A Step in the Right Direction

Author:  Mary Hale

Licensed Life Insurance Agent at Matrix Direct

Unlike most folks, I love commuting. It's not that I love traffic. Like most folks, I am not a big fan of sitting in a car among thousands of other cars, all at a standstill on the freeway.

So why do I say I love it? Simple: I love the "me time" my 40 minutes of commuting gives me every day. When I was in high school, I was in every musical we ever did, and the time alone in my car to and from work here at Matrix Direct gives me the opportunity to put on some "West Side Story" and just let loose.

But this article is about my time AT work, not my time traveling to and from, and so... here goes!

Many calls I have taken since I have been here (about 7 years now) have been from people trying to do the right thing for their families: young dads with questions about term life insurance coverage versus permanent, older couples looking for recommendations on how to protect their families, moms doing the legwork to find the right kind of coverage to protect their children's future.

Sometimes, I'll be talking with someone who is just looking for a quote. They want the nuts and bolts of the rates, nothing more. Typically, however, it'll be someone whose questions cover a whole lot more ground, like this client.

I was returning her call to discuss her options for a new plan. A rate change was scheduled and I wanted to find a plan better suited to her new situation. Before calling her, I made sure to pull her info and run the numbers as many ways as possible to ensure the absolute best fit for her and her family.

It was while pulling her information I noticed that her husband had been declined earlier due to cancer. When I called her, I first shared the new quote information with her, letting her know I would email everything after we got off the phone, giving her the chance to review in detail and decide "offline" if the quote would be the right fit.

But then I asked if it would be possible to speak with her husband about his needs. He got on the phone and we started talking.

Over the course of our conversation, I learned more about his situation--he had beaten cancer more than 5 years ago, thankfully, and we would be able to talk term life insurance coverage in about a year. But in the meantime, we talked about other options that could provide a safety net for him and his family. Eventually, we talked ADD [accidental death and dismemberment insurance] and a policy he could qualify for right now, which was $350K.

I clearly remember our conversation. We talked a lot about our families, and our hopes and dreams for them (they have two kids, just like me) and at some point in time I said something along the lines about $350K being "a lot of coverage NOT to have."

I left him with my direct line as he was very much interested in securing a term life insurance policy and I knew that when the time came, I would be able to help him. What I specifically remember about speaking with both of them is that they, like so many people who call in to Matrix, were looking first and foremost for guidance.

Choosing the right insurance policy is a complicated process for many people. My job is to make it simple, and provide each person with not just a policy, but with a partner. I walk them through the steps they should take, until we arrive at a quote and a provider that is the exact fit for them.

During my commute home that night, I was singing as usual, and the song was about people needing people (yes, Streisand). And I realized something: all the people who call in need my help with term life, of course. But helping them helps me, too, because I learn from each person how I can help the next person, too.

Something to think about... and, for me, something to sing about, too.