Are You Insuring Your Love?

February is when the insurance companies promote life insurance through a campaign called "Insure Your Love".  And as we all know, when someone purchases a life insurance policy on themselves, they do it knowing that they will not directly benefit (or be the beneficiary) of the policy.  Instead, their loved ones are being protected financially.

So we at Surf Financial Brokers ask you to change your way of thinking.  Instead of being concerned about monthly cost (because life insurance is probably less expensive than you think), consider how your spouse can live in a house that is paid off, have no debt, and can still take care of little emergencies like a new refrigerator or tires for the car.  And if you have kids, making sure that they can graduate from college without a mountain of debt. 

We've made it easier for you by updating our life insurance quoting engine which is on our home page.  You can literally look for a quote in around 30 seconds.  Find a policy you like and request an application.  We will call within one business day to get your information forwarded to the insurance company YOU choose.  

When it comes to insuring your love you shouldn't have to worry about costs and with Surf Financial you won't have to.

#nopressureinsurance 

Wishing All a Merry Christmas!

Christmas is the time of year we think of loved ones.  For most of us, having our family with us as we celebrate the holidays is all we ultimately ask for.  Unfortunately many people will be spending the holidays this year without that special loved one or family member.  If you know of such a person, reach out and take a little extra time to talk and spend time with them.

We at Surf Financial Brokers want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a safe, prosperous and Happy New Year!  

How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?

It didn't take long for me to realize that when it comes to helping people with their life insurance needs, no two people are the same.  Regardless of what Suze Orman or Dave Ramsey may say, not everyone should purchase term life insurance, even though it does serve a great purpose.

One should take a holistic approach to all of their financial planning and identify what their needs are.  Questions you should ask yourself are:  Is insurance offered at work?  What does a funeral cost?  What are the costs associated with death?  Do I want to fund my kids' education should I die too soon or pay off the mortgage so I don't leave my loved ones with debt?

A simple way to take care of these things is to use a life insurance calculator.  This valuable tool can help you figure out what you need.  If you have a life insurance policy in place, you can deduct that amount from the total and supplement the rest.  

Give us a call or visit our site and we can help you find a plan in your budget.

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life, disability, long term care, cancer, accident and other insurance coverages in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient, and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog!

Return of the Return of Premium (or How to Get Your Money Back If You Don't Die)

Every once in a while I'll be talking with a client about life insurance and the client will say something to the effect of "If I don't die, do I get my money back?"  Typically, I respond with "If you don't get in an automobile accident, do you ask your car insurance company for a refund?"  Most of the time, I get a funny look.

Now I can give a different response.

One of our favorite insurance carriers has brought back the "Return of Premium" rider for their life insurance policies and it works like this:  If you outlive your policy, you can have your money back.  Pretty simple. 

In the name of full disclosure, this rider can nearly double the premium.  But some folks will still want it and those who do consider it to be a savings plan.

These policies can be written as 20 or 30 year terms for up to $250,000.

What would you do with all that money?  Pay off business loans?  Annuitize it for an income stream?  It's your choice! 

What Do You Think Life Insurance Costs?

According to a recent survey by LIMRA and Life Happens, cost is the reason most Americans give for not owning life insurance.  However, 80% of Americans misjudge what the premiums are.  In fact, millennials overestimate the cost by 213% and Gen X'ers by 119%!

Think to yourself "How much is in my budget to make sure my loved ones are taken care of?"  How much are you willing to spend to secure your family's finances?  $20 a month?  $50?  $100?

This is where we make it easy for you.  Simply go to our website at SurfFinancialBrokers.com and find a policy that fits in your budget.  Our quick and easy quoting system will show you policies with all of the major carriers.  There's a good chance you will find a great policy in your price range.  Simply click on "Request Application", answer a few questions and one of our representatives will contact you within one business day.

At Surf Financial Brokers, it's No Pressure Insurance!

A Life Insurance Agent's Second Biggest Problem

Let's face it, no one really wants to buy life insurance.  I'd rather buy a car or a new smart television or a cool phone or a trip to Hawaii.  Wanting something is great, but is it a priority?

The second biggest problem life insurance agents have is telling a client something they already know, which is that their priorities are all mixed up and taking care of their family in the event of an untimely death should be at the top of the list.  If I died tomorrow, a car or TV or phone or a trip won't insulate my family from debt and loss of income.

So the next time you talk with your life insurance agent (hopefully us), know ahead of time that we are looking out for your family's interest, not your short-term purchases.

And in case you were wondering, the number one biggest problem is getting a client.  If you know of anyone that could use life insurance (newlyweds, new parents, just bought a home), let them know about us and our 30-second life insurance quotes, which can be found here.

Insurance For Your Life Insurance

There's currently a television commercial that mentions how a family depends on the income of the husband (or it could be the wife, mom, etc).  The question they ask is "How would your family make it without your paycheck?"

At first glance I thought they were talking about disability insurance since that truly is insurance for your paycheck.  However, this was an advertisement for life insurance.  And it is true that your family depends on your paycheck and would be in big financial trouble if you suddenly died.

But what if you didn't die?  What if you survived and you were disabled? The truth is that this could be an even worse situation for your family.  Not only would you not be able to work, but you may need a caretaker.  Like a client once told me, "If I'm dead I'm out of the picture, but if I'm disabled, I still have to eat."

And the last thing you need at that point is not being able to afford your life insurance.  Which is why we at Surf Financial Brokers stress the importance of an optional Waiver of Premium (WP).  The WP rider pays your life insurance premiums for you in the event that you are disabled and can no longer work.  Insurance on your insurance for a small additional charge.