That's what my Dad said when I wanted to put full coverage on my cool little 1965 Kharman Ghia in which I'd just invested $500 of my hard earned money at the ripe old age of 16. Today, as a licensed agent advising folks into retirement they are words I repeat to my clients regularly. Why? Why not peddle policies to you that you don't need and won't keep? Because it's not right, that's why. Gone are the days of unscrupulous sales agents and brokers hawking policies the wayFuller Brush men sold brushes door to door.

Ethics, personal accountability, and self policing by the industry any more have made your time with an agent a valuable learning experience based on honesty, trust and mutual respect. A licensed insurance agent or investment advisor these days is a professional that has passed background checks, finger printings (in some states like Florida) and usually very extensive training. Then, like any other professional, he or she engages in extended studies in an area of expertise, much like a doctor might specialize in pediatrics or a lawyer a practice of tax law.

Thus have I; in the area of Long Term Care. My early career years were concentrated in life insurance sales, but since 2001 I've emerged an ALInsGuru (lol!) with Certification in Long Term Care (C.L.T.C). Obviously I never take myself too seriously, so I am not yet placing any advertising (although I'm thinking about it, this is a very interesting site!). And I always, ALWAYS have fun at it, keeping an office only in my home. I do in-home sales presentations, and only occaisionally rent a virtual office in a suite of offices, for clients that want to meet in one, or to interview prospective career agents and brokers. The idea is a simple one, to serve people I need them to be relaxed in their homes, where we've got room to talk, to go over what concerns they have in depth. I can only suggest coverage's that have a factual basis of need. People don't like talking about their money, even less so in a sterile office environment under neon lights. So, by coming to the house, I can get folks to open up, tell me their plans, and how I can best help them meet goals. You see, my friends, I used to be a nurse, and discussing ways of helping people protect themselves with health, life and financial instruments was just a logical next step for me. That's also my attitude: If it makes sense then do it!

So, the next time your telephone rings and it's a Mutual of Omaha agent like me wanting to see you, or you get an advertisement from one of us in the mail, remember to think about this: How can I afford to replace it?: the car, the house, the money. You use insurance as a financial fallback. If you are comfortable with taking the risk, you're self-insuring. Is that the kind of legacy you want to leave? Insurance doesn't make people rich. It can only replace the money in a loss. Love, living life to the fullest, freedom from worry about financial ruin and having the what-if's covered make a person secure with what they have in life. Don't over insure to the point of putting yourself in the poor house to make the premiums! But, by the same token, be open to looking at possible eventualities you may need to protect against. Become savy. Talk to someone with a few initials after their name. Someone with experience in handling that type of risk protection. And ask yourself, "Is this something I can afford to lose?"

From my blog at the new Eons website posted 10/7/06 or so