Matt Howes-COUNTRY Financial

03/31/2026

Life insurance provides more protection than you might think. If something ever happens and you are no longer here to help pay for the mortgage, life insurance is a great way to help your family stay in your home. Plus, enhancing your coverage might be more affordable than you expect. Contact me today to discuss your options and feel confident your loved ones have the financial security they need.

03/24/2026

Life insurance should be customized for your needs, whether that’s a term policy with an affordable monthly premium or a permanent policy that can help you pay for future expenses. Contact me today to discuss which option is right for you.

03/10/2026

Life changes fast. Has your life insurance kept up with you? Along with providing necessary protection, it’s a valuable planning instrument that can help secure your future. Learn more and get a quote for Forbes’ #1 ranked life insurance for 2024: https://cfin.us/LetsTalkLifeInsurance

12/08/2025

09/28/2024

Life insurance provides more protection than you might think. If something happened and you were no longer here to help pay for the mortgage, life insurance is a great way to help your family stay in your home. Plus, enhancing your coverage might be more affordable than you expect. Contact me today to discuss your options and feel confident your loved ones have the financial security they need.

08/27/2024

There are a lot of myths about life insurance floating around out there. According to the Life Insurance Statistics, Data and Industry Trends 2024 report published by Forbes, 52% of Americans say they don’t have life insurance because they believe it’s too expensive. In fact, 82% of people surveyed overestimate the cost of a life insurance policy, with a majority of people incorrectly estimating the cost of life insurance to be 3x as high as it actually is.

Why is this? The truth is, there may not be a very good reason for this belief. According to the 2024 Insurance Barometer Study Report, 54% of people surveyed said their life insurance cost estimate was based on “gut instinct” or a “wild guess.”

The right life insurance for your needs might be more affordable than you think. Contact me today to see how we can affordably enhance your life insurance coverage or get you set up with a policy from Forbes’ #1 ranked life insurance in the U.S.

Life insurance policies issued by COUNTRY Life Insurance Company®️ and COUNTRY Investors Life Assurance Company®️, Bloomington, IL.

08/17/2024

Life changes fast. Has your life insurance kept up with you? Whether you’re welcoming a new child or have purchased a new home, now is the time to reevaluate your needs to ensure you have the proper protection. With the right policy, you can feel protected while still paying an affordable monthly premium for Forbes’ #1 ranked life insurance in the U.S. Lets talk!

08/07/2024

Planning some fun at home this summer? Make sure your backyard is safe for all your favorite activities by using this summer safety checklist.

Pool safety
⁃ Never leave children unattended
⁃ Kids should never be alone in or near a pool (even if they know how to swim).
⁃ Teach children to swim
⁃ Sign your kids up for swimming lessons if you haven’t
⁃ Learn emergency skills
⁃ Young children should learn when to get help. Older children and adults should learn CPR and first aid.
⁃ Buy pool safety equipment
⁃ Keep a first-aid kit, ring buoys and reaching poles nearby. Easy access to these items could be lifesaving.
⁃ Install a safety fence
⁃ Make sure your pool safety fence covers all pool sides and has self-closing gates. Also, install locks and alarms on doors with pool access.
⁃ Keep everyone in the know. Create and post safety rules and enforce them.

Trampoline safety
⁃ Add safety features
⁃ Make sure your trampoline has padding and netting. An enclosed trampoline can help prevent falls.
⁃ Maintain your trampoline. Inspect your trampoline regularly for missing pads, tears, exposed springs and other issues that could cause injury.
⁃ Enforce safety rules. Only one jumper at a time to reduce risk of injury.

Playground safety
⁃ Inspect your playground equipment regularly
⁃ Look out for protruding bolts, open hooks, broken ropes or rusted chains that could cause injuries. Replace equipment as needed.
⁃ Create a safe landing
⁃ Invest in soft-landing material like rubber tire chips or mulch to reduce or prevent injuries.
⁃ Teach playground rules
Having kids follow simple rules can contribute to playground safety and help avoid injuries.
⁃ Supervise young children at play
⁃ Keep a close eye on kids to reduce injuries and ensure your backyard safety expectations.

Review your home liability insurance limits
Even if you follow all these tips, accidents happen. Keep your liability insurance coverage updated (and consider adding an umbrella liability policy). If you add a pool, trampoline or playground to your yard, meet with your insurance agent to see if you need to increase your home liability coverage. Stay safe and have fun this summer!

08/06/2024

You need car insurance, but do you understand why? Get the answers to your car insurance questions to get the protection you need.
▪️ ▪️ What is car insurance? ▪️ ▪️
Car insurance is protection for your car. You pay your auto insurer a premium and in exchange, they agree to pay for the cost to repair or replace your car if it’s damaged in a collision or other covered event (these are outlined in your policy).
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▪️ ▪️ What's covered? ▪️ ▪️
Most standard car insurance policies include 5 types of car insurance coverages:
Collision coverage for protection for if your car collides with another car or something else.
Comprehensive coverage to protect your vehicle from theft and non-collision damage.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage for protection if you’re in an accident caused by someone with no, or not enough, insurance.
Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection pays for costs resulting from injuries to the driver and passengers in the insured’s car.
Liability coverage pays for damages and injuries to others in an accident that you cause.
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▪️ ▪️ Why do I need car insurance? ▪️ ▪️
All states require car insurance, but the level and types of insurance vary by state. Your insurance agent can help you through your state’s requirements.
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▪️ ▪️ How much does it cost? ▪️ ▪️
What you pay for car insurance will vary based on many factors. Some are about you and your car (like the car you drive and where you live), while others are based on what types and levels of coverage you choose.
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Talk to your insurance agent to make sure you have the right car coverage for your needs!

08/03/2024

Three times and counting! For the third year in a row, COUNTRY Life has been recognized on Ward’s 50 list of top performing life insurance companies for 2024. This award is given for outstanding financial results in the areas of safety,
consistency and performance over a five-year period (2019-2023). Give me a call today to find out how you can protect what matters most.

08/02/2024

Most of us already have car and home insurance, because it’s either required by law or your mortgage lender. But what would happen if you were in some type of accident that costs far more than what your insurance protects?

That’s where additional liability (or Umbrella) insurance can help. Here’s a quick overview on what Umbrella insurance is, how it works, and its average cost.

▪️ What is umbrella insurance? It’s additional liability insurance that picks up where your car or home insurance leaves off. Without this additional coverage, an accident that costs more than your liability limit could leave you paying the rest out of pocket.

▪️ Who needs umbrella insurance? Homeowners with families, high-net-worth individuals and landlords are three key groups who could benefit from the additional coverage.

▪️ Sounds expensive … can I afford Umbrella insurance? For what you spend at your favorite coffee shop each year would be more than enough to get you $1 million in Umbrella insurance (it costs on average about a few hundred dollars per year)

▪️ How do I get Umbrella insurance? Talk to your insurance agent. They’re standing by ready to help.