I suppose that after more than 30 years in financial services, I could say that I have seen and experienced more financial ups and downs with clients than most.

From my first days back in 1979, it was a lesson soon learnt, that if I came across a prospect who was underinsured then it was expected that I should move heaven and earth to make sure that the prospect became a client and that his/her family would never have to suffer the indignities and the hardship that can be brought about by the loss of a breadwinner.

It’s a well known saying in our business that ‘you know when you are going to get old but you don’t know when you are going to die!’

The indisputable fact is that one never knows what is lying around the corner, something that has been uppermost in my mind whenever addressing an individual’s protection needs. The number of times that I have heard it said – ‘My god, I am so glad you persuaded my husband to take out that life assurance, I would be absolutely lost without it ‘.

In June last year, someone very close noted that his life assurance was due to mature and recognised the fact that steps would need to taken to reinsure. The person in question went through the neccessary steps to make sure that life cover was maintained.

Most of the life cover matured immediately before the London Olympics and it came as no surprise that the life cover in question was accepted at standard rates, having undergone both a full medical examination and received a private medical attendants report.

The remaining cover (30%) was due for renewal earlier this year and seemed to be a formality. Fate then took a hand, as only three months after renewal of the first tranche of life cover had been accepted, the unthinkable happened and cancer was diagnosed which mean’t that any chance of renewing that last element of life assurance was lost or at least deferred until a later date.

I am happy to report that the person in question seems to be making a full recovery having undergone extensive surgery and has been given the ‘all clear’ from the surgical team.

I make no apologies about sharing this story, you see that person was me.

It only goes to show, you can never tell what lies ahead. It would be easy to chastise myself for not renewing all life cover in one package as there was no reason to think or act differently, having said that and with the benefit of hindsight, I wish that I had, rather than have to wait for life assurers to make an underwriting decision in 18 months time.

So, the moral of the story, be alert, always check that your protection needs are upto date and don’t leave anything to chance.