“The right kind of life insurance is going to be best determined by the individual,” said Connie Croom in a recent interview. Over his years of experience with the insurance industry, Croom has consistently learned—and taught—that no one insurance scenario is the same as another.
Croom, who is the Principal of ELDERS Insurance Services, is a stalwart advocate for everyone—including young people—to be properly insured.
During his thirties (Croom is in his forties now), he sustained a serious back injury which persisted for three years, consistently jeopardizing his ability to earn a living. This strain on his body led to a strain on his income, which ultimately hurt his entire family. According to Croom, the primary reason why people lose their homes and file for bankruptcy is health or injury-related.
After personally experiencing the nightmare of being underinsured. Croom has become an advocate for the uninsured and underinsured, whether they need life insurance, income protection, or other types of insurance.
Whenever possible, he stresses to young adults the importance of getting insurance early; it’s a smart health and financial decision.
“Guess what? Insurance gets more expensive as you age,” said Croom.
In his position at ELDERS Insurance Services, an insurance brokerage operating in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, he’s also come to promote the value of life insurance.
“If a child, a spouse, a life partner, or a parent depends on you and your income, you need life insurance,” said Suze Orman, the television famous financial advisor and author, in a statement that echoes Croom’s sentiment.
One misconception that Croom tries to clear up is that life insurance is just for the elderly; many people nowadays actually use life insurance to leave something behind for their siblings, parents, and charitable organizations. Another common misconception is that the process behind getting life insurance has to be intimidating or invasive.
“It felt like such a chore, like cleaning the house and everything,” explained Croom, “today what we do is we leverage technology.”
Through ELDERS Insurance Services’ adaptive use of technology, an agent never even needs to enter a prospective client’s home. Consultation can take place over the phone or video chat, with incredible options available to those who seek the latter.
“I can give them access to my screen so they can see as I enter their information and click on certain tabs, and see the monthly premiums that will be required,” explained Croom. By giving clients direct access to the agent’s screen, Croom and his staff facilitate open communication and transparency.
“You don’t have to feel like you’ve invited Dracula in and there’s no way to get him out,” joked Croom, referring to experiences some people have had in the past when dealing with insurance agents.
In the same conversation, Croom gave advice on what people should look for with insurance agents.
“An agent can’t walk into any one situation and say, you’re going to need three hundred thousand [dollars of insurance]. If [an insurance rep] says that, run from them,” said Croom. “They need to listen to you, ask questions about what your intentions are, and what your needs are.”
He further explained that ELDERS Insurance Services is backed by many years of experience offering clients individualized, personal advice.
“We only deal with top rated carriers, and have access to more than 50 companies, so we are able to give you the best value,” he concluded.