Ed Hinerman On Life Insurance

Barack Obama For President!

Normally I would not “mix business with politics”, but for this post I am setting life insurance aside and using this forum to make my case for what I believe is the most important decision this country is facing concerning our future.

Let me preface this by saying that I have been voting for 35 years now. There haven’t been a lot of really great choices at the presidential level, but I’ve always voted my heart and my gut and done the best I could. I have never felt compelled to get involved in a campaign. I have never donated to a campaign (unless you count my portion of the matching federal campaign fund). I have just voted and lived with the consequences. That changed this year.

I have given a lot back to our country and the communities that I have lived in over the years, donating time and money for charity, good causes, disaster relief and so on. But I have never considered a step so bold as to answer Kennedy’s query in 1961, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather what you can do for your country”. America has come a long way since then. Unfortunately it has come a long way in the wrong direction.

People don’t reach out and help their neighbors the way they used to. People don’t get involved with their community like they used to. Adults don’t give their time to help our youth become responsible young adults the way they used to. Our country has become self centered both from an individual and a global perspective. This is not the country that I grew up in as a child.

Barack Obama isn’t the answer to our country’s problems, but I believe he is the leader that can most quickly help us all to find the answers. Barack Obama can’t fix overnight what this country, politicians and citizens alike, have gone about messing up for the last 40 years, but I believe he is the leader who can help us all to get a grip and turn in the right direction. Barack Obama isn’t exciting because he is a good orator or because he will be the first black president, but I believe he is exciting because he is the first presidential candidate since Kennedy that has recognized that the power should come from the bottom up and it is the job of the president to encourage that energy and funnel it in positive directions.

Barack Obama, unlike so many choices of the past, is not the lesser of two evils as I’ve heard so often. The evil is the direction of the country and I believe that Barack Obama is the right person at the right time to help this nation confront that enemy and win.

Much will be made through this election about whether Barack Obama has the experience to be the president. Let’s be real. The only people that can submit a resume sufficient to qualify themselves to hired as the president, would be a former president (and most of them wouldn’t get hired again). There will be challenges just like and unlike any president has ever seen and the most we can hope for is that we have someone at the helm that is willing the face those challenges and use his God given good sense on our behalf, and I believe that Barack Obama is the right person at the right time.

Bottom line. I believe our nation is about to turn a historic corner. My prayer is that our nation will come together and embrace this opportunity and fight for this breath of fresh air that we are being offered. It is not by blind faith that I support Barack Obama, but by my true faith that God answers prayers.

4 comments June 19th, 2008

What’s The Big Fat Deal About Obesity And Life Insurance?

I have often written about the downside of life insurance underwriting of weight issues, but there actually an upside. Back when I was posting weekly about the reality TV shows Fat March and Biggest Loser, while I did point out the health issues that can be caused by obesity, I also provided some very good news when it comes to the prices that a few companies offer on people with weight issues.

Let’s face it. We live in a heavier America than I grew up in. That being a reality drives home the need for affordable life insurance for those who are overweight, even obese, but really don’t have any health issues. Gaining weight doesn’t generally impact your health adversely for some time. It is the years of your body working to accommodate all the extra pounds that eventually takes it’s toll. So, before that happens, or while you’re in the process of getting your weight under control, consider putting life insurance in force.

To kind of put this into context, let’s assume a 50 year old male is looking for $250,000 of 20 year term insurance. No health issues, but his build is 6′, 260#. With most companies that will be approved at a standard rate based on the average build chart. This surprises clients occasionally. Yes, companies have build charts and yes, your build does impact your rate class.

The best rate available for our client is $510 annually with Savings Bank Life. West Coast Life isn’t far behind at $542.50. But what if his weight happens to be 280#? Because you have knocked the back wall out of Savings Bank’s build chart their rate would jump to $735 annually. West Coast Life would still be at $542.50.

This is another one of those times, you guessed it, when you really need to have an independent agent who can shop all of the companies and find out where to accommodate both your budget and those extra pounds. Once you have that coverage in force, work on your weight and let your agent work on acquiring lower rates as you slim down.

Bottom line. Insurance is going to cost you more if you are overweight than the rates you see advertised, but don’t let that stop you from doing the right thing. Get coverage in force and know that your responsibilities are taken care of.

1 comment June 19th, 2008