Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File
Should your shop carry life insurance on a key employee? What if one employee's unexpected death could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars?
In this episode, Hunt Demarest tackles everything you need to know about life insurance for auto repair shop owners and their teams — covering key person insurance, term vs. whole life policies, tax implications, and how much coverage actually makes sense for your situation.
Unlike most conversations about life insurance, this one comes with zero sales agenda. Hunt breaks down the real economics of life insurance, why it's almost never tax-deductible (and why that's actually a good thing), and the five critical questions every shop owner should ask before buying a policy.
Drawing on real client situations, from key employee coverage to bank-required policies, this episode explains when life insurance is essential protection versus when it's an unnecessary expense, and how to think through coverage amounts based on debt, dependents, and the true cost of losing critical team members.
What you’ll learn…
(02:20) Why shop owners are suddenly asking about life insurance
(03:00) What key person life insurance actually is and whether you need employee permission to buy it
(06:20) The real cost of losing a key employee: calculating the financial impact of a technician, manager, or yourself
(11:55) Term life vs. whole life vs. universal life: the real differences explained without the sales pitch
(14:35) Why term life insurance is the better choice for 99% of shop owners and when it isn't
(18:50) Can you write off life insurance premiums? The non-deductible expense rule explained
(19:40) Why writing off life insurance premiums is a terrible deal, even though you technically can
(22:55) The five questions to ask yourself before buying life insurance: debt, dependents, goals, and money
(24:15) Why life insurance is statistically a bad deal and why you should probably have it anyway
Thanks to our partner Promotive
It’s time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/
Thanks to our Partner WickedFile
Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/
Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair
Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com
Email Hunt: podcast@paarmelis.com
Text Paar Melis @ 301-307-5413
Download a Copy of My Books Here:
- Wrenches to Write-Offs
- Your Perfect Shop
The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/
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