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October 29, 2019 at 11:16 PM
Halloween is coming on Thursday, which means the scary movie binges have commenced.
Talking about the characters in scary movies may help you communicate with your clients about the value of life insurance.
(Related: If South Park Characters Applied for Life Insurance Policies…)
Although 70% of Americans consider life insurance a necessity, 41% have no coverage at all, according to data from Foresters Financial. This coverage gap may be partly due to consumers’ lack of life insurance education, and partly to consumers’ reluctance to think about their own mortality.
Using characters in scary movies as examples of what to do, and what not to do, can be a way to get past those obstacles, and to demonstrate why life insurance is necessary.
1. Adelaide Wilson, Us
Adelaide is the powerful protagonist who perfectly exemplifies a mother’s instinct – constantly defending her family from their evil doppelgangers, the Tethered, who are out for deadly revenge. As she says to her son early in the film, “Stick with me, and I’ll keep you safe, okay?” However, she’ll need to do more than simply protect her family from the Tethered — their financial protection is also at stake.
Adelaide’s behavior and willingness to sacrifice herself puts her at a higher risk, but she’s also young and healthy. Separate from the fact she’d need to be wary of insurance fraud (ahem.. Red…), she’d benefit most from a term life insurance policy, meaning she’d pay a fixed amount for a fixed period of time (i.e. a 30-year policy for $50 per month for $1 million in coverage). If anything happens to her during the time of her policy, her family won’t suffer financially.
But why would Adelaide only be insured during a certain time frame, versus the rest of her life? That “term” is the critical period when loved ones are dependent on Adelaide, and it’s more cost-effective than a whole life policy. When the 30-year policy expires, her children will be self-sufficient and she and her husband will have other savings, including retirement.
Key takeaway for your clients: If you have children, a spouse, or other loved ones who would experience financial hardship as a result of your death, you need life insurance.
2. Wendy Torrence, The Shining
Wait, why are we talking about Wendy, instead of the protagonist Jack Torrence? Apart from the fact she’s the hero of the movie who saved her son from her killer husband, she’s an example of a non-breadwinner who would need a policy as well (let’s hope Jack had life insurance so Wendy would get a well-deserved payout).
Phil Murphy is vice president of insurance at 