Genetic testing has mushroomed over the past few years as the cost to have such a test has come down dramatically. For less than $100 you can find out where you come from, who you’re related to, and what your chances are of getting different diseases. One question most people aren’t asking is how will this impact your ability to get life insurance?
A close friend and client called me a few weeks ago requesting renters insurance for an apartment she’s moving into. She and her husband are separating as they determine whether or not to end their marriage and file for divorce or go through the long process of healing. They may or may not resolve their issues in the coming weeks or months which led me, as their agent, to take a few minutes and outline the insurance decisions they need to address should they decide to divorce. Let’s take a look at the three areas anyone going through a divorce should consider.
I talked with a young couple yesterday. They are in their 30s, have two kids, and are looking for life insurance on both spouses. They had reviewed their finances with their financial planner who’d recommended they purchase a life insurance for both them to augment their financial plan.
There have been a number of several articles and blog posts since the first of December on end of year financial planning and moves to make. Some are written to address end of year tax moves you can take now, while others address items to rebalance your portfolio better, open an IRA, and improve your financial position now and in 2016.
I believe it’s important to talk with every client we serve about life insurance. This discussion is not designed to sell something to them, though many begin to put up an emotional wall when I raise the subject. My motivation is simply to confirm they have something in place. If at all possible, I want to avoid telling a surviving spouse I never talked about it with their wife, husband, or partner after a funeral.
Three weeks ago, I was outlining a post for Monday’s blog when I discovered my website had been hacked. My familiar main page featuring my latest two posts along with links to pages on home, car, life, and business insurance had been replaced by someone claiming to be a jihadist and that they now held all my previous posts. There was no request for ransom, just the smug comment they’d done this to me.
In January, MetLife, the largest insurance company by assets, was deemed as systemically important, or “too big to fail,” by the Financial Stability Oversight Council. In other words, regulators believe MetLife is so big (over $902 billion in assets) and entwined with the financial system that it could threaten the economy if it collapsed similar to what we saw happen with AIG in 2008.
I met with a new client in the Carrollton area two weeks ago to complete setting up her car insurance. Once that was done, she wanted to discuss life insurance. She has a term policy which is beyond the 10 year term it was written under resulting in annual rate increases. She wanted to know what her options are.
Sheri and I met up at a friend’s home in Carrollton Sunday night to watch the Super Bowl. It was an enjoyable time with good food, great conversation, and one of the best games I’ve seen in a long time. Throw in the commercials for some laughter and it was a great time with everyone staying until the clock ran out.
When was the last time you thought about your insurance? Any kind? Most people don’t think about insurance, whether car, home, or business, except at different times including the purchase of a new car or adding a teen driver, buying a home, when a baby arrives, or when starting or growing a business. Some people may think about their insurance when it renews, and everyone thinks about it if when they have a claim.
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