Insurance wasn’t something I pursued, but it was something I fell into.  I was a project manager for a number of years, managing multi-million dollar projects for various companies like Bayer Healthcare, and Washington Mutual, to name a few.  But when 2008 hit, Washington Mutual went under as we all know, and like many other people, I was laid off.  I loved project management, but at that time no one was hiring project managers.  So I had to make a switch.  Jobs were limited, and when I came across an opportunity in insurance, I took it because I needed an income.  So I got my license and started a career in a new industry. It ended up being something that I love, and something that offered me many of the things that I loved about project management, and which I had natural strengths for:  working with people, every case is different and challenging, attention to detail, problem solving, ability to listen and have compassion for your client and their needs and desires for them and their family.   

We’re seeing a real crisis going on in this country.  People aren’t saving like they should, or are finding themselves under-prepared for retirement.  It is so important to take control of your finances and not depend on an employer or the government to do this for you.  It’s up to you.  There’s a reason why banks and the wealthy utilize these products to protect and grow their money, and minimize their financial risk. I believe that everyone should know the power of these products and leverage them to make their money work harder for them.  It’s fascinating all of the things that these products can do.  All of the problems they can solve for you, all the ways they can help facilitate the goals for your life, your family, or business while at the same time providing a safety net for when unforeseen things happen.  Planning ahead can save you a lot of heartache and stress in your life. 
 

We don’t work for an insurance company, we work for our clients.  And I want them to know that their needs, goals, and objectives for their lives are going to be put first, not a commission or an insurance companies objectives.  At Tenaya Insurance we don’t start with the product, we start with the client.  And this is because there is no way we can recommend a product when we have no idea what the clients needs are.  If a product doesn’t fit your needs or solve a problem for you, then why do you care about it?  It’s irrelevant at that point.  We start with the client and we learn about them first.  Our ultimate goal is to ensure that each client receives the best possible solution to fit them, period.   

My hope for my clients is that they build strong financial futures, and we help to make that happen by giving them access to the best solutions available.  I want them to be in a position of power in their lives and that comes by taking control of their finances, so that they have the ability to choose how, when, and where.  Not have decisions made for them because they don’t have the finances available.  I want their family’s and businesses to be protected while they grow and flourish so that they can focus on what’s important:  enjoying their life & their family.  

Problems don’t come up only Monday through Friday, between 8-5 pm.  My clients have the ability to reach me whenever they need me, and it’s my job to be there when they do. 

Absolutely.  We welcome referrals and we will provide them with the same high-level of customer service as we provided to you! 

Having the right insurance agent in your corner can be the difference between getting the absolute best solution in place for you, and not being able to obtain coverage at all.  There are really four main things you want to look for in an agent:  Objectivity (being able to place you with any carrier, and not serving a carriers needs first, but yours), extensive carrier and product knowledge, experience with challenging/hard to place cases, last but certainly not least, someone who provides high-level customer service.  You should have a life-long relationship with your agent.  Your needs will change throughout your life as you hit different stages:  marriage, kids, owning a business, retirement, etc. and your agent should be leveraging these products to make sure the solution you have in place continues to meet those needs.  And when the time comes when you and your family need to utilize the solutions you’ve put in place, your agent should be a source of support and guidance.   

It’s not about the insurance products, but about what problems these insurance products can solve for you. They can provide tremendous benefits to you throughout your life, as well as provide for your family or estate after you’re gone.  These products can pull double, triple, or quadruple duty for you depending on what you need.  It’s all about leveraging your money to work for you, instead of the other way around.  At the same time, things can happen in life that can have financially devastating consequences for you.  With insurance products what you’re doing is you are shifting the financial risk off of yourself and your family and/or business and putting that risk onto an insurance company to take on.  You are paying a reasonable premium to shield yourself from what could be catastrophic consequences, and that’s invaluable.  

There’s no such thing as a “one type fits all” product.  If anyone ever tells you that “everyone needs a term policy” or “everyone needs a whole life policy” for example, then that’s a red flag.  Let me explain why:  Every person’s situation is unique and what you need isn’t going to be the same as what your sister needs, or what your boss needs.   An agent who does the exact same policy for everyone isn’t very objective and certainly isn’t putting your needs first.  There are many different types of products on the market, and each one has it’s strengths and weaknesses and serves it’s purpose.  So while I can’t recommend any one specific product across the board, I can recommend that everyone should take a new look at life insurance products as a whole to see what they can do for you.  You just might be surprised! 

Just like with an individual, there is no such thing as a “one type fits all” kind of policy.  What is needed or best will vary for each business owner as their individual structure, needs and goals for their business’ will vary. But there are many ways that businesses can benefit from insurance policies:  buy/sell agreements, deferred compensation, a source of cash to support your business needs, or to infuse cash into your business down the line prior to selling, etc.  So even though I can’t recommend any one “product” that everyone should have, I do recommend looking at these products in general to see the many ways they can benefit and protect your business.

Absolutely!  When most people think about life insurance they immediately think that it’s something that gives you a death benefit when you die and that’s it.  This is because for decades this is how these products have been marketed to the public.  But this has done you a huge disservice because they are capable of giving you many benefits while you’re still alive, but most people are unaware of this.  We’re on a mission to change that.