“What is front and center for me right now is protecting my family financially. We've come face-to-face with the reality that the unexpected can happen at any time. That's the bottom line."
– Brooke Shields, actress, model, designer, mother, and Life Insurance Awareness Month spokesperson
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This year has made it clear that everything can change in an instant. We can never know what tomorrow will bring, but we can protect ourselves and our loved ones with services like life insurance.
How many friends and family members would you estimate have life insurance? Do you have it?
Fact check: Nationally, only 54 percent of households have life insurance. And 44 percent of people believe they would struggle to pay living expenses within six months if a primary wage earner died. (Alarmingly, 28 percent said they would feel the strain within one month, and 11 percent would feel it within just one week.) (2020 Insurance Barometer Study, Life Happens/LIMRA)
Knowing the benefits of life insurance (and the risks of going without), why do so many households remain underinsured?
The perception: They think life insurance is expensive.
The reality: It really isn’t. Many people can be insured for the price of a daily cup of coffee.
The recommendation: Talk to a local financial representative to get a free life insurance quote. We’ll work within your budget to develop a plan that’s right for you.
The perception: I don’t need life insurance.
The reality: Life insurance has more uses than you might think. It can cover bills, pay for funeral costs, replace income in a household, serve as an inheritance for a loved one, fund a child’s education, provide an important donation to a charitable organization and so much more.
The recommendation: Everyone could benefit from life insurance. Consider the impact you make – providing wages, caring for your family members and friends, volunteering for local causes and more. What would happen if it stopped? Life insurance can help your loved ones avoid a financial burden.
The perception: I can always get it later.
The reality: When will “later” come? Keep in mind, age and health can make it tough to get the coverage you want. You may develop a condition that makes you uninsurable – or worse, you may fall victim to a tragic accident.
The recommendation: The sooner you get life insurance, the more you can protect your insurability. Insurability is the process of securing coverage (and locking in a great rate) when you’re younger and healthier.
The perception: I’m too young.
The reality: No one’s too young for life insurance. In fact, the younger and healthier you are, the easier it is to get covered (and stay covered) at a great rate.
The recommendation: There’s no optimum age for life insurance protection. The sooner you’re covered, the sooner you get peace of mind. It’s that simple.
Next steps
Find your local Modern Woodmen representative at reps.modernwoodmen.org. Schedule a time to review your financial plan, starting with your life insurance protection.
It’s especially important to review your coverage (the benefit amount and your listed beneficiaries) after a major life change, like starting a new job, purchasing a new house, getting married or having a child.
In the meantime, check out the resources below for planning tools, personal stories and more messages about the value of life insurance.
Modern Woodmen member stories
Life insurance needs calculator
About Life Insurance Awareness Month
Life Insurance Awareness Month is a nationwide campaign created in 2004 by Life Happens. Life Happens is an organization dedicated to educating consumers on financial products and topics. Life Insurance Awareness Month usually falls in September, but because the message rings especially true this year, the 2020 campaign will run from July to September.
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