LIFE Foundation to Agents: Share Your Stories

Those four stories will appear in a special advertising section of O magazine, a monthly founded by Oprah Winfrey and Hearst Corporation. Jamiee Niles of LIFE said of the partnership with O magazine, “We did research into the best way to reach the women’s market since they are key when it comes to making financial decisions.” In addition, winning agents and their clients will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Las Vegas where they will be recognized by industry peers at the 2012 annual conference of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA).

One of last year’s winners, Robin Davey of AXA Equitable shared the story of small-business owner and father of six, Steven Tedesco.Tedesco was 28 when he was diagnosed with leukemia. He died two years later. A few months before Tedesco was diagnosed he met with Davey because his bank was requiring that he purchase life insurance in order to cover a loan for his business. Davey, upon realizing that Tedesco was uninsred assisted him in purchasing policies for both his business and his family. When his untimely death occured, the policies that were purchased were able to greatly assist both his business partner and his family members.

After the recession of 2008, there may have been not only a lack of education about insurance and financial planning but also a pervading sense that the industry lacked scruples. Niles hopes that the realLIFEstories program will not only educate people about insurance but also showcase instances that people can relate to.