Brooke Shields has been named the new spokesperson for Life Insurance Awareness Month by the initiative’s sponsor, Life Happens.
The national nonprofit dedicated to educating consumers about the importance of life insurance and other related products for sound financial planning, on May 7 announced its partnership with the actress, model, designer, and mother to drive home the importance of life insurance as a financial priority to U.S. consumers.
Serving as an executor of a friend’s will, Shields saw firsthand the unique challenges that arise when someone passes without life insurance. These experiences – coupled with a deep commitment to protecting her family financially – reinforced for Shields the importance of life insurance and teaching her daughters about financial planning and how it is a key component of personal strength and independence.
Through the partnership with Life Happens, her goal is to demonstrate both the financial and emotional benefits that come from prioritizing life insurance.
“Life insurance has given me peace of mind that, no matter the circumstance, my family is financially protected now and in the future,” Shields said. “This isn’t anything I was taught growing up. It’s a life lesson I learned on my own and want to share with others.”
“The Blue Lagoon” star and Calvin Klein jeans model also knows that life insurance isn’t something most people want to think about. “It may seem scary and even unattainable at first, but life insurance is much more affordable than most people realize, and the certainty it offers is invaluable,” Shields said. “I’m thrilled to be supporting Life Happens by sharing the message about the value of life insurance so more people can protect their loved ones.”
The 2019 Life Insurance Barometer Study by Life Happens and LIMRA found that only 57% of Americans have life insurance, and four in 10 households without it would immediately struggle to pay living expenses if their primary wage earner died.
The risk to a family’s financial stability if they forgo life insurance is incredibly high, and yet there are still many Americans who are living without it, leaving them vulnerable. Through its partnership with Shields, Life Happens seeks to reverse this damaging trend by reinforcing the need for families to take long-term financial planning seriously, consider the benefits of life insurance, and take financial control now.
“Brooke truly understands the role of life insurance in investing in her children’s future, and like all parents, she wants to teach them about financial preparedness so that they can successfully navigate their own life journey,” said Faisa Stafford, President and Chief Financial Officer of Life Happens. “By sharing her experiences with life insurance and helping to highlight the educational resources we have for consumers, she’s supporting our efforts to encourage others to secure their family’s financial future with life insurance.”
As part of the partnership, Shields will serve as the national spokesperson for Life Insurance Awareness Month, the annual awareness campaign coordinated by Life Happens and supported by the nation’s leading insurance companies and industry groups each September.
Shields follows in the footsteps of prior LIAM spokespersons Danica Patrick (2016-2018), Anthony Anderson (2015), Boomer Esiason (2013-2014) and more as the face of the September awareness campaign.
Shields’ story will be shared through a national TV and radio public service announcement (PSA) program that will begin broadcasting this summer and continue until the end of the year. The PSAs will be available on the Life Happens website, along with educational information and interactive tools such as Life Happens’ Life Insurance Needs Calculator to help consumers evaluate their own life insurance needs and get the protection they need.
About Life Happens: Life Happens is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers take personal financial responsibility through the ownership of life insurance and related products. The organization does not endorse any product, company or insurance advisor. Since its inception in 1994, Life Happens has provided the highest quality, independent and objective information for people seeking help with their insurance buying decisions. The organization supports the insurance industry by providing marketing tools and resources through its Life Happens Pro platform, and convening the industry each September for Life Insurance Awareness Month. Life Happens is supported by more than 140 of the nation’s leading insurance company and financial services organizations. To learn more, visit www.lifehappens.org.
