I was really touched by this email from Jenica and think you will be, too (she gave me permission to share it):
Six weeks ago my husband died in an accident. We were 36 and have three kids under six. I’m a stay-at-home mom and made it my job to cut costs and live frugally.
We lived by the pay cash principle and therefore have no debt but our house. We also had life insurance, term as suggested. Because of our choices I’m able to pay off the house and still stay home with our kids.
I am so glad that we prioritized the life insurance, even though we didn’t have a lot of money. I’m also so glad we lived the financial lifestyle we did.
I just thought this might be something your readers would also be interested in. It is a big relief to not have to worry about finances when I’m dealing with this huge loss. -Jenica
This is a great article and reminder that people need insurance!
We truly believe that most people looking for life insurance should “buy term and invest the difference”.
I didn’t want to spam your comments, but email me if you’re interested in a term vs. whole life calculator I recently published. It basically proves that 99% of the time, you come out ahead if you buy term and invest the difference.\
Best,
Kymberly
My prayers are coming your way—for you AND your precious children, Jenica!!!
I’m sure you’re helping many families by your bravery to share this. Thank you.
May God give you strength and grace in this time.
HUGE HUG for you and your children…praying many blessings come your way.
Oh, Jenica…my heart breaks for you. Your husband was only two years older than mine. How my heart aches for you and your children. But, God is with you, I know it, and He WILL comfort you in your loss and time of grief. Know that so many of us are praying for you and yours right now.
I remember my 18th birthday so well…my mom woke me up that day, like she woke us up every other birthday, with a cupcake, singing happy birthday. When I got downstairs to eat my breakfast, a stack of papers was waiting for me – my first life insurance policy. While I was upset, at 18, to have to sign a document that would pay for my burial (only, at the time – they wanted to be able to bury me properly God forbid the time came), I signed it. 7 years later found me married, expecting my first child, and a husband without anything but a company policy. He, like so many people, was told he didn’t NEED life insurance by his (idiot) father until he was older. I wanted a bigger policy for myself at the time, so I told him he was getting one too. He didn’t fight me, and now we’re both insured. He was more than happy with the decision, and it is the best $800 a year (roughly) we spend.
Now, I only mourn that I hadn’t taken out a Gerber life plan (or something similar) for my son – they have riders on our policy, but my son, at age 5.5, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He will still be able to get insurance, but he’ll be rated, no doubt.
Peace of mind is priceless.
My daughter was dx with type 1 diabetes a 4years ago when she was 4. We have been turned down for every insurance even on a rider plan 🙁
10 years ago we got life insurance . I almost cancelled mine because of the cost and I am so thankful I did not. One year later, I was dx with throat cancer at the age of 32 and 26 weeks pregnant. We don’t dare cancel that policy now.
I am so sorry for your loss. I thank you for sharing your story with us.
I pray for you and your children. May God bless you through this difficult time.
Jenica,
Although it’s a terrible loss, we all know life events like yours are unpredictable. I’m glad you and your husband had the foresight to plan. As an insurance agent, it gives me a good feeling to know the products I sell can make a positive difference in the lives of my clients.
(((hugs))) to you and many prayers for your loss. I’m so glad you took someone’s advice on life insurance. My husband is a financial consultant and that is a service he provides, both term and whole life. It’s often hard to convince a husband of the need for his family to have this protection- really it’s hard to convince anyone under 65 or 70!….I’m so glad yours listened.
Jenica, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. I pray God gives you comfort and strength as you make your way through this unimaginable time.
Two years ago, at the age of 52, my brother-in-law died suddenly of a massive heart attack. He had no life insurance. It has been heartbreaking to watch my sister and her two college-age children struggle to make it without the income of the main provider of their family. Thankfully she is blessed with a good job and a home that is 6 years from being paid-in-full. Nonetheless, I have seen how incredibly difficult it has been, not only to grieve the loss of a wonderful husband and father, but to, all the while, struggle financially.
At the time, my husband and I had no life insurance either. This situation scared us into action. We are now covered should, God forbid, something happen to either of us. It is a feeling of peace like none other.
God bless you Jenica for, in the midst of a broken heart, being kind enough to share your story so others can learn from it!
I am so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine life without my husband. Sending our prayers to you and your family. I am glad that you will not be financially burden at this kind of situation. Life insurance is really important but it’s sad how some people see it as an expense. Jenica, you’ve helped some people realized the importance of life insurance right now, you’ve saved a lot of families just by sharing your story to everyone. Thank you so much.
Dearest Jenica; I cannot imagine the pain and the loss which you and your Children must be going through at this time. For you to reach out and to try to be so helpful, and a Blessing to others is unreal.
If more people were like YOU, then this small world would be a much better place.
I wish the best for you, and your children. May God’s Blessings cover all of you.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing. Your family is in my prayers.
Jenica, I can’t imagine what you are suffering. I pray that you will feel the love and comfort of Christ, and that He protect and bless you and your children. May the Lord grant eternal rest to your husband.
I am praying for you. I lost a son a year ago and while no one knows exactly how someone else feels, I can say I know a little of the pain you are walking through. I am so glad you made the choices you made that have taken a huge burden off you at such an emotionally and physically taxing time. God bless!
I am so very sorry for your and your childrens loss. Prayers are sent your familys way.
My husband and I decided to get term life insurance right after we bought our house, $500k on each of us which costs us a total of $110/month but it God forbid something happened, would pay off our home and take care of our two girls plus their future education. You always hope it never has to be used but peace of mind to know it’s there.
Jenica, I am so sorry for your loss. I know there are no words that provide comfort at a time like this but I just want to say thank you for sharing your story. We have put off life insurance but reading this has made me realize we need to just do it. Praying for comfort, peace, and all the help that you need during this unimaginably difficult time for your family.
Jenica, I’m so sorry for your loss but I know that God gives us grace to go through such circumstances. I was also 36 when my husband died in an accident and we had two small children. Praise the Lord we had life insurance. I was able to continue to be a stay at home mom and today the oldest has graduated from a private Christian college and the other is now a junior in a Christian college and both debt free. SO very thankful for life insurance. I hope others don’t put it off – get it today.
Praying for you and your family for strength, comfort, and peace.
Jenica,
I am sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose my husband. I would like to add that when you do get insurance get more than you think you need at that moment and for as long as you can. Your incomes will increase and your health may change. We anticipated that we would be in better financial shape than we are ( children get more expensive the older they get)and only got a 15 year policy on my husband and myself. We now both need new policies but because we are older, heavier, and have some health issues we are going to pay more for our new policies.
So sorry for your loss. I’m sending prayers to you and your family. Thanks, too, for this important message.
So sorry for your loss! Praying for your family.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this story. Jenica I am so sorry for the loss that you and your children are suffering. When my father passed away I was 12 and my brother 13 my mom had been a stay at home mom for 15 years and they had no life insurance. It was such a rough time for us all I know that having the insurance would have helped so much.
Thank you for taking the time to encourage others to be pro active for they may one day be facing your same challenge.
Bless you!
Echoing everyone else, Jenica, I’m SO sorry for your loss. Praying for strength for you.
So so sorry for your loss! Keeping your family in my prayers even though I don’t personally know you. Thank you for sharing.
I am so, so sorry for your loss. Thank you for choosing to share your story. Hopefully it will serve as a story that can help someone else. God bless you and your children!
So happy for God’s provision in all this. Praying for you and your family, Jenica.
so sorry for your loss!!!!
I just last week got my husband a term life policy for the same reasons you mentioned! Obviously I hope nothing ever happens to him to need it but it is there for me. I have one for myself too but only enough to cover my student loan debt.
Just wanted to mention that if the student loans are in your name, most of the time they will be discharged in the event of permanent and total disability or death.
not private ones 🙁
I cannot express how important it is to organize your finances, to be a good steward (giving), providing for your family (especially in the event of a death) and striving to be debt free! My husband and I woke up to this fact and he is now a financial planner.
I am so sorry for your loss, I cannot even imagine. I’m praying for you.
We made the decision to do the same awhile back. For only around $500 a year, we have a $440,000 life insurance policy in case something should happen to my husband. This is in addition to the policy he has through his work. It gives me such peace of mind to know that God forbid something SHOULD happen, I won’t be immediately worrying about money issues.
I am so sorry for the loss you and your dear children have suffered.
I am amazed that at such a time you’d be willing to think of others and send in this testimonial. What an amazing act of kindness. May God bless and keep you all in His care.
I am echoing all the comments here. The Lord bless you and comfort you and your dear children.
I am so sorry for your loss, Jenica, and am praying for you and your precious family. Thank you for sharing your experience; life insurance is something that everyone should get when they are still young and healthy–because premiums get higher as we age and develop health issues.
My husband and I toyed around with purchasing life insurance in 2006 but decided to hold off because we didn’t have children yet. After 2008, when our twin sons were born, we were too busy (and sleep-deprived!) to follow up. Then in 2010, my husband developed some serious health issues and was unable to qualify for life insurance for two years. Now that he qualifies, the premium would be about $100/month, which we simply cannot afford. (He is able to get life insurance–the kind that doesn’t require a physical exam–through work, but he’ll lose it if he leaves the company.) Moral of the story: Don’t wait; get life insurance now!
May God bless you and your family during this very difficult time.
Here I am sitting at my job (i issue life insurance policies for financial company in ohio) and i get on and peek at my favorite site and saw this story, I want to say Im so sorry for your loss I can’t imagine the pain and frustation you must be going through, Im so so happy to hear you have insurance. Earlier this year we had a guest speaker at our company who was a young woman about 26 or so who came to thank our company just for being a life insurance company, she spoke how when she turned 18 her mother died leaving her to raise her 3 young sisters and with the financial burden, homeless. She also had the state cremate her mother which she was so sad about because she could not afford proper funeral arrangments to get buried. It was so sad and im so so so glad to hear you did not have to go through the experince this young woman has. I may work for a life insurance company but I do not sell life insurance, but see things every single day that make me preach the importance of life insurance, many people either dont have life insurance or are under insured. Life insurance can be pricey but there are various term and whole lifes insurance available to choose from. I beg everyone it is worth the extra money to buy a policy both for husband and wife even if the wife does not bring in a income, funeral costs are still a financial burden. Im so sorry to hear your story but im glad to hear you can mourn in peace with out the financial worry.
So very sorry for your loss and sending prayers to you and your family. THANK YOU for sharing this story. My husband and I are in the middle of getting our finances in order and this story made me pick up the phone and get that life insurance now. We are 33 and 34 so this touched home. May God continue to bless you and your family in this difficult time.
Jenica,
I am SO sorry for the loss of your husband. May the comfort of God’s loving compassion and the prayers of many lift your children and you up now and in the time ahead.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Anne
Just said a prayer for u and your family! Thanks u for thinking of others during this hard time!
I’m so sorry for your loss!
This is really making me rethink our decision to wait on life insurance. Our income (for a family of 6) is about $1500/month right now, and the life insurance quotes we got were $60/month. It’s just more than we have. But it does seem so important… what to do, what to do…
You might try another company or the amount of insurance. We have a fairly large amount on both my husband and I, and we only pay $35/month. (Erie Insurance)
That seems high. We pay about $30 a month for $250K on my husband and $100K on me (I think). We are in good health.
I agree that it does seem high…maybe check around? We just switched insurance companies after shopping around and got term life for the first time ever. We kept the same car insurance coverage, renters insurance, and added 100K on both me and my hubby and our rate dropped by $40 per month! We only pay $102 per month for everything (we also only have one car). We are with State Farm and they have been excellent so far!
This is my theory on life insurance. If you can’t afford the 60 a month, what would you do if you lost that 1500 a month plus pay for a funeral and grieve. We have had life ins. since our first was born. We were both going to college and making less than 1000 a month. Look around but get some.
There are a lot of well known companies that offer great coverage for a lesser amount of monthly payments. My cousin’s term policy was only less than $20 for 500K coverage for 30yrs.
We got our policies through Zander (thanks to Crystal’s recommendations) and were able to get small (though sufficient) term policies for each of us for about $300 a year/$25 a month.
Now that my husband is out of school and we have another on baby on the way, we are increasing our coverage, but just having enough coverage to survive brought a lot of peace of mind.
Definitely shop around! The difference in price for the exact same coverage can be huge!
There are plenty of resources to find a super easy quote, and not get hassled by a ton of insurance companies. Find an independent agent who can search many companies. Don’t waste your time searching, there are agents who do it for you.
If you’re young, you can get insurance for less than $10 a month. Obviously this is for lower death benefits, but something is better than anything. You can always add a la carte.
Thanks so much for sharing your story Jenica. Just prayed for you and your kids. So glad you don’t have to think about finances right now. Hope your story will inspire others who don’t have life insurance to get it.
Jessica I’m sorry for your loss.
I think we all need to remember husbands and wives both need life insurance. If I die, even though I mainly stay at home, my husband would have to find a way to pay for childcare and that wouldn’t exactly be free as well as education. We decided to insure me for the amount that would pay for our children to attend a Christian school since we have a local one and it would be, to us, the next best thing to home school.
I am so sorry for your loss, Jenica. Praying for you. (((hug))) I’m so thankful you don’t have financial burdens right now on top of your grieving.
Jenica,
I’m really sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your story so publicly and allowing us to learn from your choices. I’m grateful that during this grieving time, it’s not financially burdensome. May HE comfort you even more than you can imagine during your healing process. Blessings, Heather
I’m so sorry about your loss Jenica. Thanks for sharing this story with us. I think a lot of young families have the mindset that things are never going to happen to them. You and your husband were so smart! Sending peace and love to you and your children.
So sorry for your loss. A good reminder for everyone– life can turn on a dime. Bless you and your children.
Thank you for this testimony. Prayers and hugs your way!!