For many of us who sell life insurance, we dread the call from the client’s nominee asking for a claim form, do we not?

However, do we expect a call from a client to say “Thanks for the term life insurance that I took from you last year, I am alive, but am happy to thank you for the danger which was covered by the life cover.”

When you sell life insurance, the buyer is actually hoping and betting that the life insurance company wins! Winning and losing in life insurance is so difficult to define- is it not? If you take a life or medical insurance, you surely hope that you do not make a claim – so that we win. The insurance company hopes that you win, so that they win! Funny is it not?

Most people however forget that the best insurance that you can buy for yourself is some elementary care – which we neglect. Let us list some of these:

1. Stop smoking: The single biggest cause of cancer, heart attack and lung related disease is tobacco. Most smokers do not realize the impact that smoking has on their lives – the sheer number of cigarettes just add up.
2. Eat sensibly: It is perhaps old fashioned to eat at home –but it is far, far healthier and perhaps cheaper on the purse too! Eat good food – wholesome wheat instead of maida, roti instead of pizza, water instead of cola, honey or jaggery instead of white sugar, et al.
3. Exercise: Even a moderate exercise like walking 4 days a week keeps you fit. For the more active people look at joining a gym and going there regularly!
4. Take time out for the family: If God were to suddenly come to you and say “your time is up” – you surely would wish you had spent more time with your family, not with your boss. So do not wait till the real end – literally and really!
5. Keep your policies in force! When you took the policy you needed it, so if you need it keep it in force, do not let it lapse because you did not pay attention.
6. Keep your nominees current: If there is some change in your life – marriage, divorce, child birth, death of a nominee, etc. keep your policy designations current. There is no point in realizing that you have taken a home loan along with your wife, but your life insurance policy is still naming your mother as a nominee.