The key reason why people don’t like to talk about life insurance
As you know, I am second generation in the life insurance business. My father Leon Kobrin, of blessed memory, owned and operated a brokerage in the 1950’s – 1970’s. I grew up in his agency – worked there from grade school through college.
I have also been running my own practice for over thirty years. All told, I have been in this glorious business for most of my life.
I have learned a few things.
One lesson in particular is very important to anyone selling this product, or advising their client to buy a policy. It has to do with why people don’t like to talk about life insurance.
In general, I have found one key reason for this. If you can help someone who needs coverage overcome this objection, you will be doing them a big favor.
They don’t like to talk about death and dying.
We live in a culture that does not promote the idea that our actions impact the world beyond our own lifetime. We give lip service to the idea that “you only live once,” but really just use that as an excuse to “just go for it.” Consequences be damned, because “it really doesn’t matter.”.
When pressed to justify this, we get kind of defensive and demand “proof” that there is life after death. Well, of course there is no science or data with evidence of the Hereafter, so people say you can’t prove them wrong.
The fact of the matter is that cultures outside our own treat life after death as a reality. They don’t need science or data to “prove” the Afterlife. They have a metaphysical outlook that has been formulated over centuries of conscioussness raising and deep thinking. They let traditional wisdom guide their actions.
This is certainly a “spiritual” outlook on life, but you don’t have to get too mystical to appreciate it. You simply have to look beyond yourself, to the people who would be impacted by your demise. These could be your spouse….. children… parents… siblings… business partners… employees. Members of your religious congregation.
All of these people could have both a strong emotional and financial dependence on you, that would be sorely strained by your demise. Your death would certainly mean something to them. There is most definitely a life after yours, and it is being led by the people who survive you.
The discussion of life insurance is really about them, not you. You can work out what happens to you when you meet your Maker – or not bother to do so. But at least you are doing the Right thing by taking care of your people with sufficient coverage.