02/20/2026
****Buyer Beware****
Yesterday I sat down with a client who was having trouble making heads or tails of a life insurance policy she’s had for years with a large national carrier.
She simply wanted to understand her options.
I gladly offered to help and called their service line with her. After a brief wait, we were told the representatives could only provide policy values and could not make recommendations. That told me right away we weren’t speaking with a licensed insurance professional.
Once connected, I asked whether the policy had any reduced paid-up value (a common life insurance provision). We were told it could — and they even offered to make the change for us on the spot.
That raised a red flag.
After digging a little deeper, it became clear that the change would have gradually reduced her policy amount over time — potentially putting her at risk of outliving the policy’s value and ending up with nothing to show for the years she’s paid into it.
We declined to make any changes.
Instead, we reviewed her policy carefully and discussed more reasonable, informed options going forward.
When we finished, she looked at me and said:
“This is why we should have gotten this policy locally in the first place.”
That meant everything.
Big national carriers may sometimes advertise a lower rate. But when it comes to understanding your coverage, protecting your family, and having someone who can advocate for you — nothing replaces a local agent who takes the time to sit down and walk through it with you.
If you’ve had a policy for years and aren’t completely sure how it works, let’s review it together. No pressure. Just clarity.