A friend stopped me in the store to chat about her married daughter. She was effusive about the work I do with couples, and expressed her wish that her daughter join the mentoring program.
"I told her about it, but she said they are doing fine."
Doing fine.
So is my house and my car.
But every month I shell out money to pay premiums on an ongoing insurance policy. There is no sign of tornados on my ten day weather app, or screeching drivers careening down Alden Road. But we keep our coverage current. Even though we have paid out more than we rake in on a claim, I have no inclination to terminate.
Insurance is a reasonable expense, even if you never experience a fire or collision.
My mother lost everything in a flood fifteen years ago. The water came in her door and hoisted the refrigerator across the kitchen. She had to start over with new old furniture and a thrift store wardrobe. My sister beefed up her coverage to protect her in the future. When she finally moved back into her renovated apartment it was a relief. Not all her neighbors were so lucky.
Then in June of 2001 it happened again. She was disoriented when the police knocked on her door to evacuate her. The water line was four feet off the floor.
But the insurance company came through. As providence would have it we were in the process of buying our house and the answer was obvious. Use the insurance money to build her an apartment on the back. By Thanksgiving she slept under our common roof.
If you approach an agent after the damage has been done, you will have a tough time negotiating a deal. You need to already have it in place, signed and sealed.
Mentoring works if you start meeting months or years before the first storm. It can keep you sleeping under a common roof.
