1.         “Are you a full time agent?”

Due to agent commissions being reduced and expenses rising, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for agents to maintain a business office and overhead expenses. Some agents are forced to operate out of their “spare bedroom” and work a second job to make ends meet. You wouldn’t want to go to a part-time doctor so why would you use a part-time agent? Make sure the agent you are speaking with is stable and not “desperate” to make a sale. You deserve a competent, well-established agent.

2.         “Do you have errors and omission insurance?”

Reputable insurance agents carry errors and omissions insurance that will help protect themselves and the client in the event of a wrongful act or misrepresentation by the agent. You should make sure they have a policy with a face amount of at least $500K.

3.         “What area of life insurance is your specialty?”

There are many products an insurance agent can offer other than standard life insurance. These products include disability income protection, long term care insurance, Annuities or Retirement vehicles.  Make sure the agent you are speaking with fully understands the products you’re after and how they relate to your needs.

4.         “How accessible are you?”

The Internet has made shopping for many types of products as easy as clicking a mouse. Life insurance is no exception; there are many life insurance companies that assume you will go to their Web site, click the policy you want and pay. There are consumers who prefer to do business this way. But if you are a not one of them, make sure you select a life agent who shares your views on the importance of personal attention.

5.         “How often will we talk?”

Many policyholders believe that buying a life insurance policy is a once-and-done deal. The reality is that your life insurance needs change as your life changes; getting married, having a new baby, earning a big promotion or buying a big home can require changes in your policy. You will not always remember to call your agent every time there is a significant change in your life. An agent who will periodically assist in evaluating your needs could be a blessing, especially if he or she initiates the contact.

6.         “What companies do you represent?”

Asking this question is important for several reasons. First, an agent who has access to several different insurance companies will be able to shop for you – more choices means more opportunities for better terms, premiums, etc. In addition, knowing what companies your agent will go to for coverage can help you determine the financial strength and integrity of the company before the policy is offered. There are several insurance company rating services available to research this information as well as your state’s insurance department. And, by all means, question any agent who suggests placing your business with a financially unstable insurance company. Lastly, a greater selection of products may give your agent the tools he or she needs to always act in your best interest, even as your needs change over time.

7.         “What other services do you provide?”

This question can really go either way. You either are looking for a specialist that works closely with the life insurance product you are shopping for, or you want one person who can handle your laundry list of needs. Personally I tend to think that it’s better to go with an independent agent who is a specialist in a particular field. This way the agent is not held to one company and but they work with specific products that they know inside and out.

8.         “Is my policy convertible? Up to what age?”

Know whether your policy is convertible and for how long. Your policy likely has a conversion clause. That’s the line on your agreement that discusses how you may exchange your renewable term policy for another type of policy without evidence of insurability. You want to find out how for how many years your policy is convertible. And if your policy is convertible, you want to make sure you know and understand the rules.

9.           “How do I make a claim if I need to?”

Finally, know what you need to do to make a claim on the policy. Make sure it’s clearly written on your policy whom you contact and under what time guidelines you’re required to act. Also, become aware of what options the insurance company has when you make a claim. Learn how long the company has to respond to your claim.

10. “Why do you feel this product is in my best interests?”

This question will quickly drive out whether or not your agent was listening to your needs in the first place. The simple answer to this question should first state what you asked for and then address how this policy fulfills those needs.

This video is a great approach to using life insurance as an investment tool. From the way the they explain the conservative interest rates to the percentage of a clients portfolio, I was happy to see some sensible discussion regarding the topic.

Life Insurance has other applications that can be beneficial to your mortgage as well. When using Permanent Life Insurance the cash value element that grows tax-deferred within the policy can be used in multiple ways. This account of cash value may be accessed through policy loans and withdrawals that can be used for a variety of living needs, such as paying off a mortgage early.

Here’s how:

Many insurance companies offer a number of loan provisions including variable and standard interest loans. There is a specific loan available with some companies that will allow the client to receive a guaranteed net zero cost loan, which is available after the policy has been in force for a certain amount of time. In some cases, this type of loan can be accessible as soon as five years into the policy’s life.  The advantage is that the loan charges and credits the same amount of interest, zero.  Meaning you pay a net zero percent interest rate and are under no obligation to repay the loan. If you do not pay the loan back, the amount of the loan is simply deducted from the death benefit of the policy.  This benefit loan provision can easily be worked into a family’s over all Financial Plan, it is also one more way you can allow your life insurance to work for you while you are alive. Have questions? Contact Us

Early Mortgage Payoff with Life Insurance at 0% Interest

Many companies have been raising their premiums and/or canceling some of their longer term policy programs such as 30 year term policies. According to Barney, though a number of companies have recently increased their premiums, a number of them have not yet done so. The result is that right now it makes sense for consumers to do some comparison shopping today.

It is important to notice that, the insurance companies cannot increase your monthly premiums as long as you have a term policy with guaranteed premiums. Only newly issued policies are subject to the premium increase.

Some companies announce the increases in their premiums as to give agents some time to allow outstanding applications be submitted before the deadline dates are established. If you are currently evaluating the purchase of a new life insurance policy, or if you are currently shopping for quotes, be sure to ask your life agent if the monthly rates are subject to change soon. If so, do not hesitate to submit your applications before the cut off date. This is so that you don’t receive your approval with a higher premium than what you were originally quoted only one month prior, no one likes surprises that last 20 – 30 years.

Life Insurance Price Changes

Here’s why:

One of the first advantages of opening a Universal life insurance policy for a child is that the insurance cost is favorably low. Most children can receive policies in the amount of $50,000 or more for less than $30 per month. That’s permanent insurance, not term. The death benefit is of course protection for you in the case that your child passes away unexpectedly. Yet there are many advantages to him/her by using the insurance as a form of savings account. Did you know that a life insurance policy is the only sheltered savings vehicle that is not considered in the formula when requesting for student financial aid by the state of California?

Universal life in its nature has a cash value account that grows right beside the bucket of insurance as time passes and premiums are paid. The investment is at its best due to the young age of the insured. These moneys are accessible tax free and have no age restriction for drawing on the account. Surrender penalties are on a sliding scale that will usually be at zero by year 15 of the policy. Just about the time your child is ready to make some of the larger purchases in his/her life, you as the parent can’t grant them ownership of the policy.

Your child will see first hand what a good savings plan can do over time.  He or She can make the decision on whether it’s wise to spend the money on a car or house, college or trade school, or maybe roll the fund over into non-qualified IRA account. Of course they also have the decision to just continue funding the policy and watch the account grow just as you did for them.

You see a Universal Life Insurance policy for a young person can be a very valuable asset and a very valuable lesson in saving money. Should you look into it for your children? Call us today to set up an appointment to sit down with you. We have programs of all types and are ready to match a plan to your comfort level and time horizon.

Life Insurance for Children

In our industry many folks who look for what we call Guaranteed Issue life Insurance policies are headed down that particular road for a reason. They either have a preexisting condition or have something in their past disqualifies them from a Non-Guaranteed policy (NG).

Most of the public does not realize the enormous difference in cost between the policy types. Did you know there are three types of basic structure when referring to risk classifications with life insurance? First there is Non Guaranteed (This type of policy requires a detailed list of medical questions be asked along with an exam that includes a urine and blood sample). Second is Simple Issue (This type of policy asks a less detailed list of medical questions but does not require an exam, although the insurance company will pull medical history records if there are any red flags on the application). Lastly Guaranteed Issue policies (These types of policies do not require an exam or any medical questions to be asked, you simply pay the premium and receive the insurance).

What does this mean with regards to your pocketbook, well you see the more an insurance company is allowed to know about you, the more they can accurately gauge you as a potential risk. The non-guaranteed plan allows the insurance company full disclosure of ever aspect of your life and therefore if approved, you stand to receive the most cost effective life insurance policy. The Simple Issue policy is the second runner up, it is not as popular as the NG because not many carriers offer it but it is certainly priced more competitively than the guaranteed Issue. Once more the Simple Issue policies can be issued to the insured as quickly as 48 hours.

Basically a guaranteed issue policy holds the best value when the insured lives past two years from the time of issue but less than ten. The premiums to these policies are very high in cost and will normally not pay the entire death benefit until after the policy reaches two years in maturity. Prior to that point, if the insured were to pass away the premiums would be refunded in full, including a marginal interest rate close to around 5%.

Ok so now to give you some of the finer points to watch out for in making sure you pick the product right for you. First, if for any particular reason you feel that you may not be accepted by an insurance provider when applying for a non-guaranteed plan call us immediately. During the time your policy is in underwriting you may be able to apply with other companies that better suit your circumstances and you will not have a Decline on your MIB report. This is crucial.

If you have a preexisting condition and you still want to apply with a non-guaranteed issue policy than you need to realize that not all underwriting amongst companies is the same. There are certain companies that are much, much, more flexible than others, when they are considering your specific circumstances and health issues. This could result in an unnecessary decline or in the savings of thousands of dollars. I mean it, thousands.

The reason I right this is because I have met so many people who do not know that Simple Issue policies exist and they throw away hundreds of dollars a month on guaranteed issue policies. Moreover people qualify for non-guaranteed issue policy but the company they are with holds them in a higher risk class than they could be offered with a different company.

We have specific companies that we have found to be more flexible when referring to certain categories. I have listed off a few below to show some of the topics in which we have been able to help people find more competitive pricing and policies they can be happy with.
1. Obesity
2. Tobacco chewers and cigar smokers
3. Drug Rehabilitation
4. Resent Gastric Bypass Surgery
5. Insuring between ages 80-85

Now most of the time these Simple issue and Guaranteed Issue policies are for people who have seen some health issues or had a circumstance in their life that prevents them from receiving a non-guaranteed life insurance policy. That is why you should contact us for advice before applying for a life insurance policy with an agent that may not have the experience we do. Thank you for reading.

Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance vs. Simple Issue Life Insurance

We provide life insurance services and financial planning to the Rancho Cordova California area. Our Goal is to make sure that as long as you are our neighbor, you and your family are protected and your insurance comes from people you can trust. Call us today to schedule a meeting with our team at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Rancho Cordova

• We represent dozens of life insurance carriers to the Rancho Cordova area. From Simple Term Insurance to Indexed Universal Life we will help you get into the product that serves your needs. FinishLine Insurance Services is committed to providing quality life insurance representation to the Rancho Cordova and their community.

Financial Planning Rancho Cordova

• Do you need to speak with someone about options for a lump sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance? Would you like some help in creating a detailed plan and forecast for growth? We can help! The financial team have been serving Rancho Cordova California for over 10 years and are ready to meet with you.  Don’t let the volatile market scare you, we offer guaranteed programs that have zero downside risk while allowing you to take advantage of considerable gains.

Small Business Insurance Rancho Cordova

• Do you own a small business in the Rancho Cordova area? Would you like to talk about retirement planning for just yourself? Did you know there are plans that do not have to involve employee contributions?  Or would you like to protect the key employees that allow your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services Rancho Cordova

Brian Souders and is the founder of FinishLine Insurance Services. He works as part of a full financial firm in Sacramento, California. Every professional within our office has his/her own specialty niche in the financial and insurance industry. Brian learned a long time ago that it is better to be great at a few things than to be mediocre at many. So he focused his practice in the area of Life Insurance and Annuity products. His specialty and what he enjoys doing most is building retirement plans for families and small business owners.

The other professionals within the team specialize in the following categories: Group and Individual Health Insurance, Health Savings accounts, IRA’s, 401K programs, 403B programs, Long Term Care Insurance, and Disability Income Insurance. If you are looking for information on any of these products we would be happy to connect you to the individual who could serve you best. Every person within our agency is an independent agent or broker and self employed.

FinishLine Insurance Services is an affiliated DBA with California license number 0F83698 and is not employed or tied to any other financial institution, insurance company or license number.

Brian’s Personal Bio

I was born back in April of 1978 in Mountain View, California. I am the middle child in a loving family of five, with one older sister and one younger brother. I have a strong relationship with every person in my family and will always hold each of them in the highest regard. For the past 10 years I have lived in Sacramento.

Growing up I learned that my name meant “Strong in Virtue” so I strived to build my personality and character around that definition. My father always taught me that if you do something in life, “Do it once, and do it right”. Those words stuck with me throughout the years and every aspect of my youth. Now whether I am building a project in my garage, working on a car, or building a clients portfolio, I am mindful of those words.

I am also very proud to say that I am a Christian. For some its no surprise that my life has been enriched by the relationship I have with Jesus Christ and the joy I receive from that relationship is undeniable. Don’t worry, I don’t preach at the office, I just want you to know why I’m smiling. For fun, I play the harmonica in a blues band and have been teaching blues harmonica lessons privately on the weekends for several years now. My other hobbies are fishing, long distance running, and perfecting my skills on the barbeque.

Ok that’s enough about me, I hope this information has done it’s job in showing you that I am striving to be a person of integrity in both my business and personal life. At the end of the day I enjoying doing good business with good people, and sometimes a little transparency can give people the trust they are looking for in choosing me as the person they do business with. I hope you do.

We provide a full range of life insurance services and financial planning to the Rocklin California area. Our Goal is to make sure that as your agency, you and your family are protected and your insurance comes from people you can trust. Call us today to schedule a meeting with our experienced agents at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Rocklin

• We represent dozens of available life insurance carriers to the Rocklin area. From Term insurance to Indexed Universal Life we will help you get into the product that serves your needs. FinishLine Insurance Services is committed to providing quality life insurance representation to the Rocklin area.

Financial Planning Rocklin

• Do you need to speak with someone about investing a lump sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance? Would you like some help in creating a detailed plan and forecast for growth? We can help! The financial professionals of our office have served Rocklin California for over 12 years and are ready to meet with you.  Don’t let the volatile market scare you, we offer guaranteed programs that have zero downside risk while allowing you to take advantage of considerable gains.

Small Business Insurance Rocklin

• Do you own a small business in the Rocklin area? Would you like to talk about retirement planning for just yourself? Did you know there are plans that do not have to involve employee contributions?  Or would you like to protect the key employees that allow your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services Rocklin

Brian Souders and is the founder of FinishLine Insurance Services. He works as part of a full financial firm in Sacramento, California. Every professional within our office has his/her own specialty niche in the financial and insurance industry. Brian learned a long time ago that it is better to be great at a few things than to be mediocre at many. So he focused his practice in the area of Life Insurance and Annuity products. His specialty and what he enjoys doing most is building retirement plans for families and small business owners.

The other professionals within the team specialize in the following categories: Group and Individual Health Insurance, Health Savings accounts, IRA’s, 401K programs, 403B programs, Long Term Care Insurance, and Disability Income Insurance. If you are looking for information on any of these products we would be happy to connect you to the individual who could serve you best. Every person within our agency is an independent agent or broker and self employed.

FinishLine Insurance Services is an affiliated DBA with California license number 0F83698 and is not employed or tied to any other financial institution, insurance company or license number.

Brian’s Personal Bio

I was born back in April of 1978 in Mountain View, California. I am the middle child in a loving family of five, with one older sister and one younger brother. I have a strong relationship with every person in my family and will always hold each of them in the highest regard. For the past 10 years I have lived in Sacramento.

Growing up I learned that my name meant “Strong in Virtue” so I strived to build my personality and character around that definition. My father always taught me that if you do something in life, “Do it once, and do it right”. Those words stuck with me throughout the years and every aspect of my youth. Now whether I am building a project in my garage, working on a car, or building a clients portfolio, I am mindful of those words.

I am also very proud to say that I am a Christian. For some its no surprise that my life has been enriched by the relationship I have with Jesus Christ and the joy I receive from that relationship is undeniable. Don’t worry, I don’t preach at the office, I just want you to know why I’m smiling. For fun, I play the harmonica in a blues band and have been teaching blues harmonica lessons privately on the weekends for several years now. My other hobbies are fishing, long distance running, and perfecting my skills on the barbeque.

Ok that’s enough about me, I hope this information has done it’s job in showing you that I am striving to be a person of integrity in both my business and personal life. At the end of the day I enjoying doing good business with good people, and sometimes a little transparency can give people the trust they are looking for in choosing me as the person they do business with. I hope you do.

We provide a full range of life insurance services and financial planning services to the Folsom California area. Our Goal is to make sure that as our broker, you and your family are protected and your insurance comes from an agency you can trust. Call us today to schedule a meeting with our experienced agents at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Folsom

• We represent dozens of available life insurance carriers to the Folsom area. From Term insurance to Indexed Universal Life we will help you get into the product that serves your needs. Finishline Insurance Services is committed to offering quality companies to the Folsom area.

Financial Planning Folsom

• Do you need to speak with someone about investing a lump sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance? Would you like some help in creating a detailed plan and forecast for growth? We can help! The financial professionals of our office have served Folsom California for over 15 years and are ready to meet with you.  Don’t let the volatile market scare you, we offer garunteed programs that have zero downside risk while allowing you to take advantage of considerable gains.

Small Business Insurance Folsom

• Do you own a small business in the Folsom area? Would you like to talk about retirement planning for just yourself? Did you know there are plans that do not have to involve employee contributions?  Or would you like to protect the key employees that allow your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services Folsom

When you search online for life insurance quotes the last thing you want is a dozen phone calls from different life insurance agents. We promise that your information stays within our agency and will not be shared with any third party. We hope you will choose Brian with FinishLine Insurance Services as your local Rocklin life insurance agent.

Being an independent life insurance agent Brian can choose to do business with nearly any life insurance provider in the country. Through FinishLine Insurance Services Brian also gets involved in the community by sponsoring runners for local races and charities. Brian is committed to making sure he sets an example for what an Rocklin Life Insurance agent should be in our community. He is the life insurance agent you want on your side.

Want to know more “about us” ?

Life Insurance Agent Rocklin

When people search for life insurance quotes online the last thing they want is a dozen phone calls from different out of state insurance agents. We promise that the information you submit to us stays within our agency and will not be shared with any third party. We hope you will choose Brian with FinishLine Insurance Services as your local Carmichael life insurance agent.

Being an independent life insurance agent Brian has the flexibility to choose nearly any life insurance provider in the country when finding your product. Through FinishLine Insurance Services Brian also gets involved in the community by sponsoring runners for local races and charities. Brian is committed to making sure he sets an example for what a Carmichael Life Insurance agent should be in our community. He is the life insurance agent you want on your side.

Want to know more “about us” ?

Carmichael Life Insurance Agent

When you search online for life insurance quotes the last thing you want is a dozen phone calls from different life insurance agents. We promise that your information stays within our agency and will not be shared with any third party. We hope you will choose Brian with FinishLine Insurance Services as your local Orangevale life insurance agent.

Being an independent life insurance agent Brian can choose to do business with nearly any life insurance provider in the country. Through FinishLine Insurance Services Brian also gets involved in the community by sponsoring runners for local races and charities. Brian is committed to making sure he sets an example for what an Orangevale Life Insurance agent should be in our community. He is the life insurance agent you want on your side.

Want to know more “about us” ?

Life Insurance Agent Orangevale

Brian Souders and is the founder of FinishLine Insurance Services. He works as part of a full financial firm in Sacramento, California. Every professional within our office has his/her own specialty niche in the financial and insurance industry. Brian learned a long time ago that it is better to be great at a few things than to be mediocre at many. So he focused his practice in the area of Life Insurance and Annuity products. His specialty and what he enjoys doing most is building retirement plans for families and small business owners.

The other professionals within the team specialize in the following categories: Group and Individual Health Insurance, Health Savings accounts, IRA’s, 401K programs, 403B programs, Long Term Care Insurance, and Disability Income Insurance. If you are looking for information on any of these products we would be happy to connect you to the individual who could serve you best. Every person within our agency is an independent agent or broker and self employed.

FinishLine Insurance Services is an affiliated DBA with California license number 0F83698 and is not employed or tied to any other financial institution, insurance company or license number.

Brian’s Personal Bio

I was born back in April of 1978 in Mountain View, California. I am the middle child in a loving family of five, with one older sister and one younger brother. I have a strong relationship with every person in my family and will always hold each of them in the highest regard. For the past 10 years I have lived in Sacramento.

Growing up I learned that my name meant “Strong in Virtue” so I strived to build my personality and character around that definition. My father always taught me that if you do something in life, “Do it once, and do it right”. Those words stuck with me throughout the years and every aspect of my youth. Now whether I am building a project in my garage, working on a car, or building a clients portfolio, I am mindful of those words.

I am also very proud to say that I am a Christian. For some its no surprise that my life has been enriched by the relationship I have with Jesus Christ and the joy I receive from that relationship is undeniable. Don’t worry, I don’t preach at the office, I just want you to know why I’m smiling. For fun, I play the harmonica in a blues band and have been teaching blues harmonica lessons privately on the weekends for several years now. My other hobbies are fishing, long distance running, and perfecting my skills on the barbeque.

Ok that’s enough about me, I hope this information has done it’s job in showing you that I am striving to be a person of integrity in both my business and personal life. At the end of the day I enjoying doing good business with good people, and sometimes a little transparency can give people the trust they are looking for in choosing me as the person they do business with. I hope you do.

When most people are searching for insurance quotes online, the last thing they want is 10 phone calls from different life insurance agents. We promise that your information remains within our agency and will not be shared with any third party. We hope you will choose Brian with FinishLine Insurance Services as your local Roseville life insurance agent.

Being an independent life insurance agent Brian can choose to work with any life insurance provider in the country. Through FinishLine Insurance Services Brian also remains involved in his community by sponsoring runners and tri-athletes for local races and charities events. Brian is committed to making sure he sets an example for what a Roseville Life Insurance agent should in our community. He is the life insurance agent you want on your side.

Want to know more “about us”

Life Insurance Agent Roseville

When searching for insurance quotes online, the last thing you want is 10 phone calls from different life insurance agents. We promise that your information remains within our agency and will not be shared with any third party. We hope you will choose Brian with FinishLine Insurance Services as your local El Dorado Hills life insurance agent.

Being an independent life insurance agent Brian can choose to work with nearly any life insurance provider in the country. Through FinishLine Insurance Services Brian also gets involved in his community by sponsoring runners for local races and charities events. Brian is committed to making sure he sets an example for what a El Dorado Hills Life Insurance agent should in our community. He is the life insurance agent you want on your side.

Want to know more “about us”

Brian Souders and is the founder of FinishLine Insurance Services. He works as part of a full financial firm in Sacramento, California. Every professional within our office has his/her own specialty niche in the financial and insurance industry. Brian learned a long time ago that it is better to be great at a few things than to be mediocre at many. So he focused his practice in the area of Life Insurance and Annuity products. His specialty and what he enjoys doing most is building retirement plans for families and small business owners.

The other professionals within the team specialize in the following categories: Group and Individual Health Insurance, Health Savings accounts, IRA’s, 401K programs, 403B programs, Long Term Care Insurance, and Disability Income Insurance. If you are looking for information on any of these products we would be happy to connect you to the individual who could serve you best. Every person within our agency is an independent agent or broker and self employed.

FinishLine Insurance Services is an affiliated DBA with California license number 0F83698 and is not employed or tied to any other financial institution, insurance company or license number.

Brian’s Personal Bio

I was born back in April of 1978 in Mountain View, California. I am the middle child in a loving family of five, with one older sister and one younger brother. I have a strong relationship with every person in my family and will always hold each of them in the highest regard. For the past 10 years I have lived in Sacramento.

Growing up I learned that my name meant “Strong in Virtue” so I strived to build my personality and character around that definition. My father always taught me that if you do something in life, “Do it once, and do it right”. Those words stuck with me throughout the years and every aspect of my youth. Now whether I am building a project in my garage, working on a car, or building a clients portfolio, I am mindful of those words.

I am also very proud to say that I am a Christian. For some its no surprise that my life has been enriched by the relationship I have with Jesus Christ and the joy I receive from that relationship is undeniable. Don’t worry, I don’t preach at the office, I just want you to know why I’m smiling. For fun, I play the harmonica in a blues band and have been teaching blues harmonica lessons privately on the weekends for several years now. My other hobbies are fishing, long distance running, and perfecting my skills on the barbeque.

Ok that’s enough about me, I hope this information has done it’s job in showing you that I am striving to be a person of integrity in both my business and personal life. At the end of the day I enjoying doing good business with good people, and sometimes a little transparency can give people the trust they are looking for in choosing me as the person they do business with. I hope you do.

Life Insurance Agent El Dorado Hills

When searching for insurance quotes online, the last thing you want is 10 phone calls from different life insurance agents. We promise that your information remains within our agency and will not be shared with any third party. We hope you will choose Brian with FinishLine Insurance Services as your local Folsom life insurance agent.

Being an independent life insurance agent Brian can choose to work with nearly any life insurance provider in the country. Through FinishLine Insurance Services Brian also gets involved in his community by sponsoring runners for local races and charities events. Brian is committed to making sure he sets an example for what a Folsom Life Insurance agent should in our community. He is the life insurance agent you want on your side.

Want to know more about us

Brian Souders and is the founder of FinishLine Insurance Services. He works as part of a full financial firm in Sacramento, California. Every professional within our office has his/her own specialty niche in the financial and insurance industry. Brian learned a long time ago that it is better to be great at a few things than to be mediocre at many. So he focused his practice in the area of Life Insurance and Annuity products. His specialty and what he enjoys doing most is building retirement plans for families and small business owners.

The other professionals within the team specialize in the following categories: Group and Individual Health Insurance, Health Savings accounts, IRA’s, 401K programs, 403B programs, Long Term Care Insurance, and Disability Income Insurance. If you are looking for information on any of these products we would be happy to connect you to the individual who could serve you best. Every person within our agency is an independent agent or broker and self employed.

FinishLine Insurance Services is an affiliated DBA with California license number 0F83698 and is not employed or tied to any other financial institution, insurance company or license number.

Brian’s Personal Bio

I was born back in April of 1978 in Mountain View, California. I am the middle child in a loving family of five, with one older sister and one younger brother. I have a strong relationship with every person in my family and will always hold each of them in the highest regard. For the past 10 years I have lived in Sacramento.

Growing up I learned that my name meant “Strong in Virtue” so I strived to build my personality and character around that definition. My father always taught me that if you do something in life, “Do it once, and do it right”. Those words stuck with me throughout the years and every aspect of my youth. Now whether I am building a project in my garage, working on a car, or building a clients portfolio, I am mindful of those words.

I am also very proud to say that I am a Christian. For some its no surprise that my life has been enriched by the relationship I have with Jesus Christ and the joy I receive from that relationship is undeniable. Don’t worry, I don’t preach at the office, I just want you to know why I’m smiling. For fun, I play the harmonica in a blues band and have been teaching blues harmonica lessons privately on the weekends for several years now. My other hobbies are fishing, long distance running, and perfecting my skills on the barbeque.

Ok that’s enough about me, I hope this information has done it’s job in showing you that I am striving to be a person of integrity in both my business and personal life. At the end of the day I enjoying doing good business with good people, and sometimes a little transparency can give people the trust they are looking for in choosing me as the person they do business with. I hope you do.

Life Insurance Agent Folsom

When you go searching for insurance quotes the last thing you want is 15 phone calls from different life insurance agents. We promise that your information remains within our agency and will not be shared with any third party. We hope you will choose Brian with FinishLine Insurance Services as your local Sacramento life insurance agent.

Being an independent life insurance agent Brian can choose to work with nearly any life insurance provider in the country. Through FinishLine Insurance Services Brian even gets involved in the community by sponsoring runners for local races and charities. Brian is committed to making sure he sets an example for what a Rancho Cordova Life Insurance agent should be in our community. He is the life insurance agent you want on your side.

Want to know more “about us” ?

Life Insurance Agent Rancho Cordova

When you go searching for insurance quotes the last thing you want is 15 phone calls from different life insurance agents. We promise that your information remains within our agency and will not be shared with any third party. We hope you will choose Brian with FinishLine Insurance Services as your local Sacramento life insurance agent.

Being an independent life insurance agent Brian can choose to work with nearly any life insurance provider in the country. Through FinishLine Insurance Services Brian even gets involved in the community by sponsoring runners for local races and charities. Brian is committed to making sure he sets an example for what a Sacramento Life Insurance agent should be in our community. He is the life insurance agent you want on your side.

Want to learn more:  About Us!

Life Insurance Agent Sacramento

Brian Souders and is the founder of FinishLine Insurance Services. He works as part of a full financial firm in Sacramento, California. Every professional within our office has his/her own specialty niche in the financial and insurance industry. Brian learned a long time ago that it is better to be great at a few things than to be mediocre at many. So he focused his practice in the area of Life Insurance and Annuity products. His specialty and what he enjoys doing most is building retirement plans for families and small business owners.

The other professionals within the team specialize in the following categories: Group and Individual Health Insurance, Health Savings accounts, IRA’s, 401K programs, 403B programs, Long Term Care Insurance, and Disability Income Insurance. If you are looking for information on any of these products we would be happy to connect you to the individual who could serve you best.

Every person within our agency is an independent agent or broker and self employed. FinishLine Insurance Services is an affiliated DBA with California license number 0F83698 and is not employed or tied to any other financial institution, insurance company or license number.

Brian’s Personal Bio

I was born back in April of 1978 in Mountain View, California. I am the middle child in a loving family of five, with one older sister and one younger brother. I have a strong relationship with every person in my family and will always hold each of them in the highest regard. For the past 10 years I have lived in Sacramento.

Growing up I learned that my name meant “Strong in Virtue” so I strived to build my personality and character around that definition. My father always taught me that if you do something in life, “Do it once, and do it right”. Those words stuck with me throughout the years and every aspect of my youth. Now whether I am building a project in my garage, working on a car, or building a clients portfolio, I am mindful of those words.

I am also very proud to say that I am a Christian. For some its no surprise that my life has been enriched by the relationship I have with Jesus Christ and the joy I receive from that relationship is undeniable. Don’t worry, I don’t preach at the office, I just want you to know why I’m smiling. For fun, I play the harmonica in a blues band and have been teaching blues harmonica lessons privately on the weekends for several years now. My other hobbies are fishing, long distance running, and perfecting my skills on the barbeque.

Ok that’s enough about me, I hope this information has done it’s job in showing you that I am striving to be a person of integrity in both my business and personal life. At the end of the day I enjoying doing good business with good people, and sometimes a little transparency can give people the trust they are looking for in choosing me as the person they do business with. I hope you do.

What are these ratings?

All insurance providers allow themselves to be rated by major analysis Corporations like Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, Fitch, and A.M. Best. These Corporations give Insurance providers letter grades which are a public opinion as to the current status of the provider. They go off a strict and detailed list examining the financial strengths, investment portfolio, customer service and ability to meet the obligations made to clients (policy holders). Needless to say, it looks good for the insurance carriers when they receive a good rate class from these companies.

Because of this, what has happened is the rating providers have come up with subtle levels of ratings for each letter grade, so as to not mark any insurance company too low unless necessary. You see, you don’t want to upset a multi-billion dollar insurance provider. As a result of this relationship, a company who deserves to have a rating four degrees of separation below their potential still receives a form of “A” rate class.

For example: Standard and Poor’s currently have 7 degrees of separation in their A category. So when an insurance agent tells you that the insurance company he presents is A+ rated, you should ask him/her back “Which rating company are you looking at?”

A.M. Best considers an A+ to be Superior and it is their second highest class. Standard and Poor’s has an A+ rate as their 5^th highest class. This mark would be even to a B++ with A.M Best. So you must make sure that you have your facts straight and your companies in order. Just saying that a company is A+ is not good enough.

Life Insurance Company Ratings A+ or not A+

Let’s take our old forgotten friend “Joe the plumber” and let’s say that Joe has four young plumbers working under him. Joe’s business is going well, his bills are being paid, and he currently has a wife and two kids.  Sound familiar?

Now Joe is in a bit of a difficult situation because he wants to put a retirement account together for himself and his family. He has looked at setting up a 401K through his business but he didn’t know that he legally has to make contributions for his employees. In fact his contributions are regulated by how much they can contribute out of each pay check, so he sees himself being very limited. His employees are young and not as organized, only two of them are able to put money into a retirement account at all, if one was set up.

Joe’s combined household income is too high to open an IRA, but even if it wasn’t, Joe would like to be able to contribute more than $5,000 per year when possible. So there is a painted picture of Joe and though it might be slightly different from you, the principals remain the same.

Many business owners face retirement situations like Joe. They want to have the ability to put money away without being tied to a bunch of regulations and tax law.

There is a product in this case which can be very effective for both you and Joe.

It has been found that when set up properly, an Equity Index Universal Life Insurance policy can satisfy these needs and provide a unique income tax shelter for retirement years.

How? First off let’s be honest and clear about underwriting in regards to life insurance. If you smoke or have a serious health condition, this product will probably not be in your best interests.

If you are 55 years old or less and in good health then by all means, read on! Here is how it works:  We (the agency) design the insurance plan around the monthly amount you can contribute toward your retirement fund. The insurance amount is secondary and is just a vehicle for tax shelter.

There is a tax law that is over 100 years old, that gives this program its defining attribute. It allows the insured (you) to put moneys into the insurance policy, not to exceed the face amount of insurance. Ok! Our logic as agents is that we simply max out the insurance policy. So the money you put in is carrying the “least amount of insurance cost as possible” and therefore allowing the “excess funds” to grow aggressively.

Let’s take a quick break to understand the pros and cons of a product like this:

Pros:

1. I don’t have to contribute towards my employees retirement (saved money)
2. I don’t have any age 59 ½ restrictions on getting the money (life insurance attribute)
3. I can pick how the money is allocated just like a traditional investment. (Variable, Index, or Fixed)
4. If I die my survivors receive the insurance (always greater than the amount you invested in the first place)
5. The income when I pull it out is completely tax free. ( As long as you stay within the tax guideline)

Sound pretty good!  And lets be honest, these pros and all assuming your insurance agent set the program up properly. The premiums are flexible from month to month, or year to year. So you can pull back if things get tight financially, but when you have a surplus of funds you can also increase your deposit.

What should I know about this product?

Cons:

1. There is a cost of insurance associated in the investment (it’s less than contribution in a 401K, much less!!!) (if you are not very healthy we should compare other products)
2. If I make an early withdraw in the first few years am I at risk (yes, this is a long-term investment, with certain surrender penalties) (always ask about penalties)
3. If I need to roll the money over to another company I can (Oh wait, that’s a   pro

Also, make sure that this account is not your emergency money, this is a retirement fund, not a ten year cd. The average retirement fund takes 20 years to mature properly. So do your homework.

And secondly, knowing how the product works in tune with the insurance is imperative. The healthier you are and the longer you let this product grow, the better it will do for you.

In closing, most business owners have not seen this approach to retirement planning and I felt it necessary to give an overview of how we like to address it. Of course if you have any questions, or if you would like me to forecast this for you beside another investment you have, I’d be happy to.

God Bless.

If anyone who uses tobacco products has ever shopped around for life insurance they are now aware that the two don’t exactly go hand in hand. Most of the time companies will double the monthly premium of a simple term insurance plan for someone who uses tobacco products vs. someone who does not.

For Example: a 20 year Term Insurance policy with a face amount of $500K for a guy like me (31 year old, pale, skinny white boy) would run roughly $25 dollars per month. I gave myself a Preferred Plus health class. Now! If I was a smoker and ran the numbers for that very same scenario, the least expensive program out in the market is $69 per month, the median is roughly $80 per month. So you now see that smoking is costly, not even considering that a pack a day smoker spends $120+ per month on their habit.

Now you may say to me, “Brian I chew tobacco, but I don’t smoke.” Unfortunately for 99% of insurance companies out there, you are labeled as a “Smoker” regardless of your habit.  If tobacco is in your blood stream when the examiner takes your draw, you will be seen as a smoker. That goes for a once a week cigar, and weekend chew at the baseball game, or two packs per day smelling like an ash tray, they are all deemed “tobacco”.

Here is some light though. I have issued policies for many smokers and non smoking tobacco users over the years. There are some companies who offer underwriting guidelines that work in your favor.  Did you know,  is that there is a company that gives non smoking rates to people who chew tobacco. If you apply to this company and list that you chew tobacco they will happily issue you a Standard Plus Non-Tobacco health class, assuming your in good health of course.  Also…….”No I will not right down chewing tobacco if I know that you smoke.” This also goes for Cigar smokers and people on the nicotine patch, you too can receive a non-tobacco rate class, call me.

Look at the cost savings between the two health classes. In the example above, we just dropped your premium from $80 to $48 per month with the Standard-Non-Tobacco health class. Oh and if you want to apply to this company you need to contact me directly, I don’t just hand pearls out you know!

Now, for you cigarette smokers out there, there is still some light at the end of the tunnel.  There are two companies in the industry that are competing to corner the market in offering rates much lower than every other insurance company out there to smokers. Their prices in nearly every scenario I have ran, have been side by side dead even in cost. Both companies are reputable and both have A ratings from A.M Best. Who are they? Call me.

If you smoke and need life insurance I feel it is certainly in your best interests to apply to one, if not both of these companies. If you do the business through me, I can have applications sent to both carriers and have you take only one exam. That way you will have both offers on the table when the results come in and you don’t have to get pricked in the arm twice. These companies offer smokers a rate that is on average 15% less than any other carrier out there. Note: they will still give you a tobacco rate, its just cheaper than other companies for the same amount of insurance. In closing, whether you are a smoker, chewer, or have recently quit smoking, I have the experience to recommend solid advice and companies who are competitive for your situation. This advice will save you money, period.

Thanks for reading.

Life insurance for Tobacco users

We provide a full range of life insurance and financial planning services to El Dorado Hills, California. Our Emphasis is to make sure that you and your family as our neighbor are protected and your insurance comes from an agency you can trust. Call us today to schedule an appointment to meet with us at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance El Dorado Hills

• We provide services for all forms of life insurance to the El Dorado Hills area. From simple Term insurance to Indexed Universal Life, we will help you get into the product that meets your needs. We are here to help.

Financial Planning El Dorado Hills

• Do you need to speak with someone about where to best place a lump sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance and you could use a second opinion before moving it? Would you like to talk about whether you will have enough retirement income to live on in the future? We can help! The financial professionals in our office have served the area of El Dorado Hills now for over 15 years and are ready to assist you.

Small Business Insurance and Financial Planning El Dorado Hills

• Do you own a small business in El Dorado Hills, California? Would you like to talk about a retirement plan for just yourself as the owner without involving employees? Or would you like to protect the key employee that allows your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services El Dorado Hills

We provide a full range of life insurance and financial planning services to Roseville, California. Our Emphasis is to make sure that you and your family as our neighbor are protected and your insurance comes from an agency you can trust. Call us today to schedule an appointment to meet with us at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Roseville

• We provide services for all forms of life insurance to the Roseville area. From simple Term insurance to Indexed Universal Life, we will help you get into the product that meets your needs. We are here to help.

Financial Planning Roseville

• Do you need to speak with someone about where to best place a lump sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance and you could use a second opinion before moving it? Would you like to talk about whether you will have enough retirement income to live on in the future? We can help! The financial professionals in our office have served the area of Roseville now for over 15 years and are ready to assist you.

Small Business Insurance and Financial Planning Roseville

• Do you own a small business in Roseville, California? Would you like to talk about a retirement plan for just yourself as the owner without involving employees? Or would you like to protect the key employee that allows your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Roseville Life Insurance Services

We provide a full range of life insurance and financial planning services for the Sacramento California area. Sacramento is our home town. Our Emphasis is to make sure that you and your family are protected and your insurance comes from an agency you can trust. Call us today to schedule an appointment to meet with our experienced consultant at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Sacramento

• We consult and provide services for all forms of life insurance to the Sacramento area. From simple Term insurance to Indexed Universal Life, we will help you get into the product that meets your needs.

Financial Planning Sacramento

• Do you need to speak with someone about where to best place a lump sum of money?  Did you just receive an inheritance and you could use a second opinion before investing it?  Would you like to talk about whether you will have enough retirement income to live on in the future? We can help!  The financial professionals in our office have served the area of Sacramento for over 15 years and are ready to assist you.

Small Business Insurance and Financial Planning Sacramento

• Do you own a small business in Sacramento? Would you like to talk about a retirement plan for just yourself and not your employees? Or would you like to protect the key employees that allow your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services Sacramento

We represent a full range of life insurance and financial planning services for the Carmichael California. Our Emphasis is to make sure that as our agent, you and your family are protected and your insurance comes from a name you can trust. Call us today to schedule an appointment to meet with our experienced agents at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Carmichael

• We Consult and offer all forms of available life insurance to the Carmichael area. From simple Term insurance to Indexed Universal Life Plans we will help you get into the product that serves your needs and accomplishes your goals.

Financial Planning Carmichael

• Do you need to speak with someone about where to best place a sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance and you could use a second opinion before investing it? Would you like to talk about whether you have enough retirement income to live on in your future? We can help! Our financial professionals have served the area of Carmichael for over 15 years and ready to assist you.

Small Business Insurance and Financial Services Carmichael

• Do you own a business in Carmichael? Would you like to talk about a retirement plan for just yourself? Or would you like to protect a key employee whom allows your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services Carmichael

We provide a full range of life insurance and financial planning services to the Orangevale California area. Our Goal is to make sure that as our broker, you and your family are protected and your insurance comes from an agent you can trust. Call us today to schedule a meeting with our experienced agents at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Orangevale

• We Represent all forms of available life insurance to the Orangevale area. From Term insurance to Indexed Universal Life we will help you get into the product that serves your needs.

Financial Planning Orangevale

• Do you need to speak with someone about where to place a lump sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance and you could use some advice before moving it? Would you like to talk about whether you will have enough retirement income to live on in the future? We can help! The financial professionals of our office have served the area of Orangevale for over 15 years and are ready to meet with you.

Small Business Insurance Orangevale

• Do you own a small business in the Orangevale area? Would you like to talk about retirement planning for just yourself and not your employees? Or would you like to protect the key employees that allow your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services Orangevale

We provide a full range of life insurance and financial planning services for the Folsom California area. Our Emphasis is to make sure that you and your family are protected and your insurance comes from a brokerage you can trust. Call us today to schedule an appointment to meet with our experienced agents at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Folsom

• We Consult and provide services for all forms of life insurance to the Folsom area. From simple Term insurance to Indexed Universal Life, we will help you get into the product that serves your needs.

Financial Planning Folsom

• Do you need to speak with someone about where to best place a lump sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance and you could use a second opinion before moving it? Would you like to talk about whether you have enough retirement income to live on in the future? We can help! The financial professionals in our office have served the area of Folsom for over 15 years and are ready to assist you.

Small Business Insurance and Financial Planning Folsom

• Do you own a small business in Folsom? Would you like to talk about a retirement plan for just yourself and not your employees? Or would you like to protect the key employees that allow your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services Folsom

We provide a full range of life insurance and financial planning services for the Rocklin California area. Our Emphasis is to make sure that as our neighbor, you and your family are protected and your insurance comes from a brokerage you can trust. Call us today to schedule an appointment to meet with our experienced agents at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Rocklin

• We Consult and Sell all forms of available life insurance to the Rocklin area. From simple term insurance to Indexed Universal Life we will help you get into the product that serves your needs.

Financial Planning Rocklin

• Do you need to speak with someone about where to best place a lump sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance and you could use a second opinion before moving it? Would you like to talk about whether you have enough retirement income to live on in the future? We can help! The financial professionals in our office have served the area of Rocklin for over 15 years and are ready to assist you.

Small Business Insurance Rocklin

• Do you own a small business in Rocklin? Would you like to talk about a retirement plan for just yourself and not your employees? Or would you like to protect the key employees that allow your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services Rocklin

We provide a full range of life insurance and financial planning services for the Rancho Cordova California area. Our Emphasis is to make sure that as our neighbor, you and your family are protected and your insurance comes from a brokerage you can trust.
Call us today to schedule an appointment to meet with our experienced agents at (916) 825-9605.

Life Insurance Rancho Cordova

• We Consult and Sell all forms of available life insurance to the Rancho Cordova area. From simple term insurance to Indexed Universal Life we will help you get into the product that serves your needs.

Financial Planning Rancho Cordova

• Do you need to speak with someone about where to best place a lump sum of money? Did you just receive an inheritance and you could use a second opinion before moving it? Would you like to talk about whether you have enough retirement income to live on in the future? We can help! The financial professionals in our office have served the area of Rancho Cordova for over 15 years and ready to assist you.

Small Business Rancho Cordova

• Do you own a small business in Rancho Cordova? Would you like to talk about a retirement plan for just yourself and not your employees? Or would you like to protect the key employees that allow your business to operate on a day to day basis?
• Call us today (916) 825-9605

Life Insurance Services Rancho Cordova

Some people say that you should take ten times your annual income to calculate the policy amount. Some use other formulas to figure the number that best suits them.

Today I’d like to talk about the how much life insurance is adequate for a typical young family,

and I’ll give you some tools to logically calculate your own policy amount. First of all let describe the hypothetical family we want to work with.  Let’s say you are a first time life insurance shopper in your late twenty’s, married, with a toddler and another child on the way. How much insurance do you believe is necessary in case tomorrow you don’t come home from work?

We should also say that you work hard for your $50K annual income and the monthly premium is a sensitive subject once all the other bills are paid. You have a mortgage of $350K and two vehicle loans totaling $30K conservatively. There is a small credit card with about $4000 on it and an old student loan with $10K left to be paid. This scenario is very common for most young families. At this point we have calculated up just under $395K of existing debt to be paid.

Now let’s identify what takes place over the next 3 years, a very limited forecast to show immediate needs. First things first, you need to be buried and your family would like a standard memorial service, $15K. Your spouse needs to replace your income for at least the next 2 years to raise the new baby, (assuming you’re the husband), and she could certainly use some help with the toddler once a week for the next twelve months until things adjust, $125K. Mom is smart and wants to start a small fund in each of the children’s names to start putting away for college, $10K each is a minimum should take them to any in-state school they need to go. With that it should grow to $50K by the time they reach age 20.

So now that we have discovered that a $500K policy can easily be spent and gone in less than one year on necessities alone, let me ask you again. How much life insurance do you really need? The reality is that no one wants to become super mom or super dad if their spouse passes away pre-maturely. To work full time and raise children is not anyone’s idea of a good time. Maintaining the quality of life you had while you were raising a family as a couple is what you should seek when deciding on a reasonable and adequate life insurance policy amount.  Everyone’s numbers are different and there is no “cookie cutter” answer.

In the scenario I just described, I would recommend the client acquire at least a $650K policy in order to obtain a secure piece of mind for the family’s future.  I really just wanted to write this in order to get you thinking of some of the numbers that become reality when a loved one passes away. This is one of the many conversations I have with my clients when they ask me for life insurance policies. If you would like to discuss how much insurance you feel is appropriate for you, or you would like to change the amount you currently have, please contact us.

How much Life Insurance do I need?

Most websites that have the word “Quote” or “Quote’s” in the name, are selling the information you fill out to sales agents. Most shoppers want a list of quotes to be emailed to them when they fill out the simple online form so they can review the quotes in peace without feeling pressured by an agent. Little do they know that the personal information they filled out in the form is then sold to as many as ten different insurance salespeople. The salespeople then call the shopper in the attempt to earn their business. So within 24 hours they receive as many as ten phone calls from ten different agents all claiming to have the best products. This can be very overwhelming and it’s our experience that most potential insurance buyers are not pleased with the experience.

If you are able to find an insurance carrier who you think you may want to contact, make sure you know what company they represent. The reason being is this: If you call up an agent who only sells brand X insurance, (a captive agent) than they can only recommend that you buy brand X insurance. Captive agents may have a bias opinion when giving their recommendation, and may not be looking out for your best interests. Examples of captive agent companies are; State Farm, New York Life, and All State. These are all decent companies who have their place in the industry. Just know that the agents whom sell their products are not allowed to sell outside of that company. It’s fair to say moral character may get in the way when addressing the question “Is this really what’s best for my needs?”

If you go to an independent agent who sells multiple lines of insurance, you have a better chance of finding a non-bias agent. Due to having a wider selection of products to choose from they will have a better chance of fitting the product to your need vs. fitting your need into their box of their products. You should shop the captive agent salespeople as well, but realize going into the conversation that if they find themselves not having the best product they may still push the sale which inevitably is a compromise of moral character. Personally, that is why I became an independent agent, so I never need to find myself in that situation.

Lastly when looking at insurance companies there are certain criteria we recommend you adopt as your own. We recommend you only do business with companies who have been around at least 100 years. This proves that the company has positioned themselves to weather any economic storm that may lie ahead. Secondly, work with companies who have at least an A+ rating from A.M .Best   A.M. Best is a large third party independent reporting and rating company that rates an insurance company on the basis of the company’s financial strength, operating performance, and ability to meet its obligations to contract holders. (A+ is the second highest rating out of 15.) Lastly the customer service you find from both the agent and the company itself are very important. We encourage you to call the company up and see how long it takes you to reach a real person to speak with.

Think of it this way, if something were to happen to you, how much trouble would it be for your significant other to handle the insurance claim?

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