Life Insurance Awareness Continues

Well, we have just ended another “September is Life Insurance Awareness Month” and no doubt, most people have been bombarded with the commercials, blogs and articles pertaining to the importance of carrying Life Insurance but guess what?  It is very important and we must continue to inform and educate on the importance of Life Insurance past the designated “September Awareness Month” in order to keep this issue out in the forefront for family financial protection.

These days, there are countless stories, videos and information pages all accessible over the internet about all types of insurance so I won’t go into another long speech here about how Life Insurance or the lack of it can greatly affect your family, emotionally and financially.  What I will do is remind you that Life Insurance is not about you.  It is about the grieving loved ones that are left behind and the responsibility that is left on their backs to handle your Final Arrangements, outstanding debts, kid’s education, medical bills and the list of life responsibilities goes on and on.  Life Insurance can either make or break a family upon the death of one of it's members.

If you are that person who couldn't care less about burdening your family financially after you’re gone, then I’m not talking to you but if you are one that cares about their family and want to make sure the legacy you leave behind is not that of irresponsibility, then please, invest in a Life Insurance policy today.  You love and care about your family, so if and when the unthinkable happens, make sure that they will remember just that by insuring yourself which protects them.

I have been an advocate for life insurance, personally and professionally for over 20yrs and will continue to speak on its importance as long as I have breath.  Life Insurance is very affordable and there are several different plan types to choose from that will fit your family’s needs and budget.  Please contact a Life Insurance Professional who is Licensed in your State of residence that can assist you with putting your family’s security plan in place.

Tina Little-Coltrane, Life/Health Insurance Advisor, Coltrane Insurance

Currently Licensed in the States of: NY, MD, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL

Authorized Insurance Sales Representative for:

Foresters Insurance

ING

Humana

Mutual of Omaha

LifeHappens.org – Insurance Information and Resources

Imagine... Life Without A Paycheck. Can You Do It?

Unfortunately with the economy being what it has been for the last few years many don't have to imagine life without a paycheck because they are already living it right now but this question is not being directed to the unemployed.  This question is being directed to those who are currently gainfully employed via W2 or Self-Employment;  Can you even imagine your life, your family's life, your business life without your paycheck?

May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month and we, within the Insurance industry, are once again, bringing to the forefront the importance of "Protecting Your Paycheck" by investing in a Disability Insurance plan.

According to the National Safety Council, a fatal injury occurs every four minutes and a disabling injury occurs every second.  When a disabling injury or illness strikes, income stops. How would your life change if you suddenly had no money coming in to pay for things like food, rent or mortgage, utilities and other monthly expenses?  The good news is, with Disability Income insurance, you can protect your financial security -aka- your paycheck from the threat of disability.

The main source of disability income protection in the US is coverage provided by employers but if you have no coverage at all through your employer, then it is important that you explore the option of an individual plan.  The most flexible and reliable source of coverage happens to be a DI policy that you can purchase independently on your own.  An individual, privately owned DI policy is portable, meaning, you won't have to worry about losing coverage if you change jobs.

Disability Income provides a monthly benefit, most standard plans pay between approximately 45% - 60% of your gross income, when you suffer a covered injury or illness. It’s like continuing to receive a paycheck even though you can’t work.  Although there are several Insurance Carriers offering different, often customizable plan types to meet your specific needs, the basics of a DI plan are pretty much standard.  To get an idea of how much DI coverage you will probably need, here is a Calculator courtesy of LifeHappens.org.

If you would like to find out more about Disability Insurance coverage, please contact me.  I welcome the opportunity to assist you with planning for your financial future with Insurance.


Tina Little-Coltrane
Multi-State Licensed Insurance Advisor
Coltrane Insurance - 1-800-755-2896 x 101
Tina@TinaColtrane.com

ING Reliastar Insurance

Does the recession have you worried?  Life Insurance can be used for more than just death benefit protection.  It is often times used for estate planning purposes to pay estate settlement costs.  The ability of Life Insurance to deliver different benefits for different needs makes it a necessary must have.
Allow me to assist you with finding the right plan to fit your individual needs.  It is time consuming but so worth it and ING Reliastar offers something for just about everyone:

Variable Universal Life: If providing death benefit protection, flexibility and building potential cash is your preference but you would rather be in control of where your money is invested, then consider one of several Variable Universal Life plans offered by ING Reliastar.

Universal Life: For those looking to provide a guaranteed death benefit up to a lifetime or life insurance protection with potential to significantly accumulate cash value tax deferred, then one of these plan types needs to be considered.

Term: Offers traditional term coverage at inexpensive rates for 10, 15. 20 or 30 years.  Selecting the ROP-return of premium option guarantees you getting your premiums back should you outlive the term of your plan.

ING offers a broad spectrum of plans within each of these categories to address business owners', individual and family needs including supplement retirement income, wealth transfer and estate planning.
Visit their site to find out more about each plans specifics at: ING Reliastar

As a Licensed Insurance Agent, I am authorized to represent ING Reliastar's Life Insurance plans so contact me for additional information and application assistance.

Tina Little-Coltrane

Coltrane Insurance

1-800-755-2896

Insurance: What About The Children?

For the average parent, just the thought of losing a child sends a rush of emotions that so quickly paralyzes the heart and the mind so much so that we cannot even complete the thought.  But we must.  Not so much for the children's sake but more for ours.

If we cannot even think about the loss of a child for a minute, then you have to know that if this inconceivable occurrence were to happen and unfortunately it does, most of us would be rendered incompetent to function, make arrangements or important timely decisions.
I have forced myself to think about it long enough to know that if something were to happen to any one of my children, my mental state would be such that I would be of no assistance to my husband with trying to find money for anything at a time like that or for a long time thereafter.

Some would argue that Life Insurance's main purpose is to replace an income and since most children do not earn an income which contributes to the household finances, "children don't need life insurance", but I beg to differ.
A working family with little or no savings will need money to pay for the final arrangements.  Where is the money going to come from if there is no insurance plan in place to pay for the expenses surrounding a death in the family?  Where?

This is a difficult and uncomfortable subject to think about but again, you must, not only for your sake but for your remaining family's sake.  Low to middle income working parents think about this and ask yourselves these questions:

1. How will you pay for the final arrangements if your child dies? (please, God Forbid)
2. How long do you think it will take you to recover, if at all?
3. Will your Health Insurance plan cover Bereavement Counseling or Psychiatric Care? (which I know for a fact I would need.)
4. Do you think you will be able to return to work after your 1 week bereavement time off is up?
5. How will your household function financially if you are unable to return to work right away?

These are critical questions and genuine concerns that need to be considered when thinking about Life Insurance for your family.

Adding a Child Insurance Rider-(Policy) to your Insurance policy or purchasing a stand alone Insurance plan for your child is so very inexpensive.  Depending on your Final Arrangement and Insurance Benefit choices, there are policies available for less than $10 per month.  We insure our houses, our cars- no hesitation, but when it comes to the most important beings in our lives, our children... we hesitate.  Why?

There are different types of coverages available for children.  Term Life Insurance is a lower premium policy which typically is guaranteed for a specific period of time.  Whole Life Insurance is generally a higher premium plan but can last for the rest of their lives and provides the opportunity to build a cash value savings over the life of the active policy.  Regardless of your choice, they both provide options to fit your budget.

I am a Licensed Life and Health Insurance Agent and Broker/Owner of Coltrane Insurance.  If you do not have Life Insurance on yourself and/or you children, please contact me for a free quote and assistance with planning for the unexpected should it happen.  Life happens and so does Death, so please, be prepared.

Tina Little-Coltrane - Life Insurance Advisor
Coltrane Insurance - 1-800-755-2896
Tina@TinaColtrane.com