The Insurance for Texans Blog

What Can the Death of Mr. Peanut Teach Us About Life Insurance?

Written by Chris Howard | Jan 25, 2020 9:28:12 PM

After 104 years of service for the Planters snack company, Mr. Peanut is gone. Many are shell-shocked, from Mr. Clean to the Kool Aid man (oh yeah!). Greatness recognizes greatness and the world will have to let go of the vaunted legume.

From the widespread outpouring of sympathy on social media, you are most likely aware how one of the world's most popular, salted (or unsalted) snack icons met his demise.

In a commercial that aired recently, after trying to avoid an armadillo in the road while driving with friends, Mr. Peanut careens the peanut-mobile over a cliff, leaving he and his two friends dangling precariously from a cracking tree branch.

 

Maybe out of guilt or the realization that his time had come, Mr. Peanut decides to sacrifice himself in effort to save his friends and plummets to the valley below. Any thought of his survival quickly vanishes in an explosion quicker than one can say Jiff or Skippy.

And while tributes pour in and we wait to find out more from the genius marketers at Planters during an upcoming Super Bowl commercial, again Insurance For Texans is reminded about the a life seasoned with the salt of family and friends and how precious life is.

Insurance is Not a Shell Game

Wherever you are at on the spectrum of life, starting out or winding down, you have interests. Whether you want to protect your young family from the loss of income or leave a legacy for the grandkids or organization, you start out making educated choices to cover your interests and adjust along the way.

If growing a family didn't play into your plans, you may have parents, siblings, nieces and nephews or causes and cares you want to continue providing for after your departure, whether sudden like Mr. Peanut or not.

Most of this is accomplished through life insurance with term or permanent life insurance options.

You may hear of other options to life insurance, e.g., real estate investing, market investing and saving your money versus paying premiums, all of these are more risky than paying a premium for life insurance products.

There should not be any guesswork for taking care of your interests. Life insurance guarantees a death benefit in accordance with the premiums, or payments, you make to have your beneficiary or beneficiaries receive that benefit upon your death.

Whatever financial strategy you operate from, life insurance should always have a part in it.

Get Cracking

You will want to have a policy in place sooner rather than later. It is easier to qualify for a lower premium payment the younger and healthier you are.

If you are nearing your retirement years, you can still find products which fit your age and offer protection. However, it becomes increasingly harder for life insurance carriers to justify the risk, meaning life insurance becomes less affordable with a higher premium.

The best thing to do is take into account where you are at. How many working years do you have remaining? How many dependents do you have? What would happen if you were no longer around and your spouse and kids would have to go without your provision? Where are your kids at this point in life, e.g., just about to enter elementary, college, or about to start their own family?

Answers to these questions will help to determine how much coverage you will want and for whom.

It's All Butter

We know life insurance is about as fun as talking about your upcoming income tax payment. For Insurance For Texans, finding quality life insurance solutions is more than a part of our world, it's our service to you.

And because we are an independent insurance agency, we can spread our net in places many others can't to help find the best options for you.

If the worst-case scenario happens for your family suddenly or expected, we can help you put together a life insurance plan that will prove that your dedication to providing for you family was a tough nut to crack.

Enjoy life, but stay safe, Texas.