Working hard to protect the hardworking

You never know when or where your most important life decisions will be made.

Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance agent Chad had been talking to the client for years. The customer, "Bob," was a busy man. As the owner of a sizeable heavy equipment operation, Bob didn't have a lot of time for paperwork or insurance. He certainly wasn't thinking about something "distant" like life insurance.

Chad, however, had his customer's best interest on his mind. Ever the diligent agent, Chad saw danger at every turn. Excavation is dangerous work, and years in the insurance business had taught Chad that unless Bob lived his life bundled in bubble wrap, he'd constantly be exposed on the job. Chad wanted what was best for his client, and that's protection for him, his family and property.

Soon after he'd purchased property and casualty insurance from Chad, one of Bob's rental homes went up in smoke. Chad was able to get a settlement completed quickly and the ever-skeptical Bob realized the value of insurance. But he still wasn't sold on any sort of life insurance plan.

"I think the fire proved to him that he needed protection," Chad says. "It certainly opened his mind to what else we had to offer, but it still took a long time to convince him about life insurance."

Bob eventually expressed interest and briefly picked up a term life plan, but Chad, knowing how hard Bob worked in a number of hazardous industries, kept pushing for a whole life plan that ensured his family would be taken care of no matter what. Bob balked at the cost, but eventually saw the value of a forever plan. The two sealed the deal in the front seat of one of Bob's dump trucks. It's one of the weirder places that Chad has had a policy signed, but it was more than fitting. Protecting those he loved most while on the job; that's Bob in a nutshell.

Turns out that Chad's dogged pursuit of a plan for Bob made a world of difference. Though Bob passed all his medical exams when he bought the term plan, just a couple years later he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. This is when his decision hit home: He'd done the right thing by listening to his agent.

Bob attacked cancer like he does everything else, with determination and hard work, and today he's cancer-free. Still, it took a life-altering event for Bob to see the value.

And Chad was happy to see his hard work pay off. Whether it's a first-time client or someone who has been with us for decades, Bob's case is a perfect example of why we do what we do. "This is what makes the job worth it," Chad says. "Doing the right thing for the customer is what it's all about." View all stories