Cory Burnell

Charles de Gaulle once remarked, “The graveyards are full of indispensable men.” While we know that life goes on regardless of the loss of any “indispensable” person, for a small business, the loss of a key person is not only a human tragedy, it can also represent the potential for significant financial loss. Though business owners cannot protect themselves from the unexpected and sudden loss of a key employee, they may be able to protect themselves from the financial consequences of such a loss through the purchase of what is called “key person insurance.” Who’s Key? There is no legal definition for who a key person is, but he or she is someone whose loss, due to death or disability, would cause a material financial setback to the business. For example, a key person may be a top salesperson whose production would take considerable time to replace. Or perhaps it’s someone who is guaranteeing the business access to needed future capital. Key person insurance is a standard insur