My favorite cases are the "tough" ones. It's not that I deliberately seek out difficult-to-write clients, they just seem to gravitate to me. The thing I like most about these is the opportunity to learn something new.
For several years now, colleagues (and marketers) have been urging me to offer Critical Illness (CI) plans. The problem was, I really could just never get my head around how to quote them, nor really "get" why I should. It's not that I had any ethical issues with these plans, I just had a mental block regarding them.
I was recently referred to a couple looking for Long Term Care insurance. As a result of the pre-screen process we use, it was pretty clear that Doug wouldn't qualify, but Denise would. My gurus at the Long Term Care Agency recommended a Critical Illness plan for Doug, and as soon as I saw the quote they emailed, I could feel the lightbulb over my head begin to glow: I 'got' it!
Here's why: For many years, I've used a bucket metaphor to explain how Universal Life plans work. The LTC Agency folks use it to explain CI plans:
As soon as I saw this, it became crystal clear. The plan pays a monthly benefit for folks who end up with cancer, stroke, even Alzheimer's (which is important: remember, we're talking about Long Term Care insurance alternatives here). And the plan's Guaranteed Issue, so we don't have to worry about Doug passing underwriting Well this is disappointing: the gentleman who recommended this plan to me, and whose agency I've been using for quite a few years as my primary LTCi resource, just told me that "oh, yeah, it's a voluntary benefit, have to have at least (so many) employees. And it's guaranteed issue if he gets past the knockout questions."
Um, Randy? Then it's not Guaranteed Issue. And now I look like an idiot. Good bye.
There are other features, as well (for example, alert readers may be wondering about that $216,000 benefit pool), but my point is that I seem to have found at least one more way to help folks with health issues fund potential Long Term Care expenses.
And I'd call that a win.
[Special IB Thanks to Randy G]
Um, Randy? Then it's not Guaranteed Issue. And now I look like an idiot. Good bye.
There are other features, as well (for example, alert readers may be wondering about that $216,000 benefit pool), but my point is that I seem to have found at least one more way to help folks with health issues fund potential Long Term Care expenses.
And I'd call that a win.
[Special IB Thanks to Randy G]