Preparing for the unexpected is not just something Country Financial Agent Jessie DeHaan helps her clients do. For 12 years, DeHaan has lived the unexpected and uses that as a catalyst to provide her clients with expert financial advice.
A mother of two children, Morgan and Nathan, DeHaan worked as an assistant to her husband, Country Financial Agent Randy, while she held flexible schedule in order to be available for their two children.
But when Randy was diagnosed with and passed away from a brain tumor in 2005, Jessie was given the opportunity to take over his book of business and clients.
“At that point, I had a really hard decision to make,” she said. “I’d had the rug torn out from under me. I’m now mom and dad. My kids were 7 and 9. Do I also want to take on the role of running a business?”
But DeHaan said with the help of family, friend and clients, she decided to continue her husband’s work and carry on the relationships they had made through the company.
“I really wanted the opportunity to continue to take care of (Randy’s) clients,” she said. “I gave comfort to those clients at that time knowing that I was familiar with them and their families. It wasn’t just some new person coming in.”
Through the tragedy of losing her husband, DeHaan also learned about the importance of planning for the unexpected.
“I’ve lived the other side of it,” she said. “Had Randy not had a good (life) insurance plan, I may not be in my same situation today, whether or not I took over his business.”
Now, DeHaan’s main goal is to protect families. While the State mandates auto insurance and banks make clients have home insurance on their home, life and disability insurance are not required.
“But really those are the two most important things that you can do for your family,” she said.
“All insurance is protection for your financial security. If you found yourself in an unfortunate situation, you have an insurance company there to back you up. I never want families to go through hardship, but I can provide help for that.”
DeHaan believes that because the Mahomet community has been so supportive of her as she raised her children, that she can also help provide for opportunities in the community.
Her children were in Mahomet Parks and Recreation programs throughout school, so she first gave to help other Mahomet children have athletic opportunities. Over the years, DeHaan has helped provide opportunities such as Relay for Life, Money Smart Kids, Dawgapalooza and the Bulldog Open, among others.
“I couldn’t volunteer as a coach, so I wanted to give back in a different way,” she said.
Now that her children are grown and Jessie has more free time on her hands, she hopes to be able to physically volunteer in the Mahomet community more often.
Life insurance policies issued by COUNTRY Life Insurance Company® and COUNTRY Investors Life Assurance Company®, Bloomington, IL.
