Heather RobinsonDURING THE course of my years as a life underwriter at Life of Jamaica, I have managed to convince several Jamaicans about the need to ensure that their families are protected in the event of their death or disability. During the early years of training the life insurance sales representatives receive, we are taught to bring to the attention of the prospect two alternatives.
The first and more pleasant option focuses on living. This option allows the prospect to prepare for education, home ownership and business opportunities among others. Goals are set and premiums and insurance coverages are calculated. Of course, the prospect must be able to pass a
medical examination.
ANNUAL REVIEW
The second option focuses sharply on the inevitability of death. Prospects are asked to explain how their families will survive without them, and even more basic, how and who will bury them.
The work of the life underwriter is not very different from that of the Cabinet members and senior civil servants who sit each year to come up with a budget to satisfy the demands of a country that basically is only interested in the more pleasant option stated above: living.
As a country, we are at that time again which we in life insurance refer to as the annual review. We face our clients, and seek to determine if their current coverages satisfy their
current needs.
So, too, the Cabinet goes into its annual retreat to determine who gets what from the income we generate through taxes, and other means, including borrowing. Each year, we
listen to hear what the minister of finance has to offer, how much it will cost and who will bear that cost. Those Jamaicans who religiously pay their life insurance premiums each month do so because they are responsible persons who care about their families, whether they live or die.
So, too, as a country we need to begin to focus our attention on ensuring that those who want to continue living here can do so in an environment that is not constantly being told about the number of
persons murdered last night.
Since hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans choose to insure themselves to protect their
families, why can't we as a nation identify the resources to ensure that those who are sworn to protect us have the most basic of tools with which to do a proper job that make the criminals in our society contemplate their own mortality?
I am not privy to the discussions that took place at the recent Cabinet retreat, but I can only assume that one of the most basic tools for the police modern ballistic testing equipment is a budgeted item that will become a reality.
This machine will be able to track criminals quicker, and since some believe that it is the fear of being caught that is the major deterrent to crime, then we should hopefully see a reduction in our murder rate.
RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS
While we await the announcements from the minister of finance, there must be something that as responsible citizens we can do. Perhaps we should just be more careful when getting into our motor vehicles by locking the doors immediately. Some of us can memorise licence plates or pass on information that Operation Kingfish is interested in knowing.
If you have never visited your local police station, perhaps now is a good time. There might just be some simple thing you could do to improve the conditions of work, or it could be something that a group of you could do together.
Insurance companies can only pay a beneficiary if all the premiums are up to date. Insured persons purchase life insurance because they want to ensure that their families can experience life after their death. Our government collects our taxes and we expect it to protect us so that we can live in peace. However, we must all realise that the best investment we can make right now is the one that improves our own
personal security.
Heather Robinson is a life underwriter and former Member of Parliament.
