Keeping the Lights On When Life Goes Wrong
By Kendra Shattuck
Legacy Peak Insurance Advisers
When I was a kid, my dad was in a car accident that nearly killed him. He spent nine months in a hospital bed and came through two major surgeries. What nearly broke us wasn’t just the fear of whether or not he would be okay — it was the massive medical bills. Even worse, the family construction company went bankrupt without Dad at the helm. One night we packed up what we could and fled the state with our animals, terrified of being found and having everything taken away. By the time I was in my mid-thirties, our family had been through three bankruptcies, every one of them because of my dad’s health problems. I carry that story with me everywhere I go.
But, I also watched a family I know go through the same scenario. The difference was they had supplemental benefits in place, and it showed. They stayed in their house. The groceries kept showing up on the table. The lights stayed on. Nobody had to flee in the middle of the night. They had a hard season — not the end of their world. That’s what supplemental coverage does: it fills the gaps health insurance doesn’t, like the mortgage and the everyday bills that don’t pause when you can’t work. I can’t change what happened to my family. But I can help make sure fewer families around here go through it. So here’s my ask: check with your employer to see if you have supplemental benefits available. And if you’re not sure where to start, I’m happy to walk through it with you. You can reach out to me at 720-300-9011.
I still remember what that night felt like — and that’s why I do what I do. Because when health fails, families shouldn’t lose everything.
