No one understands the importance of life insurance better than those who have needed it, usually in unforeseen circumstances. AAA life insurance agents are among those people. They know how much life insurance matters because of their own experiences and are wholly committed to helping others set up a solid plan for an uncertain future.
Here are some of their stories.
Melvin Teasley
Internal Life Insurance Agent, New Jersey
Melvin’s mother was 76 years old and in relatively good health when she visited a doctor for a routine appointment in 2015. It’s still hard to fathom how she lost her life that day.
Melvin was at work when his brother called to tell him that his mother was sick and that he needed to come to the hospital right away.
“He wouldn’t tell me what happened as he knew I had a 45-minute drive and would be too upset. I didn’t find out until I got to the hospital that she had a heart attack at the doctor’s office,” Melvin said.
His mother fell into a coma and never returned.
Of six children in the family, he and his brother were the only two living in-state, so the responsibility of making final arrangements fell on them – a funeral, cremation and other matters totaling about $6,500. That’s when they found out that their mother’s life insurance coverage had lapsed.
They were no more prepared for these unexpected expenses than they were for their mother’s passing. It was a strain for Melvin, who had his own family to take care of.
“I learned that it is important to have a plan in place for these moments. If there was life insurance, we wouldn’t have had to worry about the financial burden at such an emotional time,” said Melvin, who became a life insurance agent in 2018.
“It became important for me to help as many families as possible avoid that hardship,” he said.
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Field Life Insurance Agent, Hamden, Conn., Branch
As a life insurance agent of 31 years, Rick is familiar with the many benefits it can provide not just in death but over the course of a lifetime.
“Life insurance, if properly structured, is the most tax advantaged vehicle that’s available,” he said. “It can provide tax-free income, living benefits and a myriad of other potential benefits. It can be, for the right person, the proverbial Swiss army knife.”
That’s why he sets up policies for the children in his life when they are born, as he did for his niece, Taylor.
“I wanted to give her a head start in life,” Rick said. “I did not imagine that her family would end up using the policy to deal with the expenses associated with her illness.”
Sadly, Taylor was just 5 years old when she died from a brain tumor in June 2005.
Rick’s brother and sister-in-law were not only devastated by the loss of their daughter but also by the costs associated with her illness. Taylor also left behind her younger brother, Jacob, Rick’s godson, who was 2 years old at the time.
“So, her life insurance proceeds helped at the time,” Rick said. “I keep Taylor in my mind each time I engage someone to stress the importance of having a life insurance policy for life’s unexpected moments.”
Melissa Bruning
Field Life Insurance Agent, Newburyport, Mass., Branch
As a registered nurse in mental health care for 20 years, Melissa, recognizes how illness and death of a loved one can impact emotional well-being.
Dealing with grief is challenging enough, never mind the financial stress that often accompanies it.
“When a loved one passes away, there are numerous and sometimes unexpected expenses. This can be very challenging for a family that is grieving,” said Melissa, who left nursing for more family time before entering the health and life insurance field a few years ago.
“My role can help people and families navigate that part of life with a little less worry,” she said. “My hope is that my clients can focus more on the important things in life and worry less about the future.”
The important things can vary between families or depending on a person’s point in life. That’s why Melissa says life insurance is not a one-size-fits-all arrangement.
“At AAA Life, we have the unique opportunity to get to know our clients and design policies that fit them and their wishes best. I consider it a privilege to help people navigate this process in life,” she said.
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