2 Days After She Got the Policy for Her Daughter

Author:  Scott Feldgreber

Accidental Death and Disability Insurance Unit Manager

An Eye-Opening Experience

I manage the Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance unit (AD&D) at Matrix, and when I think about it, the last thing I want is for someone to really have to use the insurance policy I help them get. Because that means they've lost a loved one, and I know how hard that is.

But I also know how much harder it is without any kind of coverage, because then they have to get through it alone, financially speaking, and that's just another hurt on top of the hurt of losing someone.

So the story of this client is a double-edge sword. On the one hand, I feel terrible because she lost someone close to her, but on the other, I feel good about doing my job. Because I know that the conversation she had with one of my agents meant that she had help when she needed it.

The call started off like many calls did that week. The agent asked her if there was anyone else in her family that might need coverage, she asked him what he meant.

When people ask direct questions, we give them direct answers. The agent told her, accidents can happen to anyone at any time. And while we never know what's around the corner, we can rest a little more easily when those we care about are covered." He didn't go into too much detail, he only wanted to help her think a little more about her own life, too.

The best part of our job is that most everyone who calls in isn't usually thinking about themselves, but is thinking about their family or others. When they call in what's on their mind is the happiness of others and I believe that's a beautiful thing.

Most folks are calling in for some peace of mind, plain and simple. They want to know that if something happens to them, their loved ones are taken care of. But they don't think as often about what their own lives will be like should they lose someone, so that's what she talked about.

So after she talked with the agent for a while she said she would like to get an AD&D policy for her daughter, too. He helped her get one, found her the best insurance rate, and, like our agents try to do with every call, ended it by wishing her well, telling her what a pleasure it was to meet and serve her, and giving her our contact info should she have any more questions about her new policies.

About a month later the agent saw an email in his inbox from this client. He opened it up and started reading. She came right to the point: just two days after she got the policy for her daughter, a terrible car accident happened and her daughter was killed.

When I heard about this, my heart sank, and I almost started crying right there at my desk. Usually, we don't hear back from customers like that, and it was heartbreaking to hear her story. But as sad I was and still am for her, I don't think I have ever felt better about my job. It was an eye-opening experience for me.

The additional AD&D policy we helped her with that day gave her the support she needed, when she needed it most. I don't share her story directly with other customers, but I think of her almost every day and it's stories like hers that remind me what an important job we all do here at Matrix.

Sure, we sell accidental death insurance and term life insurance coverage. But I now know that what we really do is help provide people with a little peace of mind, and support when they need it most.