The number of credit union members served by the TruStageinsurance program recently surpassed the 14 million mark.

The program, offered by CUNA Mutual Group, reached thatmilestone on Sept. 10, according to the Madison, Wis.-basedcompany.

TruStage insurance products and programs include, life, auto,homeowners and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, whichare made available to credit union members through CUNA MutualGroup's MemberCONNECT program.

While protecting 14 million individuals is notable, theopportunity to protect more credit union members is significant,said Susan Sachatello, senior vice president of CUNA Mutual Group'sDirect to Consumer division.

The 2011 LIMRA study, “Trillion Dollar Baby Growing Up,”reported 58 million households are underinsured, CUNA Mutual cited.In addition, three in 10 households have no life insurance, and 40%of households with children could not meet everyday living expensesif they lost one parent.

“We consider protecting members and their families as more thanour business; we consider it our obligation to the credit unionmovement,” Sachatello said. “Protecting 14 million members is amilestone – a moment to celebrate – but it's also a reminder to usthat we must continue our efforts to protect even moremembers.”

The TruStage protection milestone coincides with Life InsuranceAwareness Month, a celebration led each September by the LifeInsurance Foundation for Education to inform consumers about theimportance of life insurance.

CUNA Mutual said it is helping credit unions engage and educatemembers this month by providing credit unions participating in theMemberCONNECT program an array of educational tools and materials,including a Facebook promotion.

In August, the MemberCONNECT program also celebrated its 30th anniversary,CUNA Mutual said. In addition to 14 million insured members, morethan 4,000 credit unions participate in the program, which paidmore than $727 million in member benefits in 2012, and produced $66million in noninterest income for credit unions, according to thecompany.

To protect more members, CUNA Mutual will invest more than $200million in marketing efforts and new initiatives over the nextthree years to enhance and expand the program, Sachatello said.