By Oliver Clement - Independent Insurance Professional

We all assume we will live to see our children born, learn to walk and talk, graduate high school and college,find the right person and get married,have their own family, and maybe even someday watch our great-grandchildren born. Truth is—13% of those who are 35 today will NOT make it to their 65th birthday! That means if you know eight people who are 35 today, chances are very strong you will attend a funeral of at least one of them before they turn 65! The good news is—87% of those who are 35 today will see their 65th birthday! What about the other 13%? Let’s look at two fictional couples:

John and Mary Smith were healthy, kept good health habits and were married at 25 years of age. John worked for a big company that paid for two times his annual salary ($120,000) in group term life insurance. Mary worked part-time for a smaller company that didn’t offer benefits, so she bought her own life insurance of $250,000. John didn’t feel he needed more insurance as the company paid for his. This spring, the company John worked for “downsized.” Out of work; NO life insurance. John went to see his doctor recently about a lump in his leg. It was determined he had early cancer, so they removed it surgically and began radiation therapy.

John became uninsurable for a minimum of five years and probably closer to 10. John found another job, but his new employer didn’t offer group life insurance. John was able to buy “accidental death” insurance, $100,000 coverage. They had two children in the last 10 years. Last night, as John was going to his car, an armed robber took his wallet, and his life. Sadly, his family will have to make life work without him, but at least they have the $100,000 that covered his death from homicide. It will help while Mary finds herself additional employment. Mary would have had NOTHING if he had died from cancer.

Bill and Susan Doe were married at age 27. Bill is diabetic and had insurance from his parents. He took advantage of an option they had added on to his insurance. This option allowed him to buy additional insurance without additional underwriting, another five times between now and age 40. Susan works for a larger company, and they are generous with their group insurance coverage, offering her $250,000 in group life. Susan decided to get her own coverage as well. She bought an additional $250,000 policy on her own. Susan developed breast cancer, but the doctors found it in time. They had three children over the last 10 years. Susan was on her way home from work on June 26 when a drunk ran a red light going 70 mph. Susan was killed instantly.

Because she had her own insurance, her family now has $500,000 to help raise their children to adulthood. Bill is so shaken by her death, he cannot even think of leaving the kids alone. His agent advises him to put some of the money into an immediate annuity so he can use that to pay bills while he is getting back on his feet, and the rest into a deferred annuity that can be used for college. The family suffers a severe loss of mom and wife, yet the financial disaster is avoided because they had good insurance coverage.

Life is about taking risks. What risks do you want to take? What risks do you want someone else to take? Life insurance is about letting someone else take the risk. Are you risking YOUR loved ones?

Oliver Clement does house calls anywhere in Wisconsin.

You may call him at 262-898-9591 (office) or 262-902-5714 (cell), email him at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or mail Oliver Clement, P.O. Box 453, Somers, WI 53171.