Appointment with Companies. How Many? Who?

[HuntAssuranceGroup]

What is the average number of appointments I should try to have with life/health companies without getting too overwhelmed?

What is the best way to go about narrowing down my extensive list of companies to contact for appointment?

 

[Josh]

Pick how you're going to prospect and pick a few carriers. If you're going to be shopping tons of carriers as opposed to just working with a few, you can usually send in the paperwork along with the app, so no need to rush into it.

Do you plan on focusing on life or health? Yes, you probably should pick just one.

 

[tins]

Good questions. I'm thinking I have too many contracts. I, only, write for maybe 10 of them (out of around 20-25)...not sure why I keep picking up new ones.

 

[pbbaseball]

you'll slowly add them on over time.. i hate to ever send business elsewhere, and often if you can get the one product they are looking for, you can get their whole book of business.... once you feel comfortable in the companies that you have, then i would add them on one at a time....

the more you add, the more calls you'll get from FMO's to have you carry new products

 

[Mark]

With most companies you only have to write 1 app a year for them to keep you contracted.

I like having lots of options.

 

[HuntAssuranceGroup]

I love life and critical illness policies. To be honest I have not even thought about specializing in either life or health. I would like to be able to cross sell each of these products. As of now, I have a list of about 30 life/health companies that I will contact once I am licensed. Another thing, should I get my business tax number prior to seeking appointment or will the DBA be good enough. I do not plan on incorporating until the business outgrows me.

 

[Todd King]

I would be willing to be you'll find at least 15-20 of those companies won't be worth having.

 

[Josh]

You should most likely just contract directly as a sole prop.

If you don't specialize in life or health it's going to most likely end up hurting you in the long run. Off the top of my head I know life agents that occasionally sell health and health agents that at most sell an occasional life policy outside of the health sale, but none that truly do both. Marketing each of those product lines is a bit different too.

 

[HuntAssuranceGroup]

Excuse my ignorance guys, but with all the changes to the major medical and health care plans, wouldn't life be the best place to focus?

Life focus with using critical care, accidential death, etc. as riders.

Mr. Todd King, thank you. I was thinking that most will knock themselves out. I found a list of questions on one of the forums that I will use when narrowing down my choices.
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I would be willing to be you'll find at least 15-20 of those companies won't be worth having.

I love the W.Clement Stone quote....doing the right thing...it was from him, right?