JW Ideal candidates for Life Insurance?

by MNLifeAgent 36 Replies latest jw friends

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  MNLifeAgent

  Hello Everyone!

  I am not a Jehovah's Witness, although I do respect your religion entirely. I am 27 years old, and live in Minnesota. I have an older cousin, who's mother (not with my uncle -separated when my cousin was a baby) had been a witness, grew up in your word, and about 12 years ago she fully converted. I was always really close to her, and I spent my youth listening to her read me the bible and show me scriptures, and after she came into the word, she met her current husband and has made everyone beyond proud of her. She is an ideal parent, she puts her husband before her, she is kind and caring, generous and humble, she is healthy and active, and in all ways she has seemed to excel. Her children... who are all teenagers....two from her husband's previous marriage are such well rounded people! She lives in Wisconson, but when she visits I join her for meeting at the Kingdom Hall, when I go to visit them I listen to their prayers, and partake in bible study.... So where am I going with all of this?

  A few months back I went through the courses and state exams to obtain my insurance licence, selling health insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance. I am independently contracted so I have the opportunity to create my own business, and market to whoever and whichever areas I feel the most passion about. I am a mother of a 6 year old, and I have worked almost too much to ensure a roof over her head, and electric/utilies paid sometimes... I decided I wanted to sell insurance after a night of sweeping my kitchen and cleaning the house, after working countless hours, while my little girl contently occupied herself in the livingroom, in a moment the only thought that popped into my head is, you are missing out on this, you will never get this time back, and you dont have any time. If I were to die that night after all the blood sweat and tears to keep us happy and to make her feel safe... she would be alone, without a mother, and without a penny left to help her. The only asset I own is my vehicle which would probably be sold to pay for the funeral. This is when I realized the importance of life insurance, to be able to keep your family going, on track, to accomplish what you are supposed to, if we were to pass away while they are young.

  Not long ago I was driving out to my parents, and I was thinking of a good demographic of people who not only would appreciate the idea of setting up their family for success, but also who would be the "preferred standard" in the insurance agencies eyes. That is when my cousin's family photo popped into my head. Jehovah's witnesses are good people, many in great health, not heavy drinkers, not smokers, not felons, family and church orientated. I did some more digging into it, and found that with life insurance policies, you can add "charitable giving riders" to your church for the amount up to a million dollars (that is not including the benefit already going to your family)

  This really excited me, because I saw it as a way to give some peace of mind knowing your family can continue down your path, and they wont have to ask for a hand out, and also, with the passion you hold for your organization, you can feel good knowing you will be able to donate so much if something were to happen. I really want to get all of this in presentation form, and present it to someone at the Kingdom Hall here in town if it is something the community thinks is a just cause. I know there is stipulations about giving a presentation as a women, but maybe just the information would be helpful.
  
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  schnell

  I really want to get all of this in presentation form, and present it to someone at the Kingdom Hall here in town if it is something the community thinks is a just cause. I know there is stipulations about giving a presentation as a women, but maybe just the information would be helpful.
  

  Regardless of your gender, I will tell you that this commercial presentation isn't going to happen at a kingdom hall. Many here are also ex-JWs as well.

  Good luck on your endeavors, hope all goes well for you.
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  MNLifeAgent

  I do understand that, but I am coming at this from a bias point-of-view. I had researched, and I know many Witnesses have obtained Life Insurance for their families... some even hold multiple policies. All I know is that in the eyes of an Insurance company, a JW is a really good candidate. My questions are leaning more towards, who would I want to talk to, maybe how would be a good way to approach without overstepping the boundaries. When I say presentation I dont mean a powerpoint with a laser light. It could be just a sit down with the families and a few Elders... it could be set up like a question and answer, I just want to be able to educate the community that their life style choices have made them good candidates without them doing anything but following Jehovah.
  
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  schnell

  You'd talk to the families, and have something to show them at their own convenience. If they're interested, they're interested, but it won't be held in any Kingdom Hall. JWs are told not conduct or solicit business there, even in the parking lot.
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  MNLifeAgent

  Thank you :)
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  smiddy

  What you would need to do is approach Jw`s individually by whatever means you find to identify them .As pointed out the organisation will be no help to you here,

  And I wouldnt hold my breath in thinking you are going to make a killing or even enough to put food on the table selling life insurance to a JW.

  No bona fide JW is going to buy life insurance , no way .Armageddon is always just around the corner so no need for life insurance.

  In fact being a JW is in itself life insurance ,this system cant last more than 5 years ,why do I need life insurance ?

  If I happen to die I will be resurrected ,why do I need life insurance.?

  You obviously have little or no knowledge of the beliefs of Jehovahs Witnesses.

  Do yourself a favour and look elsewhere because you will have no success their.

  Good luck with your career.
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  schnell

  Smiddy speaks an unfortunate observation about your average JWs. Not all, of course, and in fact there are many JWs who sell insurance products. I was a life agent myself for a time, though I never made a sale.

  At my work, I have practically all the insurance I can get through my employer. Investment and retirement savings too. It's a thing for me. My dad was on the phone with his insurance company and trying to save some money, and I will always remember his words: "I'm not gonna die any time soon." He canceled his life insurance policy. He was diagnosed with terminal adenocarcinoma shortly thereafter. After he died, my mom was just a year too young to collect his social security benefit, so I had to take care of her.

  Sad story is sad.
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  smiddy

  schnell , when i converted to the JW`s in 1960 I was an eager couldnt get enough of the material I was absorbing for about 18 months then I had a hiccup where I was a bit stumbled for a short time by people.

  The presiding overseer and his brother the assistant overseer both a prominent family in this congregation were both insurance salesmen .

  I was inactive for a couple of months and recieved a visit from the PO who tried to sell me life insurance and he didnt succeed ,a few weeks later his brother the assistant PO came and intimated that his brother might have been a bit full on in trying to sell me life insurance and he was being a bit more subtle ,but still trying to sell me life insurance, Both of them doing this because they thought I had given completely away what I thought was the truth.

  Weeks later I was in another congregation and another congregation and another congregation in another state and 33 years later I woke up .

  Why didnt I wake up with the PO and also his brother , trying to sell me life insurance because they thought I had given the religion away ?
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  dozy

  Hi MNLife & welcome to the board. It is an interesting opportunity & I hope you don't mind me replying in some length - I was a JW for 40 years & worked in financial services , so I do have some limited experience in this area.

  The first thing to realise is that most posters here are ex_JWs. You won't find a JW forum as it isn't approved by the religious leaders, though you may find some unofficial Facebook groups etc. The religion isn't something you should "have respect for" as it is basically a cult or perhaps more accurately and less prerogatively , a MLM religious literature distribution business masquerading as a religion.Members don't "follow Jehovah" - they follow the constantly changing dictates of their religious leaders in a similar manner to groups like the LDS church & Scientologists.

  With regard to your specific enquiry , statistically JWs are probably no better or worse in terms of lifestyle or conduct than "worldly" (ie non JW) members. For example , physical exercise isn't really encouraged as it takes time away from JW activities. In my old congregation ( 120 members ) only 2 people had gym memberships , which I would assume is somewhat below the national average. Do some research - perhaps sit in your car outside a JW meeting or attend a convention & observe the health and age demographics of JWs in general ( in most Western countries , the demographic is quite elderly , like most churches. ) The ban on JWs being allowed to accept blood transfusions or blood products that aren't approved by the religious leaders also provides an additional risk factor especially amongst vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and the elderly.

  You are correct in stating that as a woman you would have difficulty in persuading the elders to give a presentation as women are traditionally regarded as second class citizens in the JW religion. For example , women are not even allowed to hold a microphone in meetings and if a 12 year old baptised male is present in a meeting before going out in field service and there are no baptised older males , a woman who takes the meeting is obliged to put a hat on to indicate her submission.

  As a "worldly woman" ( in JW parlance ) your status is even lower - essentially , bird food. Non JW women are generally depicted in JW publications as having poor morals & materialistic attitudes. Recently a JW religious leader was questioned by a female lawyer in a Royal Commission investigating child abuse in the JW religion in Australia ( google for details ) and his contempt at being grilled by a woman is quite obvious.

  Your best option would be to approach the JW headquarters for your country but you can be sure that the religious leaders / administrators would not be interested. Possibly the only person who might be able to broker such a deal would be a well connected high-up long standing JW with lots of connections who could prove some kind of financial benefit for the organisation. In my country (UK) on occasions this has proved successful , with regard to supplies for construction materials , convention hotel bookings etc.

  With regard to life insurance , for many years this was actively discouraged by the JW religious leaders. My father didn't have any life insurance or pension , and he had no savings and I have 2 siblings. In more recent times , however , this policy has softened , but many JWs still regard life insurance as a waste of money as they have been informed ( for nearly 140 years ) that Armageddon is coming very very soon.

  Sorry to put a dampener on your idea & best wishes for the future.
  
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  sir82

  Jehovah's witnesses are good people, many in great health, not heavy drinkers,

  Hoo-boy!

  Yep, you are clearly unfamiliar with JWs.

  JWs are pretty much the single demographic that manages to keep both Anheuser-Busch and Astra-Zeneca profitable.