It’s the American tradition.

Whether shopping for groceries, clothes or cars, consumers love to comparison shop. Americans compare total cost in order to obtain maximum cost.

They want to know the experience, quality and reputation of those offering products or services in their area of interest. They have some fear that they won’t spend their money wisely.

Knowledge of the items and the competition helps to ensure their money is well spent. When proper research is performed, satisfaction is achieved.

So here comes a piece of junk mail with a life insurance offer.

In big, bold letters are statements that may or may not be true. “We can offer a healthy, 45-year-old man a $500,000 term insurance policy for only $39 per month.”

Why do you continue to receive these offers month after month? Because they work. Misinformed people numbering in the millions complete forms, write a check for $39 and send it back.

After several weeks a “representative” who isn’t likely a duly licensed and experienced life insurance agent calls. It seems they have found a “minor health problem” that they won’t reveal.

“Due to this problem, your policy will be increased by only $12 per month, but it’s still a great buy at only $51 per month,” the representative might say. The policy is issued, and the $51 paid without making the first effort to compare other companies.

Most of the consumers foolishly agree to spend more than $6000 in the next 10 years knowing next to nothing about the product costing them so much money.

The thought of buying top value, guaranteed for life, flexible life insurance scares some people.

But those consumers who enjoy the maximum value, maximum comfort and minimum cost do the following:

Compare agents: Choose the one with the most experience and the highest reputation who has thousands of very satisfied clients.

Make sure the professional is an independent agent with access to many companies and not limited to only one. Only an independent agent is capable of presenting the life insurance program you want. The application is then mailed to one of many independent marketing organizations to be shopped among several of America’s strongest companies.

One company will be the best qualified and more aggressive than others. This will be the company with the greatest value, afforabiltiy and the contractual guarantee if you live to age 100 that every $1 of premium you paid plus thousands more is returned to your most important people.

Comparison shopping for life insurance is easy and takes little time because your independent agent does almost all of the work for you.

Your policy will have top ratings from the five independent evaluating companies such as “A.M. Best & Co.,” etc. If it’s determined that you have health issues, companies that specialize in insuring people with this condition are shopped to obtain the best rates.

It’s fun knowing several top companies will be bidding to insure you. This can never happen with single-company agents.

Anytime you receive a junk mail solicitation or hear a TV advertisement quoting prices, please avoid them. Find a home area agent known for expert service and satisfied clients. You may be surprised how pleasant a visit with an agent can be and how much you will learn.

Here’s some final advice. If you’re pressured to “buy right now,” find another agent. Life insurance is not a one-visit service. Please remember this.

Pat Hazlip is an independent broker at the Hazlip Companies in Ferriday.