by Kathleen O’Malley-Boldt Life Sales Consultant
Life insurance awareness is critical to the continued success of your practice not only in September, but year round. As someone who’s worked in this business for more than 20 years, I’ve witnessed a growing number of individuals, families and charities who’ve benefited from a life policy when they least expected. As we proudly launch our Moments in Life campaign, I’d like to take some time to share the details of our first featured story. Not long ago, my own family was dramatically impacted by life insurance, and I learned first-hand just how much of a difference it can make to a family’s future. Here’s the story of my cousin, Kerri, and how one moment completely reshaped our lives as we know them.
A ROUTINE CALL TURNED DEADLY
Just a few blocks from where David’s wife grew up in a small Midwestern town, Sgt. David Enzbrenner was dispatched to answer a routine disturbance call. The 46-year-old police officer, husband, and father of three resolved the issue and proceeded to his squad car when he was fatally shot in an unprovoked attack. The town experienced its first law enforcement fatality in more than 100 years … and in a moment, the Enzbrenners’ lives were turned upside down.
As a role model and prominent figure in the community, David had positively impacted many lives throughout his career. Law enforcement agencies from neighboring states came to provide relief while the local police department and the entire town grieved. Hundreds attended a candlelight vigil in David’s honor, and more than 2,000 civilians and uniformed officers from across the country attended his funeral.
AN "EASY" DECISION TURNED IMPERATIVE
Prior to the incident, David and his wife, Kerri, lived their lives much like other families in similar life stages. Amidst paying a mortgage, a car payment and monthly bills, the couple met with their life agent to discuss the need for life insurance in their portfolio. Roughly 20 years from David’s retirement, they agreed that some type of immediate coverage was an important part of their planning. With a strong knowledge of the benefits of life insurance through a former job Kerri had held, she encouraged her husband that a life policy would help bring the family peace of mind.
"Life insurance is the easiest way [to protect your family], even after the fact. We could have analyzed all of the options available, but we needed to simply make the decision and get it done to get coverage," said Kerri. "We met with our agent to determine that purchasing life insurance was faster, easier and more affordable than enlisting the aid of an attorney to set up wills or trusts. It was the best choice for our family at the time."
Once the policy was in place, the couple revisited the coverage with their agent and increased it as their family and budget grew. That diligence safeguarded the family when David was killed in the line of duty. Just a few days after David’s death, the life insurance provided the first death benefit claim that Kerri collected. In this moment, Kerri and her teenage daughters were afforded financial security during a time of great hardship.
A BENEFIT FOR THE LIVING, NOT THE PASSING
Life has been very different for Kerri and her three daughters following David’s death. Yet they are all grateful David and Kerri together made the decision to protect their family with adequate life insurance coverage. When thinking about whether a policy is right for your family, consider: "Can you ever have too much money? When is enough enough?"
"Life is difficult without him," says Kerri. "But our decision to purchase life insurance has allowed me to remain a stay-at-home mom, pay all our monthly bills, become more actively involved in the community and raise our three daughters without financial worry. To all those who are on the fence about whether or not to purchase coverage, I’d tell them to think of it as an investment and not an expense. Life insurance could change your life forever."
Before experiencing my family’s tragedy, I thought I knew the full value of life insurance. This event has solidified my desire to continue helping agents across the country do what’s in the best interest of their clients. After all, life insurance benefits are real for far too many individuals and their families, including mine. As you work to continue building awareness of life insurance as an asset, an estate planning tool and a means of protection for loved ones, consider sharing my cousin’s story as a model example. For your customizable, downloadable copy of this Moment in Life, contact me or any member of our Creative Life Sales Team. The work you do can make all the difference in life.
FOR AGENT USE ONLY. NOT FOR USE WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC. 12492 – 2012/9/17