Five Insurance Lessons from ‘The Town’

Since The Town isn’t about insurance salespeople, you might wonder what this movie can teach you about insurance. Admittedly, I wasn’t thinking about insurance as I watched. There is no doubt the smash ‘em and shoot ‘em up factor is over-blown by the movie, but art imitates life. By looking at extreme situations, you can take away some lessons that apply to our own, more mundane lives regarding being protected from various catastrophes.

So, here is what you can learn…

Lesson One:

Have higher Uninsured and Underinsured limits on your car insurance. While hopefully you’ll never get caught in the middle of a car chase in the North End and get rammed, you can easily be hit by someone with insufficient insurance in a traffic accident or even as a pedestrian. In a nutshell, it will pay for your physical injuries if you’re hit by a car that has no insurance or not enough insurance. Don’t assume that the other guy will have enough coverage because he might not, and then what will you do? It could be a hit-and-run, and there is no one to hold responsible. Don’t skimp on this coverage…put yourself first.

Lesson Two:

Collision coverage is worth it! When you’re not at fault in a car accident, you expect the other guy to pay to fix your car. What about a hit-and-run? There’s no one to hold responsible, or if they catch the person, what if they don’t have coverage? Collision pays to fix your vehicle regardless of who is at fault. Without it, you’d be paying out of pocket. Every time you watch a car chase and say “WHOA” when they collide, imagine it was your car. Collisions happen every day.

Lesson Three:

CRASH! BANG! SMASH! Lots of vehicles being wrecked and lots of commercial and residential property being shot up…certainly gets your adrenaline going. Imagine if you had to write a check to pay for it! While gunfire probably isn’t a common type of property damage, there are plenty of other situations that can destroy your stuff. Can you imagine what it cost The Town to demolish all those vehicles and other property? No wonder it costs $10.75 to go to the movies.

Lesson Four:

Don’t delay getting life insurance! Luckily, most of us won’t be robbed at gunpoint or be caught in the crossfire of a gun battle. But watching people running for cover and being shot reminds you that “You just never know when it could happen.” The end of life is certainly not something I like to dwell on, but we learn that lesson every day when we hear of someone passing away. Before being in insurance, I always thought of the emotional toll on a family, but now I also think of the financial stress on a family left behind. The lesson is to get your ducks in a row. It’s the only way to protect your loved ones.

Lesson Five:

Business owners need to consider lots of risks. Beyond the above-mentioned property and vehicle damage, insurance policies can cover employee dishonesty, crime (stolen cash), workers’ compensation, group health, life and disability, and so on.

Insurance may not be the subject of any movies you’re watching…wouldn’t that be a snoozer? But, if you look at the storyline, there is almost always a point where insurance will be involved to help people pick up the pieces and get back on their feet after a catastrophe. The value of having a good insurance agent is that they can help you anticipate situations and make sure you have the proper protection. Insurance isn’t about planning for everyday accidents; it’s about preparing for significant unexpected events.