OK, so when I was growing up, I have vivid memories of a man named Mr. Williams coming to the house once a month, the first Saturday of every month actually, to collect money.  We called him "The Insurance Man"--cause he worked for a company called Golden State Life Insurance Company.  He drove a Cadillac and had a briefcase.  He'd knock on the screen door and ask "Is your mother home?" And we'd run to get our momma.  She'd give him $100 and he'd issue her a hand written receipt.  Mr. Williams repeated this at just about every house in the projects--which housed bout 200 to 300 families. 

And these were people who most of 'em, couldn't afford a car. Were on the bus using public transpiration.  Most of 'em were living "next" pay check to pay check.  And these insurance companies knew that--but they had these folks convinced that instead of planning for their kids' futures, they should plan for their deaths!

The agent would use fear tactics, telling these minimum wage earning single mothers, "Well, if something happened to your children and they didn't have coverage, you would have a way to bury them.  You need life insurance to protect them."  No you don't! And they knew that when they told these women that $hit!  Experts all agree, the worst investment you can make is putting your infant child into life insurance.  Take that money and put it someplace useful: COLLEGE SAVINGS!  Or if you got a little juvenile delinquent, instead of a college fund, get a BAIL FUND!

My momma, the moment we were born, got us into life insurance!  Not a college savings fund, not a mutual fund, a life insurance policy!  Why? Cause these damn insurance companies like Golden State preyed on poor black folks in the projects and had them thinking "What if your child dies? You don't have any money to bury them. Pay us for life insurance and we'll take care of you."

So everybody had life insurance. Nobody had a damn savings account, but e'rebody had life insurance!  From the 4 month old cousins to the 99 year old auntie--and Mr. Williams was everybody's insurance agent.  And most of the time he was the only man any of the single mommas would ever see.

He'd smile and flash that southern charm, collect his money, pay off his Cadillac and keep going. Dishing out the worst hustle known to man: THE LIFE INSURANCE GAME!

I found out just how fowl Mr. Williams and Golden State were last week when I talked to my momma. She and I were discussing wills and I told her about our situation with insurance policies and beneficiaries--and she told me "Well, I have an insurance policy for you with Golden State."  So I asked her, "How much is it for?" And what she said astounded me... my momma said "It's for $5,000!" 

My mouth flew open and I was instantly pissed off at her.  I asked "Momma, are you for real?"

"Yeah!" she told me, "I've been paying $50 a month since you were born for you and your brother to have insurance in case you die!"

"Momma, do the damn math," I yelled, "You paid $50 a month for 36 years for a $5000 insurance policy.  You done gave them damn people $21,600!"

She wasn't even phased about being ripped off, "Well," she told me, "if something happens then you'll be covered! If you don't need it, I'll just give the money to Andrew."

"What I don't need is for my momma to continue to be ripped off by an insurance company who preys on black folks who think a funeral is more important than a college fund.  Cash out the policy and buy yourself something nice with it!  I'm a grown a$$ woman, my momma don't have no business keeping an insurance policy on me. I can handle that!"

My goodness.  Had she put that money into a college fund, my black a$$ wouldn't be having my wages garnished right now by Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Company. College would have been paid for with money to spare!

I'm just dumbfounded--and my momma and her momma and her momma's momma ain't the only ones who done been dooped by these insurance companies.

When my grandfather died back when I was in college, my father's daddy in Louisiana--my dad and his brothers and sisters went to their family home to help their mom sift through papers and figure out where all the assets were.  What they found was the biggest hustle since "pimpin' hoes"--the "black insurance game".  My grandfather had paid $35 a month all his adult life on a life insurance policy for him that was worth, get this y'all FIVE HUNDRED DAMN DOLLARS!  You can't dig a hole in your yard and bury a pet bird for $500!  He died in his 80s--he probably got that policy when he got married to my grandmother in his early 20s--and had been paying $35 a month faithfully until his death!

So y'all, do me a favor this week--call your parents and grand parents and check their insurance policies.  Cause it can't just be my family--I'll bet there is somebody right now whose grand-momma is living in Wisconsin who is about 103 years old who has been paying $20 a month all her life on a $1,000 life insurance policy.