Karl Hansen, CLU, ChFC has been a NAIFA member for over 50 years, shaping both his career and the insurance industry through leadership, advocacy, and a steadfast commitment to integrity.
Born and raised in the Bay Area near Stanford University, Karl’s work ethic started early. He began working at just 14 years old, taking on everything from hauling to tree trimming while attending school at night. After a brief experience at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, which was cut short by a broken leg, Karl returned home determined to build a future on his own terms.
That path led him into the insurance industry at age 21, thanks to an unexpected but pivotal moment: a conversation between his mother and her life insurance agent. The agent recognized something in Karl and suggested he might be a natural fit for the profession. Karl interviewed with several firms and ultimately began training with Prudential in early 1975. Within months, he was contracted under the Prudential Ordinary Agency System, and by the end of that same year, he had opened his own office in Palo Alto.
Like many advisors, Karl says he didn’t fully understand the weight of the profession until he delivered his first death benefit. Sitting at the kitchen table with families, helping parents protect their children through thoughtful, needs-based planning, cemented his belief that life insurance, when done right, is about integrity, responsibility, and service.
Over time, Karl expanded his practice from individual life insurance into comprehensive employee benefits, retirement plans, and comprehensive financial planning, laying the foundation for what is now VITA Insurance Associates and VITA Planning Group, a nationally respected, multi-generational firm.
Today, the organization employs 80 team members, including approximately 30 licensed professionals, and serves employers and individuals across a wide range of planning needs, with Karl’s son overseeing day-to-day operations as the firm continues to grow as a multi-generational family business. Under Karl’s leadership, the firm built a $1.6 billion 401(k) operation and now manages nearly $100 million in individual planning assets.
In recent years, Karl has transitioned away from large retirement plans and back to individual planning, working closely with longtime clients and younger generations alike. His focus today is helping people prepare realistically for retirement, particularly addressing what he calls the “seven-day weekend.” Karl has seen firsthand how retirees often underestimate spending, especially discretionary costs like dining out. His planning philosophy emphasizes sustainability, discipline, and honest conversations, regardless of a client’s net worth.
Karl’s commitment to NAIFA began early in his career, encouraged by a mentor who insisted involvement was essential. He attended luncheon meetings, learned from industry leaders, and quickly recognized the value of advocacy. He became NAIFA’s first Diplomat donor, an honor he still considers one of his proudest professional achievements.
Advocacy, Karl explains, isn’t about politics it’s about access. “It’s about getting the door open so we can tell our story,” he says. Throughout his career, he has testified before legislators, helped shape health insurance policy, and served as the founding president of what became the Association of Health Insurance Agents. His advocacy work has always centered on protecting consumers and preserving the integrity of the profession.
Today, Karl remains deeply engaged, working alongside his wife, son Erik, and former spouse in a truly family-run business. His other children are forging impressive paths of their own, one in medicine, one in the arts, while continuing to reflect the values that built the firm.
After decades in the industry, Karl believes success comes down to one thing: integrity. “It’s impossible to lie and not be caught,” he says. “Your heart always knows the truth.”
That belief has sustained his business for decades and continues to guide his involvement with NAIFA and the profession he’s proud to call home.