Interviewer  0:00  

In conjunction with Life Insurance Awareness Month, EIS presents: “With Life Insurance, I’ve Got You.” In this special series of four podcasts, you’ll hear people share their personal stories about how key life insurance decisions and experiences led to positive impacts that resonate to this day. They’ll also share the actionable insights based on what they’ve learned along the way.

Jenny Craig  0:27  

My name is Jenny Craig, like the diet lady, but not the diet lady. I’m the tech insurance nerd and marketing nerd; I’ve been in the insurance industry for about 10 years. But also most recently in insurance tech, with EIS Group. So I had kids, they were just starting [the]  end of elementary school, starting middle school. I was like, 33, at the time. I lost my mom, she was 57. We found out she had cancer, and they said you have four months to live. And the sad part of that is I’m losing my mom, I’ve got my little kids. And my dad, you know, he actually had canceled her insurance policy because we had all grown up and moved away. 

So they had a fundraiser for her: “Pennies for Penny” is what it was called. Her name was Penny. We were lucky to have time with her to say goodbye. One thing that I learned was life insurance wasn’t just about paying the bills. It was about buying time to grieve, right? To heal and having that space to do so. You know, I couldn’t imagine, I lost my mom as an adult. Like, what would happen if my kids lost me? I want my husband to be able to stay home; for them to heal, and don’t have to worry about anything.

Interviewer  1:43  

Off mic, we were talking about how you also lost your dad at a relatively young age. But things were different this time, what exactly was different.

Jenny Craig  1:52  

The one thing that was different this time was my dad — because of losing my mom and not having life insurance, or being prepared for that, right? Who’s ever prepared for that — got everything set up and got life insurance. And it’s so hard, right? So he was looking out for us. And that’s how I think of things is: It’s for our loved ones, my kids, my family, my extended family, for when I leave, I can sleep better at night knowing that they’re still going to be taken care of when I’m gone.

Interviewer  2:23  

That’s a great story. Now, how has all of this changed your perspective on life insurance in ways that you hadn’t expected?

Jenny Craig  2:32  

What I learned is that it’s not about just paying for bills or expenses. It’s really about that I can worry less and live more, basically. Because I know that it’s more of a peace of mind for me right now. And it’s love. It’s like caring for them when I’m not here. So that’s kind of the biggest change. You know, with my dad passing, I had to manage his estate. And having life insurance was really helpful. It took care of things right away.

Interviewer  3:06  

Let’s say you’re sitting down with a really close friend, you’re at a coffee shop, based on everything you’ve seen, what would you want to tell them, your advice?

Jenny Craig  3:17  

Just make sure we have both types of insurance, like, the term for now. We have whole life for a long time. It’s never too soon, earlier is better. And just make sure that, you know, everyone does have it if you can get it, right? Don’t wait. It’s like the best thing that you can do for somebody, for your family and your friends. Really, that’s what it is. It’s also not that expensive. It’s not even costly. It’s like probably the best thing you can do. You know, other than that, just making sure everyone has that conversation with their insurance agent or going online. 

Another one that I like to share is: have your own, that’s not just dependent on, like, your company or who you work with. Because, like, if you look at COVID right now, you know a lot of people lost their jobs. And that means they probably lost their benefits, which that’s where their life insurance is coupled into. So having an independent policy that’s yours to take with you past when you retire. Or when you do have gaps in employment. I think it’s important for people to understand.

Interviewer  4:26  

Thanks for tuning into this special EIS podcast commemorating Life Insurance Awareness Month. To hear all four episodes in this series, visit our website, eisgroup.com. Remember, it’s all in the name of discovering the true meaning behind the theme: “With Life Insurance, I’ve Got You.” 

Until next time, let’s keep in mind one value we all share: That we would do anything to protect our families and ensure they have bright futures. If we were no longer here, we’d want them to continue on financially. Life insurance is a simple, affordable way to say to your loved ones. I’ve got you, and mean it.