May 05, 2020

Quarantining is a Privilege

To Our Brokers,

I recognize that the adrenaline of this situation is wearing off and we are entering the endurance phase. And as I’ve said to my team, the endurance phase calls for something different. Like perspective.

What if we thought of quarantining as a privilege? I’ve started to reframe this for myself over the past several weeks.

It happened as the Amazon delivery guy approached my house this weekend. I was reminded that he doesn’t have the privilege of sheltering in place. He is delivering the dog food or the paper towels I ordered with the click of a button, sitting on my living room couch. Or the person at the warehouse who isn’t at home because she’s packing those deliveries into boxes. I walk into the grocery store and see weary but cheerful faces stocking shelves and keeping customers spirits up at checkout, even after pulling long hours. I see my caregiver showing up every day, leaving her family,

to help care for mine.

Many of us in insurance and other white collar sectors, have the privilege of sheltering in place in our comfortable four walls. We have access to cable, the internet, and maybe even a backyard. In 2020, there are still too many Americans who can’t home school their kids because they have no computer, no internet, and now, many have no income. These are the very people who are employed at the businesses we collectively insure.

I challenge our insurance community to honor our privilege by practicing gratitude for the abundance so many of us enjoy. We provide a great service to this economy and to the businesses who depend on our insurance and risk management to keep their doors open. At Tangram, we are proud to be serving the social service organizations on the front lines, the energy companies still delivering home heating oil and the janitorial workers exposing themselves every day.

We remain ready to help you and your clients as you navigate the coming days, weeks and months. The team is prioritizing service above all else, especially in a time when people need to communicate more and need immediate solutions. This is the time when true partnership is tested. And we are ready to rise to the expectations and be with you on the other side.

Rekha

Rekha Skantharaja l President & CEO Rekha@tangramins.com l 707.775.2662