Why England Made Me Rethink My Approach to Life and Insurance
During a recent family trip to England, some significant milestones were celebrated—my brother-in-law’s 50th birthday, Aryia’s 1st birthday, and our 6-year anniversary. This trip marked my longest plane ride to date, and surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad. But beyond the celebrations and the long flights, this trip taught me something unexpected about myself and how I approach life—particularly when it comes to planning.
The Reality of My Planning Habits
Let me be honest: my wife took care of everything for this trip. She figured out what we needed to pack for Aryia, watched videos about travelling with a baby under 1 year old, packed her suitcase, arranged transportation once we landed—the list goes on. And what did I handle? Travel insurance and packing my suitcase 18 hours before our flight. I know, not exactly “Husband of the Year” material. I realise I should have been more involved, but the truth is, all this planning occurs to me as overwhelming. I’d rather just figure things out when we get there.
But this experience made me think about something even more important—how often we put off planning in other areas of life, even when we know it’s crucial.
A Meeting That Made Me Reflect
This brings me to a recent meeting I had with a client. When I asked them what they wanted to accomplish during our session, they mentioned reviewing their life insurance because they knew they were underinsured. After we took a closer look at their coverage, it turned out they were significantly underinsured—far more than they had imagined.
This situation isn’t uncommon. Many people walk around with a sense that they’re not adequately prepared, whether it’s for a trip or for life’s unexpected events. But why do we do this? Why do we neglect things we know we should take care of, even when we understand the risks?
The Role of Finances
Money is a big part of it, but it’s not the whole story. What we choose to spend our money on reflects what we care about most. When something is truly important to us, we find a way to make it work—we always do.
Take my travel insurance, for example. I spent a decent amount on it because I didn’t want anything to go wrong on our trip. But when it came to the rest of the planning, I left it all to my wife. If I had pitched in and helped her plan, we could have saved time, money, and a lot of stress. Imagine if we had arrived in England and realised we forgot to pack Aryia’s clothes. That would have been a disaster, and we’d end up spending a lot more money than necessary just because I didn’t plan ahead.
The same principle applies to life insurance. If we don’t plan and prepare, we risk leaving our families in a tough spot, spending more money and dealing with more stress than they should have to. The cost of being unprepared—whether financially or emotionally—is often far greater than the effort it takes to plan ahead.
The Impact of the Unrelatable
Another reason we avoid planning is that it’s hard to take action on something that doesn’t feel real to us. We don’t always act on things unless we feel them deep down. It’s like when you touch a hot stove—you learn quickly never to do it again. But when it comes to something we haven’t experienced, like the loss of a loved one or a sudden financial burden, it’s hard to imagine how much it can change our lives.
This is why many people delay getting life insurance—they can’t picture what would happen if they weren’t around to provide for their families. But life isn’t about “what ifs”; it’s about “what will be.” And by the time we realise we should have done something, it might be too late. Just like packing for a trip, it’s better to be ready than to be caught off guard.
Taking Action Today
So, today is the day to ask yourself: What are you avoiding when it comes to your finances? In the spirit of Life Insurance Awareness Month, take a moment to consider whether you’re adequately insured. Do you have coverage that would cover the balance of your mortgage? Do you have coverage that’s 20 times your annual income?
Let’s take this opportunity to act before it’s too late. Schedule a call with us today, and let’s discuss how we can help you protect what matters most. The longer you wait, the more it will cost, and the less you’ll get. Don’t wait until life forces you to act—be proactive and make sure your family is prepared for whatever comes their way.
We look forward to hearing from you.