Spotlight: Life Insurance Awareness Month
Life Insurance Awareness Month is held every September to educate people about the importance of life insurance in protecting family and providing financial security. The awareness campaign was launched in 2004 by the nonprofit Life Happens. It is worthwhile to set aside time to consider life insurance coverage, which can be both easy and affordable. According to a 2026 Insurance Barometer Study conducted by LIMRA and Life Happens, 52% of American adults have some sort of life insurance coverage. However, 38% say they either need life insurance or need more life insurance.
The concept of life insurance can be traced to ancient Greece and Rome where groups known as burial societies collected contributions from members to pay funeral expenses and help support surviving family members. Modern life insurance began to emerge in the 16th and 17th centuries in England, France, and Holland. Initially, due to the lack of information to properly assess the risk involved, many of the groups offering life insurance failed. That changed in 1693, when astronomer and mathematician Edmund Halley, the namesake of Halley's Comet, began to analyze birth and death records in order to assist in calculating the price of life annuities. Hailey’s work introduced the use of mortality tables in the insurance industry. During the 19th and 20th centuries the industry’s financial feasibility increased, resulting in the growth and development of new products, including term life, whole life, and universal life policies. Today, life insurance serves not only as a safety net against financial loss resulting from death but also as a tool for retirement and estate planning.
There are many places to buy life insurance, and a search online will uncover a multitude of options. Someone local to talk to about all types of insurance is Chris Leming of Troxell. Warfield Staley Troxell founded an insurance agency in Springfield in 1887 and named it Troxell & Sons. That agency is still going strong. Today, Troxell consists of 4 offices across Central Illinois with 120 employees and assists its clients with both personal and business insurance needs. An independent insurance agency, Troxell sells and services property and casualty, life and health insurance products. Troxell is also a frequent supporter of community organizations and events, with the goal of doings its part to make a positive impact in our community.
Chris Leming embraces those principles. A Springfield native, Leming started at Troxell in 1999. Twenty-eight years later, he is a partner and serves on the organization’s leadership team, and he still loves working there with a “great team of individuals” who he describes as a “family.” Speaking of family, Leming comes from a family with strong ties to Springfield and great public school energy. He is a product of public schools and Springfield District 186. Chris’s dad Bob Leming worked in District 186 for 43 years, serving as a principal, assistant superintendent, and interim superintendent, among other positions, Chris’s mom was a teacher at Lee School and his wife taught at Butler and Vachel Lindsay. All 3 of his children attended public schools.
When asked what he liked about growing up in Springfield, Leming noted the friendly togetherness and the closeness he has with many generations on both sides of his family. His mom is a Tobin and his wife is a Madonia – both well-known Springfield families. Chris is involved with various organizations around Springfield, including SPARC, the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame, the Springfield High Booster Club, American Business Club, and Knights of Columbus. When asked why someone should purchase life insurance, Leming states simply, “it’s about protecting the people and responsibilities that mean the most to you.”
