Let's Make Life Insurance Conversations More Mainstream

The subject of death isn't exactly dinner-table conversation. In fact, it can feel uncomfortable just thinking about — let alone talking about — this topic. However, preparing for death is one of the most important acts you can do for your family. After all, the loss of a loved one is hard enough without the added stress of funeral costs and bills looming overhead.

The reality is most Americans need supplemental life insurance, and those who already have a policy may need to update their coverage. That is why every September, the nonprofit organization Life Happens coordinates Life Insurance Awareness Month — aimed at educating Americans about the importance of life insurance and how to get the coverage they need.

Brokers and agents can use the occasion to check in with clients on their life coverage offerings and discuss how they can help employees find the policy that works best for them. Here are a few ways to talk about the product with customers.

1. Life coverage matters for everyone, at every stage of life.

While different types of life coverage are on the market, they all ultimately serve one purpose: help provide financial security after one's death. A life policy can be used in a variety of ways, including helping cover funeral costs, bills and ongoing living expenses, paying off outstanding debt like credit cards and the mortgage, protecting a spouse's retirement plans or covering a child's college tuition.

The type of policy and amount an employee may purchase will depend on his or her life stage or recent life events. To help determine if they have the right coverage, consider chatting with customers about their personal circumstances and if things may have changed. Some life circumstances to keep in mind include marriage, parenthood, home ownership, career advancement or retirement. And the policy amount will be based on a customer's existing financial resources as well as their immediate, ongoing and future financial obligations.

2. Life coverage plays an important role in a benefits package.

Employees from large and smaller U.S. businesses alike recognize the need for life coverage — 63%, to be exact, according to the 2019 Insurance Barometer Study, from Life Happens and LIMRA.

If clients' budgets make the added cost of life coverage a concern, encourage them to not be deterred. That is because a strong majority (70% or more) say benefits packages are highly important to their well-being, financial health and job satisfaction, according to 2018 Aflac WorkForces Report findings, which were based on a survey of 1,700 benefits decision makers and 2,000 employees across the United States in various industries.

Consider offering life coverage on an employee-paid basis, which still makes benefits available for workers while helping the client's bottom line.

3. Life Insurance Awareness Month can make an impact.

Most American employees see the need for life coverage, and benefits are valuable to them. However, they may struggle with knowing what kind of coverage to own, or how much coverage to have in place.

That makes this month's Life Insurance Awareness Month a prime opportunity to help clients address this tough topic and find the benefits they need to be better prepared for the future.

— Read Brooke Shields to Promote Life Insurance Awareness, on ThinkAdvisor.

— Connect with ThinkAdvisor Life/Health on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Wendy Herndon is second vice president of product solutions at Aflac. She manages product portfolio strategy, development and implementation.