Hitting A Single Is Better Than No Hit At All!

Ahh, the less than perfect approval on your life insurance application. The temptation to take your bat and ball and go home and never play again. The desire to get back back at the company by not purchasing life insurance and not providing protection for your family.

Even though most agents are savvy enough to make clients understand that their quotes “based on the information you have provided and are subject to full medical underwriting and are not guaranteed until final underwriting approval”, most clients don’t prepare themselves for the fact that under the scrutiny of blood and urine labs and an analysis of their medical records, they may not end up perfect. They may not have what it takes to get the best rates or the standard rate or whatever rate they were quoted.

Now I’m not saying there isn’t justification for a little anger if you tell the agent you are 5’10” tall and weigh 240# and they quote you the best rate class. That is either stupidity or bait and switch. They knew that was a standard rate when it came out of your mouth and they just didn’t want to break the news to you then for fear you would run away looking for a second opinion.

But what I’m talking about is when you believe you are healthy and no doctor has told you anything to the contrary (probably because you haven’t been to one) and your cholesterol is 278 on the labs or your blood pressure is 142/95 on the exam. You’re still going to get approved, just not at those juicy rates you had your eye on.

So, don’t get mad. Do the right thing and buy as much 10 year term insurance as you can based on the approved rate class to keep the price down. Then do the right thing and get your cholesterol or blood pressure under control. Then apply again and get the rates you’ve always dreamed of, replace that first policy and come away from the experience smarter and healthier.

Bottom line. Don’t take your bat and ball and go home. Your family needs you to do the right thing whether you like it or not. And remember that you were approved and not declined. A single is better than no hit at all.