signed Life Insurance Awareness Month resolutions. Government support for the initiative this year also came from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the National Conference of Insurance Legislators, both of which issued proclamations recognizing September as Life Insurance Awareness Month.
“On behalf of NAIFA, I want to commend the Congress and the state governments for their overwhelming support for this important public awareness campaign,” said NAIFA President Jeffrey J. Taggart, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF.”No one likes to think about the possibility of dying too soon and leaving their families behind, but the reality is there. We hope the millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans get the message—that life insurance is an essential part of a financial plan and that they need to get the coverage today to protect their families from financial peril in the face of the unthinkable.”
Bottom line. I’m pleased that our legislators saw the urgency of this issue, otherwise they might have waited until November to make September Life Insurance Awareness Month.
September 26th, 2007
Life insurance underwriters have their hands full trying to sort through all of the possibilities with an applicant suffering an anxiety disorder. I had in my mind that it was just this simple. People had depression and they were down. People had anxiety disorders and they were, well, anxious about too many things.
But now I find out that anxiety disorder is a generic term that covers several mental issues that affect nearly 20 million adults in the US. That’s 13.3% of adults. Now, I didn’t do a study, but I’m thinking about 95% of teenagers and young adults probably suffer from the same issues, or maybe because I’m old and slow it just seems that way.
Anyway, from an underwriting standpoint, insurance companies are looking for stability and control. And just a footnote. Being on disability is not seen as stability and control. Stability would be when you can function normally in society in things such as having a job. Control is being compliant enough with treatment that you can keep the job and carry on with things such as family life.
Bottom line. Issues of anxiety and depression, as long as there is control and stability, can be underwritten at rates as good as preferred. This is definitely a time when an independent agent will be worth their weight in something just because each company sees the subject from a little different angle.
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September 26th, 2007
At least there are a few good things about sleep apnea. First, who needs a doctor when your spouse can diagnosis it for you? Second, and a little more seriously, once diagnosed it is very treatable.
Sleep apnea is a challenging underwriting task for life insurance. Like health issues such as type 2 diabetes, the actual disease or problem may not carry that high a mortality risk, but when combined with all the collateral health issues it becomes much more complicated.
Take for instance the fact that a person with sleep apnea is four times more likely to have a stroke. About half of all people with sleep apnea also suffer from high blood pressure. Most men with sleep apnea have been beaten by their wives on multiple occasions until they have agreed to see a doctor.
Bottom line. Life insurance is all about determining mortality risk. When sleep apnea is out of control the mortality risk is substantially elevated due to collateral issues. When it is well controlled, providing all other risk factors are good, preferred rates are not out of the question.
September 26th, 2007
