Life Happens Seeks Applications for 2017 Real Life Stories Client Service Recognition Program

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --  Life Happens, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating Americans about the importance of life insurance, today announced that it is now accepting entries for the 2017 Real Life Stories Client Service Recognition Program. This annual program seeks to gather and publicize compelling stories of the role insurance has played in helping families and businesses in times of great financial need.

Insurance professionals are encouraged to share their life, disability or long-term care insurance success stories through their applications, which will be evaluated by an independent judging panel. The four winning stories will be featured through Life Happens' national consumer educational awareness campaigns. By winning this recognition, industry professionals will have the opportunity to share their best client success story on a national level and leverage the use of the professionally produced promotional materials that Life Happens will create.

"This annual program gives insurance professionals the ability to leverage the most powerful marketing tool – the stories of real people who have experienced the benefits of these products first hand," said Marvin H. Feldman, CLU, ChFC, President and CEO of Life Happens. "These stories provide the best example of the importance of having adequate insurance protection. We encourage agents across the industry to share their client success stories to be recognized for their outstanding work and help educate more consumers about the role insurance plays in achieving a financially secure future for their loved ones."

Life Happens is seeking stories in the following three categories:

• Life Insurance, Death Benefits (Individual and/or Workplace) – The story should pertain to the real-life experience of a family and/or business whose financial situation was aided by the death benefits provided through the policy(ies) involved.
• Disability or Long-Term Care Insurance (Individual and/or Workplace)  – The story should pertain to the real-life experience of an individual who became disabled or ill or who required long-term care services, but who, thanks to the benefits of insurance, has or had the financial means to maintain his/her quality of life.
• Individual Life Insurance – Cash Values or Living Benefits or Critical Illness Rider –  The story should pertain to the real-life experience of a family and/or business that utilized a policy's cash values/living benefits/critical illness rider in some way, and may have been aided by a policy's death benefits as well.

How to apply
To enter, insurance agents must complete an application form, as well as an essay describing their Real Life Stories. The application form is available at www.lifehappens.org/reallife and rules can be viewed here. The deadline to submit an entry is October 31, 2016 at 4:00 pm ET.

Program awards and benefits
Award recipients will be chosen by an independent judging panel consisting of journalists, regulators, legislators, educators and business leaders. The four best stories, as determined by the judging panel, will be featured through Life Happens' consumer educational campaigns in video and flyer formats.

About Life Happens
Life Happens is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers take personal financial responsibility through the ownership of life insurance and related products. The organization does not endorse any product, company or insurance advisor. Since its inception in 1994, Life Happens has provided the highest quality, independent and objective information for people seeking help with their insurance buying decisions. The organization supports the insurance industry by providing marketing tools and resources and convening the industry each September for Life Insurance Awareness Month. Life Happens is supported by more than 150 of the nation's leading insurance company and financial services organizations. To learn more, visit www.lifehappens.org.

Contact:
Julie Holsinger
Life Happens
703-888-4446
jholsinger(at)lifehappens(dot)org

Mollie Young
Weber Shandwick
212-445-8482
myoung(at)webershandwick(dot)com

SOURCE Life Happens