September 1, 2026 NAIFA

Life insurance is for real life

By Kevin Mayeux

Artificial intelligence is changing nearly every customer experience, including how people shop for insurance and financial advice. Yet as technology becomes more sophisticated, something surprising is happening: Consumers are placing even greater value on human relationships when it comes to their most important financial decisions.

The latest 2026 Insurance Barometer Study by Life Happens and LIMRA bears that out. Among consumers who want to work with a financial professional, 53% say they are looking for something technology can’t provide: a personal connection. They want one-on-one conversations with someone they trust — whether in person, over the phone or by video. Their priorities are reflected perfectly in this year’s Life Insurance Awareness Month theme: “Life insurance is for real life.”

Financial decisions are rarely just about dollars and cents; they are also about protecting the people we love, preparing for the unexpected, building a legacy and finding confidence in an uncertain world. Those conversations require trust, empathy and understanding, qualities that can’t be programmed into an algorithm.

That’s where financial professionals make the difference. In addition to recommending policies, they listen to concerns, answer difficult questions, recognize emotions that aren’t spoken aloud and help families make decisions they’ll live with for years. AI may become a valuable assistant, but it will never comfort a widow, reassure anxious parents or celebrate with a client who achieves a lifelong financial goal.

Life insurance is for real life because it protects families through life’s biggest moments, many of which are deeply personal milestones that deserve thoughtful guidance from someone who understands each family’s unique circumstances.

That’s why Life Happens, a NAIFA community, created LIAM more than two decades ago as a nationwide public awareness campaign. Every September, financial professionals, carriers and consumer advocates come together to remind Americans that life insurance is one of the most important ways families can protect the people and dreams they care about most.

What can financial professionals do to make the most of LIAM? In short: Start more conversations. One of the advantages of NAIFA membership is that our members don’t have to create their own campaign from scratch. Through Life Happens, NAIFA members have access to a comprehensive library of professionally designed LIAM resources, including social media graphics, videos, animations, digital flyers, client education materials and more, making it easy to engage clients and prospects throughout September. If you’re not a NAIFA member, here’s what all advisors can do to engage in LIAM:

» Reach out to clients and prospects. LIAM provides the perfect opportunity to encourage people to review their life insurance coverage and overall financial plans.

» Share Real Life Stories. Stories about how life insurance (or the lack of it) affected real families (your clients) often resonate far more than statistics ever could.

» Engage your community. Partner with chambers of commerce, community organizations, local businesses, churches or other groups to offer educational workshops and resources about financial planning and the role life insurance plays in protecting families.

AI is here to stay, and that’s not a bad thing. Used wisely, it can help financial professionals save time, improve efficiency and better serve their clients. But technology works best when it supports human relationships instead of replacing them. It cannot build trust, earn confidence or help families navigate life’s most emotional financial decisions.

This September, I encourage every financial professional to focus on real life. Have those one-on-one conversations. Share a Real Life Story.

Help families understand what life insurance can mean when it matters most. Because even in an age of remarkable technology, consumers continue to value something AI can never replace: a trusted advisor who listens, understands and genuinely cares.