Prepare

My husband of 40 years just returned home from the Chicago area after going there for the death and funeral of his 89 year old father.

After I picked him up at the airport I told him I needed to write my blog today and let him decide the topic.  He chose ‘Prepare’.  Because both he and I are insurance professionals and the whole ‘prepare’ thing could apply to every aspect of our profession, I asked him to be a little more specific.  He said:

  1.  Buy life insurance.   The funeral service cost $10,000.
  •  Don’t let someone in the paper, on the internet, on tv, or the radio decide what kind and how much to buy.  Talk with a trusted friend, find out what life insurance agent they work with and make an appointment.
  • If you have life insurance already in place, check the beneficiaries and update if necessary.
  • Buy more if you need to.
  • Leave a legacy of loving care, service and wonderful memories, not a legacy of bills for the loan that had to be taken out to buy a funeral.
  1.  Make a list and write down:
  •  Where everything is:  life insurance policy in a box under the bed, deed to the house on the shelf in the closet, home and auto insurance policy in the kitchen drawer, etc.
  • In this computerized, secure time make sure your passwords are in one place and not on the computer that you need a password to get into…………….
  • Phone number/email address of who should be notified:  if you sit on a board, volunteer regularly, etc.
  1.  If you’re so inclined, prepay and plan the ceremony of your choice.

Glad he got home safe and sound.  Not the happiest ride home.