Offense or Defense…where to start?
Estimated Reading Time: 40 seconds
The NHL hockey playoffs are now underway and eternally optimistic Toronto Maple Leaf fans (1967 was our last Stanley Cup) witnessed a heartbreaking collapse last night when our beloved team blew a 4-1 lead in Game 7. That was painful.
Today the “mourners” are at the water cooler and all over the media discussing the relative importance of Defense and Offense.
Beware of Doing it Yourself
Estimated reading time: 30 seconds
I've always admired the talents of people on cooking and renovation shows. Project oriented magazines like Popular Mechanics have fascinated me since I was a kid.
But the very thought of dealing with a project of any size causes nervous palpitations before pulling out my dusty toolbox. My affliction of two left hands breeds unvarnished respect for talented do it yourselfers - they truly deserve it.
Trading on Inside Information?
Estimated Reading time: 35 seconds
We started telling people about Critical Illness Insurance in a big way with a radio campaign launched in March 2005. You can listen to some of our ads here.
The subsequent milestones make us feel very proud, and I won’t bore you with them now. They are all here if you care to read them.
Insurance Medicals
Estimated reading time: 55 seconds
Most people don’t like taking tests.
The risk of failure and embarrassment is reason enough to avoid tests, even when fully prepared.
Cancel What?
Estimated reading time: 45 seconds
If you call your cable or wireless provider to cancel your service or switch to another company you will automatically be transferred to a member of the customer retention department. Their job is changing your mind.
If you call me to cancel an insurance policy you will automatically be told to get a complete medical first.
Guaranteed Issue CI is now available 24/7
Estimated reading time: 45 seconds
I am delighted to announce a new online program we just launched with Manulife Financial to help every Canadian get affordable Critical Illness Insurance protection on a guaranteed basis without a medical.
Most people buy life insurance to protect their family but never consider the possibility of what happens if they get sick.
You are what you read
It’s been said that twenty years from now, in a reflective moment of self-evaluation, it will occur to you that the biggest impact on your own personal growth and development resulted primarily from 2 things: the people you met and the books you read.
I make it a point to ask successful clients, mentors and other people I admire what books made an impact in their lives - and along the way some wonderful gems have reached the summit of my bookshelf.
When people ask me to recommend a good self-help book, I tell them about a great one that was originally recommended to me by a special mentor: "How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling".
Why I’m not an astronaut
Reading time: 90 seconds
People often ask me why I chose this profession. Truth is, it really chose me.
A short radio ad recorded with my client and friend Gord Stellick tells the story best. Listen here.
Long Term Care - Short Term Broke
There is a 50% probability that you will need some form of long term care (home care or facility care) in your lifetime.
A recent poll by Leger Marketing on behalf of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA), reported that 74 per cent of Canadians have no financial plan to pay for long-term care.
CLHIA estimates a cost of almost $1.2 trillion ($1,200,000,000,000) to provide long-term care to the baby boomer generation as they pass through old age (those baby boomers started turning 65 last year!)
A Tale of Two Sisters - Powers of Attorney
Despite the fact that everyone knows the importance of having a current and up-to-date will and powers of attorney most people don’t think about their wills until the day before leaving on vacation. A recent survey of 544,000 Canadians with assets exceeding $1.5 Million reported that only 40% have a will and 80% of those wills are not up to date. Where do you fit?
In addition to the will, everyone needs to complete two (not just one) Powers of Attorney:
- Continuing Power of Attorney for Property - You name someone to make financial decisions for you, such as paying your bills, managing your investments, etc.
- Continuing Power of Attorney for Personal Care - You name someone to make personal care and health decisions such as where you live, what you eat or what medical care you will receive if you get sick or injured
W. Brett Wilson - the Dragon spoke!
Brett Wilson was the keynote speaker at a luncheon I recently attended in downtown Toronto. The event was hosted by Canoe Financial of which he is a principal. Do you remember Brett from Dragon’s Den? He was the mensch. (His personal website is refreshingly different and really interesting)
He shared his personal story and it turns out he is genuinely a self-made nice guy.
Brett’s advice to university students (and in all likelihood to us mature people J) resonated with me on 3 key messages:
Jack's Story - Part 2
Happy and HEALTHY 2013
Here’s an update to Jack’s Story, a post from November 19th .
Jack’s three children don’t get along at all. They live in different cities in the U.S. and Europe, with nothing in common but DNA. They are the very model of a dysfunctional family, unable to agree on anything, including the time of day.
Insurance for the UNinsurable
It’s no secret: the people who need insurance the most usually can’t get it.
There are many reasons for insurance underwriters to just say no: the applicant is too old, too short for their weight, has a poor personal or family health history, a criminal background, exotic travel, a passion for dangerous sports, etc.
It isn’t discrimination, just sensible business practice for the insurance companies who would obviously prefer to insure very healthy people in excellent shape with perfect genes who are least likely to get sick. They get to choose their risks, knowing they will lose money if they pay out too many claims.
Lost and FOUND - Jack’s Story
Back in the early 1990s, when I was just getting started in my career, Jack was already a retired entrepreneur and senior citizen.
We met through a mutual acquaintance (my late mother of blessed memory), and soon became friends. Jack was an active widower with grown up children and grandchildren who didn’t live in Toronto.
I remember accompanying him to his bank branch where he introduced me to the bank manager. They added me to the approved list for access to his safety deposit in case something happened.
Huge Changes
The life insurance industry in Canada is undergoing huge changes while attracting little mainstream news coverage.
RBC Insurance recently cancelled their distribution contracts with most of their Managing General Agencies (MGAs). They went from 83 MGAs to just 14.