How life insurance helped navigate Rebecca Jameson’s family tragedy

In November 2019, Rebecca Jameson (RJ), Chubb Life’s Senior Manager – Bancassurance tragically lost her husband. While the story isn’t an easy one to tell, RJ has shared how life insurance helped play a major part in getting her and her son through the most difficult time imaginable.

RJ and her husband Jamie (39) were living in West Auckland with their son Flynn who was 12 at the time. Jamie was working as the National Operations Manager for Evolve Education and being multi-talented, was helping his father build a house in Mangawhai, intending to spend Christmas there once it was ready.

An avid cyclist, Jamie regularly took long rides. On Monday 25 November, Jamie decided to go for an 80km ride around Riverhead/Coatsville. On his way back, less than 5km from home, Jamie was riding downhill when a car, followed by police with their lights on, suddenly pulled out from a side street, hitting him head-on.

RJ recalls the shock of how that day played out.

“Earlier that morning, I’d sent our son, Flynn, off to school camp, planning to work late since I didn’t need to pick him up. While driving home that evening at 7.30pm, I received a devastating call from the police telling me that Jamie had been in an accident and that I needed to get straight to the hospital.”

Overwhelmed by shock and fear, RJ rushed home and called a friend who drove her to hospital.

“While there were several injuries, fractures and bruising, the doctors’ biggest concern was Jamie’s brain injury, and he was put into a medical-induced coma. They really didn’t know what was going to happen and it was the beginning of some of the longest hours in mine and Flynn’s lives. Waiting.”

After several days of testing, monitoring and learning more about the brain injury it became evident there was no brain activity. After several unsuccessful attempts to bring Jamie out of a coma and further tests, the doctors realised the initial tests falsely showed brain activity and there was now no chance he’d survive.

“After everyone had their chance to say goodbye, as a family, we made the heartbreaking decision to turn off Jamie’s life support.” 

After the accident, one of RJ's first calls had been to their Insurance Adviser, initially thinking about filing an income protection claim. It was only later she realised it would be a life insurance claim instead.

This realisation really brought home the reality of her priorities going forward.

“I’d been working in insurance for several years. Jamie and I had been proactive in protecting our family’s financial future. Four years before the accident, we’d secured health, life, accelerated trauma and income protection insurance, partly due to the fact we’d bought a rental property in addition to our family home.”

The decision to make sure they had full protection in place was mostly triggered by the increased debt associated with the second property.

“I never thought we’d need it.” RJ admits.

“We’d never even contemplated this scenario, but we wanted to take precautions and ensure Flynn was looked after. It was simply about being responsible parents.”

Jamie’s life insurance policy was worth an amount that would provide essential support during this devastating time and in the future. As the owner of the policy, RJ didn’t have to wait for probate; the funeral expenses were covered right away, alleviating one immediate source of stress.

“With the life insurance payout, I could pay off our mortgage, allowing Flynn and I to continue living in the family home without the upheaval that a sudden move would cause. It also meant I could keep Flynn enrolled in his school, surrounded by his friends and support network.” she was relieved to share. 

RJ also invested some of the funds, ensuring future security for both her and Flynn. She moved forward with a new income protection policy through Chubb Life, understanding her role as the sole earner after Jamie’s passing.

“The insurance gave me the ability to focus on moving forward,” she explained. It relieved financial burdens, allowing her to prioritise Flynn's emotional well-being during such a tumultuous time.

“When it comes to life insurance, many people think of it as something far removed from their daily lives, a simple precaution against an unlikely event.”

Yet for RJ, that notion changed dramatically.

“We took out the policy thinking we’d be safe - an accident was never on my radar. When we say ‘it’s for the unexpected,' it truly is.” She concludes, in a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of planning for the unexpected.