June 2025

• Lost Life Policy…

  Did Mom or Dad have a life insurance policy, and you can't find out what carrier it is with? Their insurance company will do their best to reach out to beneficiaries but if their information is old, then it's possible that the company won't find them, but the information will still be around. Many companies search for 3 years, others have different time limits, but the good news is, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners has a lost policy search. Click here to search for a lost policy

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• Was your Life…

  If you have not been declined a life insurance policy, then skip this article! Speak with an agent. Being denied life insurance isn't always the end of the road! Sometimes it is, but still have a conversation with your agent, as he or she may have different options with guaranteed issue! Following this chart are suggestions on what to do if you have been declined. 🚫 20 Conditions That Typically Result in Life Insurance Denials Some medical and lifestyle conditions almost always result in a decline for traditional, fully underwritten life insurance. These are considered high-risk or uninsurable due to severity or poor prognosis. 🧬 Severe Medical Diagnoses Metastatic or Terminal Cancer Especially if currently under treatment or diagnosed within the last 5 years. End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Especially with ongoing dialysis or transplant pending. Advanced Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Particularly Class III or IV (NYHA). Severe COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) Especially…

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• Taking Your Kids to…

  Once upon a time, parents took their children to the bank to make deposits and withdrawals. Now that paychecks are electronically deposited, how else can children learn that a deposit needs to be made before money can be spent? How do they then learn other important financial skills such as investing and risk management? Printable Checklist: Taking Your Kids to the Bank Teach your kids about money by opening a savings account together! ☑️ Before You Go: 🔲 Choose a kid-friendly bank or credit union (ask if they offer youth savings accounts) 🔲 Set a goal: What is your child saving for? (Toy, trip, long-term savings, etc.) 🔲 Gather documents: 🔲 Parent’s photo ID (driver’s license or passport) 🔲 Child’s Social Security Number (or other ID as required) 🔲 Proof of address (like a utility bill) ☑️ At the Bank: 🔲 Introduce your child to the banker: “This is my son/daughter. We’re here to open their first savings account!” 🔲 Let your child fill out any forms with your help 🔲 Explain the…

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• The 7 Questions

  Risk Management begins with an objective assessment of what you are looking for and what your needs are. Answer these questions and reflect on what is the most important! Bill Whitley’s 7 Questions Answer these questions and click the button at the bottom to print your answers! 1️⃣ Who are the people you care about the most? 2️⃣ What are your most important assets? 3️⃣ What are the risks you worry about the most? 4️⃣ What’s your plan for unexpected events? 5️⃣ What do you want your financial legacy to look like? 6️⃣ Who do you trust to help you make financial decisions? 7️⃣ What’s the most important outcome you want to achieve from our conversation? 🖨️ Print My Answers This information is not stored on the server in anyway, press the print button to save them.

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May 2025

• Welcome Aboard

  Welcome to my humble abode. You will find many great and informative articles about various facets of insurance. If this is your first visit here, please take a few minutes to learn how to get the most out of this blog. Otherwise, jump right in.

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• Life Insurance…

  1️⃣ How do I Find Out How Much Life Insurance I need? Ultimately, deciding how much life insurance you need is based on how much money loved ones will need if you or your spouse were to pass away untimely. A 4 year old child needs a lot more than a 25 year old child. The tool on this article will allow you to calculate your own specific needs. 2️⃣ How is it calculated Simply by taking all of your liabilities and adding to it how much money your family will need and subtracting your assets that would be sold and any life insurance you already have. 3️⃣ Valuing Your Assets It is important to have an actual picture of the value of your assets. Looking at comparable sales, or even having an appraisal done will help make sure your calculations are correct, and will also help make sure you have the right P&C values on your property! 4️⃣ Put your calculations on paper so your family can discuss it Make the intangible tangible. Putting your results from this calculator, plus any other…

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• How do I know if…

  Introduction I often get asked, "Lenny What does insurance cover?" Sometimes its a really easy answer, sometimes it's easier to say what's not covered. Of course, insurance typically is reserved for things that are considered sudden and accidental, and not things that result from intentional acts or neglect. Insurance isn't designed as a substitute for proper maintenance. If you believe what happened may have been sudden and accidental, then it might be good to have a conversation with your agent to see if filing a claim is a good idea. In the future, we'll talk about ways you can use to determine if you should file a claim or not. Part of the goal of today's article is to give you some indication as to if something may be covered or not. Only a company's claims adjuster can determine if something is covered as they will review the policy manual of your specific policy to make sure there are no exclusions. What makes something “Sudden and Accidental”? Typically speaking…

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• X-RAY: eXamining…

  Why an Annual Review is Like a Dental X-Ray Your dentist emphatically suggests an annual X-Ray, why should your insurance agent do any different? Though your Teeth may look fine with just a visual check or even one done with the explorer and mirror, an X-ray will show defects which can mean the difference between a couple hundred dollars spent now and thousands of dollars spent later. Your annual review with your agent can do the same. Does your house have water backup or earthquake coverage? Would a few dollars spent now save you tens of thousands of dollars later? The Risks of Skipping Your Annual Review Outdated Coverage Limits - Has the value of your home increased more than your insurance company predicted? Do you have enough coverage under uninsured motorist to possibly cover some wage loss? Missed Discounts - Who wants to miss out on a discount? Life Changes Unaccounted For - What happens when you forget to add a car you bought? Or you added a building, or a new child? We won't…

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• The Deductible and…

  Since I've been in the world of insurance, I can't think of anything I've heard more often than "Lenny, I came here to lower my cost, not increase them!" Usually spoken with a hesitation and cracking voice, the person recognizes that yes, their family is undercovered - a true shame. My job is not just to save someone money when it comes to the premium payments, it's to put their family in a truly better position. There is often a better solution! The Teeter-Totter Effect: How Deductibles and Coverage Balance Each Other Many times, increasing your deductible can more than offset the increased cost of higher coverages. Sometimes, increasing the deductible will allow for some savings even after adding additional coverages! If your goal is to keep your premium the same or less, then Deductibles and Coverages become a teeter-totter. A deductible, more or less, puts more responsibility on you upfront. Increasing your coverages puts more responsibility on the insurance company in…

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• Who Am I?

  Leonard Burton, CLU®, BSBE Linked In Educational Pursuits: -2000, University of Kentucky: Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics -2023, American Agricultural Insurance Company: Certified AgAdvisor -2024, The American College of Financial Services: Chartered Life Underwriter Community Participation: PR Director, Seymour Evening Lions Club Senior Deacon, Six Mile Masonic Lodge, Hayden, IN Member, Jackson Masonic Lodge, Seymour, IN Member, Moose Lodge, North Vernon, IN Member, Columbus Amateur Radio Club Insurance Industry Pursuits 2019 to 2022 Good to Go Insurance, Agent 2022 to Present Indiana Farm Bureau, Agent Family: Wife - Sierra 5 Year Old Twins - Nicholas and Silas

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• Why Am I Doing This?

  I have started this blog, PolicyDad, to share some of my insights in regards to Risk Management, Twin Parenting, and how the two are nearly identical. I will share some facts in regards to how insurance works, and I will also share how the strategies insurance companies specialize in can be used to make your family better off. I came to the world of insurance in 2019 at the age of 42, and it forever changed my life. On my fifth day in the world of insurance, I found out my wife was carrying a baby - Two weeks later, I found out it was twins. Risk management has defined my life, not only professionally, but raising and protecting my family. Though insurance is a part of this Risk Management, there are other ways I manage our risks, and I hope that you can employ some of them as well. To Help Families Protect What Matters Most I want you to sleep soundly at night knowing that if something happens, you have been able to take care of your family. Yes, this starts with an insurance policy…

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