Our favorite fictional characters tend to live quite dicey and dramatic lives – it’s part of their allure and charm, after all. However, these risky endeavors come at a cost, and it’s one that puts their loved ones’ futures at risk. Since these T.V. characters combined have given us hours of entertainment, tears and shock value, we think we at least owe them a little financial advice.
Check out this list of fan favorites whose investment in life insurance could have made a lasting impact. Hopefully George R. R. Martin and Shonda Rhimes will take note when drafting their next works of art.
Bonus: our Life Insurance Awareness Month video of the day is featured below.
Ned (Eddard) Stark, Game of Thrones
For Game of Thrones watchers who haven’t read the books, the death of Ned Stark at the end of season one was the most shocking of twists. Stark is beheaded for treason, a crime to which he falsely admits to in order to protect his loved ones. If it was unexpected for us, it was certainly unexpected for him and his family, who probably could have used some extra financial support in the aftermath of his death. For example, added militia like Daenerys has 24/7.
Wile E. Coyote, Looney Toons
Like Captain Ahab to The Whale, Wile E. Coyote has sought (unsuccessfully) to catch his prey, the Road Runner, for years. Along the way, he’s been banged and bruised and pitched off cliffs. We’ve never been clued into the personal life of Wile E., but if he has a mate and pups at home, they definitely need guaranteed financial protection. With a job as perilous as this one, coverage probably costs a pretty penny, too.
Ilana Wexler, Broad City
Ilana is our favorite free spirit, but judging from her current work ethic, a financial plan — or any kind of plan — isn’t going to cross her mind for a long while. At least if she purchased life insurance now, her parents would be able to pay off her debts (we’re assuming she has a ton) — or help put on the epic funeral we’re sure she’d want.
Norma Bates, Bates Motel
Maybe we’re over simplifying it, but if Norma Bates had life insurance, perhaps poor Norman could have started fresh after his mother died, leaving the motel behind and Marion Crane alive.
Walter White, Breaking Bad
This might be sacrilege to say about such a beloved show, but if Walter White had felt his family would be taken care of upon his passing, do you think Albuquerque could have been a little less bloody?
Leslie Knope, Parks & Recreation
At the end of its penultimate season, Parks & Recreation superstar Leslie Knope finds out she’s having triplets. One baby is scary enough, but the thought of having to provide for three could throw anyone into a tailspin. It definitely sent Leslie’s husband Ben into one. Quickly purchasing a life insurance policy, for both spouses, was frivolously left out of the closing episode.
Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother
In season five of HIMYM, Ted Mosby, everybody’s favorite long-winded romantic, buys a house for his wife and kids, even though they don’t yet exist. It’s a rash reaction to seeing his mother get married for the second time and an optimist’s wild investment in his future — wild we say since the house was entirely dilapidated at purchase. With a mortgage on his shoulders, this is the perfect time for Ted to purchase life insurance, so that if he passes unexpectedly, his soon-to-be-real family will be able to pay off the mortgage and live comfortably.
Chandler Bing, Friends
In season nine of Friends, Chandler Bing former …well, something that had a good paycheck and involved following “WENUS” (Weekly Estimated Net Usage Systems)…quits his job and becomes an advertising intern. Pursuing his dream meant walking away from a planned future, and he did so at a time when he also wanted to start a family, a risky move that certainly impacted his financial future. No one should rely on their savings to support their family after they’re gone, but they really, really shouldn’t if they’re going to be spending it in their lifetime, say during a career transition. If Chandler had life insurance, he’d know that whatever risks he was taking in the present, his family would still be taken care of in the future.
Lucious Lyon, Empire
Lucious Lyon rose out of poverty to create a business empire that includes a successful music label, a super hot nightclub, a bubbling champagne brand, and a line of shoes. His relationship with his family has had its ups-and-downs (two of his sons turn him in for murder at the end of season one), but we still believe Lucious wants to know everyone will be okay after he’s gone. He should invest in life insurance — especially considering the industries on which he’s built his wealth are some of the most precarious out there. There’s no telling if or when Lucious’s empire will fall, but he can have guaranteed security with a life insurance policy.
Anyone, Grey’s Anatomy
With bombs, plane crashes, shooting sprees, electrocutions, and more, working at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (named after two dead characters, we might add) has been a hazardous endeavor for years, long before McDreamy’s car crash a few weeks ago. Anyone who even considers the high-risk career choice of becoming a Grey’s Anatomy doctor should invest in a life insurance to financially protect their loved ones.
Learning From Their Misfortunes
While these fictional characters clearly didn’t have life insurance calculators readily available, we have one us real life people can use. Find out if you need life insurance. Oh, and if you haven’t seen any of these shows – better get to it! They’re classics.
