R. Brian Fechtel, CFA, is a life insurance agent and founder of Breadwinners’ Insurance, providing consumers and financial planners the information they need, including analysis of life insurers’ financial statements.

That risk management is an inherent part of financial planning is an irrefutable truth. Just as all mortgage lenders make sure every homeowner has fire insurance before approving any loan and all new car buyers make sure their auto policy covers their purchase before they drive it off the dealer’s lot, almost all acknowledge that protecting against catastrophes is a financial planner’s paramount obligation, if not first imperative. Life insurance assessments and analysis, consequently, are an intrinsic part of any good and thorough financial planning done for individuals, families, or businesses.

The life insurance industry, however, has unfortunately not adopted the transparent practices that characterize the financial planning profession, having largely developed independently from its financial planning industry peers. This has resulted in some agents and financial planners...(Download PDF for full article)

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