As an insurance adviser it is interesting watching people's behaviour. Most people are put off talking to an insurance adviser because they might sell them something. I'll talk about that 'something' later.

As an insurance adviser I look at the big picture and sit across a number of disciplines. Insurance is the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, providing financial support in time of need and loss. Those times of need and loss can be wide ranging. From your possessions, to something happening to you or your family, to something happening to your business or your employees.

I work with people around their personal situation, their financial situation, their medical situation, their business environment. So I get a really intimate picture of people, probably more so than they think, and more than they give to any other individual or professional outside of their own home. This is a privilege and I treat it as such.

What this does mean is; I have practical exposure to many many situations and approaches and I see what works and what doesn't. I also see the dots joined together across government organisations, medical organisations and providers, accountants, banks, lawyers and a host of other professionals people engage in their lives.

Most of these professionals look after their bit, their little corner of your world. Me as your insurance adviser, look across all of them because all of them impact on your need for financial support at critical times in your life.

Take your funeral, every single non-family member or friend but one at your funeral, will be asking for money or sending you a bill. The Funeral Director, the Minister, the Caterer, the Florist, your Lawyer and if you have business interests your Accountant too. The only person at your funeral who will be fronting up with money to pay all of these bills is your Insurance Adviser. They will be there to the end, because you engaged them when you had risk that needed covering.

Why is this interesting?

Long before we get to your funeral those same professionals will be billing you for their time when you need and consult with them. They will be looking after their little corner of your world. When things get tough they'll tell you what you can do in their corner of the world and will still send you a bill.

As your insurance adviser, I get paid to look after you and your insurance policies so that you're protected. This is funded by the insurance company and for now, you as a client don't pay me directly for my services. I say for now as governments and regulators are always reviewing how our market works.

So it is interesting when people back themselves into a corner, usually due to a number of situations, medical, business, finance all at once. They go and talk to 4 or 5 different people who will work on a small portion of the problem and bill them for their time. This is rather than picking up the phone with their insurance adviser and saying, 'Hey I might need some help?' and discussing a bigger picture solution to the problem. 

Yes, the bigger picture might take a bit of time, but a well thought out plan will often save you time and money over the shotgun many people approach most people take.

If you have a large tax bill, your accountant won't make it go away, he can't fund it, your bank may not because it's tax. Your financial adviser will know how to put this together. Well this one would.

If you have a serious medical condition and you're not getting the treatment you need, yes we need medical people involved, but finding the best person/people and getting access to them is what I use your insurance policy for.

You need to pay the bills but you can't work, the bank won't help, your insurance guy will.

You have an accident and you're struggling with ACC, for you they're another confusing government department, to me they are another insurer and we work with them too.

Struggling with the paperwork, dealing with a medical situation, can't get out and about to get things sorted and just want to focus on recovering. That's what I'm here for. To take the pressure off, to bear the load and deal with the bureaucracy. 

In your time of need why wouldn't you call the one person who could help and isn't going to send you a bill?

Oh that's right, that 'something' we started with. That something will likely be something you need but also something you are reluctant to talk about and pay for, but you'll want it there when you really need it.

If you're in the 'stuk' it's not likely that we'll be selling anything, we'll be helping. Once you're through whatever is going on, then may be we talk about what is needed to make life easier for you the next time the steamroller of life runs you down. But this is just about having a plan. A plan that you decide, you control and I facilitate for you.

If you want to have a meaningful chat about your plan before the steamroller of life comes around again, talk to your insurance adviser, preferably me, but get some good advice.