State Farm Agent Honored for realLIFEstories

State Farm agent Chad Gregorini, Aspinwall, Pa., is honored this year by the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education's fifteenth annual realLIFEstories. Gregorini insured Pittsburgh Police Officer Stephen Mayhle with a term life insurance policy.

Mayhle was almost not insured. He wanted to cancel his life insurance because money was tight, and he thought his group life insurance policy would be enough, but Gregorini explained to Mayhle to provide for a young family, he needed more coverage, not less. Mayhle and his wife, Shandra, thought about it and decided to increase their coverage from a $50,000 universal life policy to a $250,000 20-year term policy.

Then tragedy struck. In the early morning hours in April, 2009, Mayhle and several officers responded to a domestic disturbance between a mother and son. When they arrived, the son opened fire, killing 29-year-old Stephen and two other officers.

After hearing about the shooting while in his car, Gregorini stopped by his office to get the Mayhle's address and drove to their home. While friends and family gathered, Gregorini let Shandra know everything was going to be okay. The insurance money helped ease the Mayhle family's mind about finances both for the present and the future.

"Shandra trusts that we will provide options that will help her do what is in the best interest of her and her daughters," says Gregorini. "I try to be open, honest and genuine with her so she can consider all her options."

"It's just what we do to take care of our customers," said Dick Paul, vice president - operations, State Farm Life Insurance Company and LIFE Foundation board member. "State Farm agents everywhere work hard to understand customer needs and offer the right products to meet those needs. Chad's story is one for all of us to learn from."

The nonprofit LIFE Foundation as part of its fifteenth annual realLIFEstories Client Service Awards recognizes insurance professionals for their outstanding services to a family or individual, while the personal experiences of those who benefit from life, long-term care, disability and health insurance are used to encourage Americans to examine their insurance needs.

The recipients will be honored at the annual convention of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

State Farm Life Insurance Company (Not licensed in Mass., N.Y. or Wis.);

State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company (Licensed in N.Y. and