Fraternal insurers take service to a whole new level.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” 

Every day children are asked this question. Some of their usual answers are “fireman,” “nurse” or “teacher,” because these professions sound exciting and doing these jobs means saving lives or helping people. No child ever says, “I want to work for a life insurance company when I grow up!” 

Working for an insurance company means helping people, too. Maybe you don’t get to carry someone out of a burning building, or heal people's wounds, or teach people how to read, but you are still helping people.

So why is it that there aren’t more people who want to help people by selling life insurance to them, and more specifically, by selling them life insurance from a fraternal life insurance company? Maybe it’s because there are many misconceptions about insurance careers and little awareness of fraternal organizations. Let’s see if I can dispel some of those misconceptions for you and at the same time shed light on fraternal organizations.

As people prepare to enter the workforce, one of their first considerations when choosing a career is opportunity. Are there good jobs available? What will be the level of competition? Great opportunities exist in the insurance industry today, and these opportunities will only increase in the near future. The majority of current employees in the insurance industry are 45 years of age or older, and this percentage is even higher among the sales force. Industry executives are becoming increasingly aware of this problem when planning for succession and sustainability. CEOs are hungry for new, young talent. There are real opportunities for not only current sales and administrative positions, but also for future management positions.

What’s more, the insurance industry needs young people who are willing to innovate and take on new challenges. Regulations, distribution techniques and associated technologies are changing every day, and the industry needs people who have the skills to face those challenges head on, opening up even more opportunities.

Job security also has to be considered by people preparing to enter the workforce. The insurance industry certainly offers this. Everyone needs life insurance — this fact is not going to change. And most Americans feel they are underinsured. But they don’t always connect with older agents. They want to talk to someone their own age — someone who is experiencing the challenges of raising a family and buying a first home at the same time they are. 

Furthermore, people often have a desire to give back to their community in positive ways and make a difference in the lives of others. An insurance career, especially life insurance, satisfies this desire. The financial support and peace of mind that agents provide to families make ours a truly altruistic profession.

And this is where fraternal insurers make an even greater impact. Fraternal benefit societies operate as not-for-profit organizations. The premiums paid by life insurance policyholders are invested and then returned to members and the greater community in a multitude of ways. There are no stockholders — just people helping people. Fraternal insurers take service to a whole new level as they offer customers opportunities for community service and other life-enrichment experiences. This means we’re helping people today, just as much as we’re preparing them for tomorrow with life insurance. To learn more about how fraternal organizations work and what makes them so special, visit the American Fraternal Alliance’s website.

A career in fraternal insurance could mean a job in sales, but it could also mean a career as a community service director, a youth programs leader, a member specialist or another exciting role.

So let me ask the question again: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” If you are now thinking about a career in the fraternal insurance industry, call me. I may have a job for you!

Buddy Preuss is President/CEO of Hermann Sons Life Insurance in San Antonio, Texas. This fraternal life insurance organization serves nearly 70,000 members in Texas.