During the Ryan Cameron Foundation’s “Father-Daughter Dance” weekend, for which Allstate was the title sponsor, Vincent Green of the Vince Green Insurance Agency was able to immerse himself in the camaraderie of dozens of other African American fathers from greater Atlanta over hors d’oeuvres and light libations. Fortunately, he was also able to leverage the occasion to impart information paramount to the future health and stability of families.
While it’s an invaluable asset that could help insulate a family against life’s adversities, including the passing of the patriarch, life insurance is still underestimated and misunderstood.
“One thing, when we start talking about that love, when we look at life essentials and we look at our food, our water, our shelter, our education, we always have to put life insurance as one of those life essentials,” says Green, whose agency is in Roswell, Ga., an Atlanta suburb. “When we say we love someone, we also have to make sure that we can provide for them in case of our untimely death. The average person in this economy cannot save enough money to cover them being gone prematurely from their families.”
Too often, the sorrow and horror a family experiences is exacerbated exponentially because of the vast costs associated with terminal sickness and death, including exorbitant medical bills, funerals, and unsatisfied debts. Furthermore, the remaining family members — usually the wife — can’t replace the regular wages that sustained a family, Green advises. So not only do black men need life insurance, they also need to be instructed on what the appropriate policy is for their respective families and situation.
“We need to make sure we look at our loved ones and say, ‘Here are the things I want to make sure … happen in the event of my untimely death,’ and calculate what it costs to pay for [those] things. That’s how much life insurance that we should have for our loved ones,” he shares.
In the age of the information superhighway, a click of a button can expose you to information about insurance instantaneously. But what it cannot provide is the type of meticulous and individualized attention and care that a reputable insurance agent can share.
“[You] should secure a life insurance [policy] through a professional agent, so you can get explanations about what is important in the life insurance contract and which contract — whether permanent or term contract — fits with your specific situation,” Green adds. “Life insurance is not a cookie-cutter approach. There’s no ‘one size fits all.’ It’s very individualized and it takes a professional to explain it and make sure you’re properly covered and have the right contract in mind.”
With sufficient life insurance coverage, you can breathe easier — as well as live easier, knowing that your family’s welfare is taken care of. –terry shropshire
