I helped save a man’s life.

That’s not something I get to say very often, but the man came in today and told me that’s what I did.

He had walked in to the office back in November to talk about getting motorcycle insurance.

While we talked, the conversation moved to health insurance. He didn’t have any because he couldn’t afford it, he said.

The health insurance exchanges set up through the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare, if you prefer), can be confusing, so I walked him through the process and let him know what his premiums would likely be.

For me, that was the end of it.

For him, that was just the beginning.

Armed with his new knowledge, he signed up for health insurance.

Once the plan kicked in in January, he went to see a doctor to ask about his chest pains.

The doctor referred him to a specialist. The specialist tried to send a camera through his arteries, but they were so clogged the camera wouldn’t fit.

One open-heart surgery and three months of rehab later, he stopped by the office this morning to say “Thank you.”

An insurance agent isn’t just here to save you money on your car insurance or give you your ID cards when it’s time to renew your license plates. We’re more than happy to do that, but our real job is helping you choose the coverage to protect you and your family when it hits the fan.

You know what “it” I’m talking about here, right? Of course you do.

His only complaint? He really hadn’t had a chance to use his motorcycle insurance because the rehab was keeping him from being able to ride.