You have to take care of your family first when you’re in this business. Some years ago, I looked at the situation with my own parents and I realized my father, an anesthesiologist, didn’t really have enough coverage, and he wouldn’t talk to anyone about benefits. He didn’t want more.

But I could give him a push as his son, and he listened to me. I had support in that my mom worked as a telemarketer for a long-term care insurance company. So she had been telling my dad, “We need to get this.” Regardless, he didn’t do it, and I had to keep pushing. Did I like pushing? No, but I’m his son and I knew this was important. He needed the coverage.

Finally, he got a great deal more life insurance coverage. He also added long-term care, even though he told me, “I don’t want it. If I were ever sick, I wouldn’t want to live that way.” I just kept pushing him and eventually he said, “Yes, OK.” And he did it. He was actually approved preferred, which is hard to do in long-term care.

Fast forward a few years later: He got sick. Doctors diagnosed him with a rare illness: corticobasal syndrome. Unfortunately, he was told he had to retire.

It was downhill from there. Soon after, he was under a claim for long-term care. That plan he wasn’t paying much for, and that he didn’t want, is paying for his nursing home today.

Doctors gave him a terminal diagnosis. The life insurance claim paid out about 99% of the benefit. To have that and to be able to take care of his own family meant a lot to my dad. To this day, I believe my father has a desire to live because of that. He got to meet my children, who we didn’t have before he got sick.

It’s a tough illness and a difficult life for my dad. However, I don’t know how my family would be today if that coverage wasn’t there.

Yakov Baylis is a three-year MDRT member from Downers Grove, Illinois. Contact him at yakov.baylis@prudential.com.