The importance of having a will was again brought home to us here at Lifetime following the sudden death of a client.

Our Business Development Manager (Wealth Division) Peter Clarke takes up the story:

“I went to see old bank clients of mine who were in two minds whether to invest with Lifetime, or go to the bank and re-invest there.

“I managed to secure an appointment with them and introduced them to Lifetime’s Financial Planner Paul Lee, which in turn led to investment business being conducted.

“That was great for me and the client, as it re-cemented our own relationship.

“Paul and I then introduced the clients to our Director of Legal Services Andrew Revitt, in order to look at Power of Attorney and a Will, neither of which were in place.

“The clients were hesitant at looking at this at the same time as the investment business but we explained that this was necessary, to under-pin the investment business and to protect the families (both on second marriages) from any unforeseen circumstances. To this, they eventually agreed. 

“This week I was notified that the male client had died.

“To me, it was a real shock. To have a client die, especially one that you have known for some time, it makes you think of the ‘what-if’s’ in life.

“But to see the Lifetime response was quite impressive, from an immediate message to me from Tamsin Naylor in the wills department; advice from Andrew Revitt; one of our directors, Jeff Winter, personally delivering the will to the customers’ door from our storage (he lives on the same street); to a condolence card being sent from us to the widow, all happening within a three-hour period.

“After speaking with the client today, she was obviously very upset but took some solace, in the fact that she had a team of people here at Lifetime who had pulled out the stops to look after her and her family – and had given such a rapid response to her needs.

“Her first questions were: “Where would I be without you guys insisting that we made a will?; What sort of a mess would I now be in? “How do I thank you?”

“On reflection, I was quite moved at some of the things that she said to me and what a very, very different conversation we could have been having, if we hadn’t done our job properly. Paul Lee and Andrew Revitt were outstanding!”

Protecting a client’s estate in the unlikely event of sudden death? It is so vital…..