I Need Help Getting Started in DI

[Tomfromtheshade]

I live in New Jersey and have primarily been a life insurance guy. I went on one DI appointment with Pru with my sales manager when I was just as green in the business as I could be and it went terribly once the guy heard the premium.

I am now independent and I want to start selling DI. Obviously, I need help.

1. I want a carrier who carries a wide variety of DI products. I was on Guardian's website and it looked like they had a product for anybody. Who are the major players?

2. Is there any benefit to contracting with more than one DI carrier?

Seriously guys and gals, I will take any help/advice that I can get. Feel free to post here, PM me, or send me email at [email protected]

This is where it helps to be a captive agent with a good training program LOL.

 

[Guest]

I write Principal (non-can) for white collar and Mutual/Omaha (guaranteed-renew) for blue collar. I don't go after the blue collar biz... no money in it... but I take it if it comes along. I look for doctors or independent biz guys to write buy-sell or key-man or buyout with DI and Life

In New Jersey YMMV.

The Principal folks in Iowa have great agent support. MoO... not so much.

Find yourself a good GA and they will give you lots and lots of help. DIServices in San Diego is a good one... I'm not sure if they service agents in New Jersey. I find that local or regional GAs seem to know "more" than the large national ones like Crump or CPS. Again, YMMV.

 

[Tomfromtheshade]

Thanks for the fast reply. As you can see I am up burning the midnight oil on this one. Any help is appreciated. How do you guys feel about Berkshire?

 

[rsli-moses]

Have you thought about partnering with a general agency?

 

[Tomfromtheshade]

Have you thought about partnering with a general agency?

I have thought about it. Its just hard to find someone that I won't have to kill after they screw me over. I was lucky to run into Mark here when I wanted to get hooked up with UHL. He has been honest and helpful for me, but not everyone that I have talked to shares that same demeanor. I have been screwed so many times working with/for other people that I generally try not to do it anymore.

I would much rather share ideas on the forum, learn as much as I can, hook up with a carrier, learn the product forward and backward and get to work. It saves me a lot of anger and frustration usually.

 

[Luvindependence]

Hi Tom,

Also ask your question on disabilityinsuranceforums dot com and you do need the 's' at the end.

Good luck!

 

[arnguy]

Hi Tom,

Also ask your question on disabilityinsuranceforums dot com and you do need the 's' at the end.

Good luck!

I agree with that advice wholeheartly!

 

[The DI Doctor]

Tough position to be in. I will get you a really neat strategy to overcome that easily, for next time you are in that situation.

Guardian is one of the best carriers, though their prefrecnces typically shoot towards the white collar end of things.

I agree that rather than have one solution to try and fit many situations, its better to have several solutions. I deal with over 10 carriers through our organization, with disability products ranging from income coverage to business loan indemnification.

Right now, people are scrambling to look for financial security in our current economy. Now is the time to turn the wheels in the economy by offering that security! Let me know if you have questions.

 

[Whit]

Hi,

Im new to this forum, but not DI.

You need to get a process and take the time to become an expert on contracts, but its not as overwhelming as it may appear. The best way to do this is talk to SEVERAL good producers/GA's that specialize in DI.

Its like anything else you have to create the need and discuss solutions, but DI is a lot different in that the learning curve for clients is far greater than anything else. You have to help them internalize the sacrifices they paid to get to where they are and what is at stake if they lose this ability to earn an income.

Just yesterday I was meeting with a client and half way through he told me that I had completely changed his perspective about DI; he thought it was only for accidents but in reality over 70% of disabilities are caused by sickness and of injuries 90% happen off the job.

I sell mostly MassMutual, Guardian and Illinois Mutual (blue-collar).

Feel free to contact me.

 

[The DI Doctor]

I have thought about it. Its just hard to find someone that I won't have to kill after they screw me over. I was lucky to run into Mark here when I wanted to get hooked up with UHL. He has been honest and helpful for me, but not everyone that I have talked to shares that same demeanor. I have been screwed so many times working with/for other people that I generally try not to do it anymore.

I would much rather share ideas on the forum, learn as much as I can, hook up with a carrier, learn the product forward and backward and get to work. It saves me a lot of anger and frustration usually.

You have my email, I would really like to hear more about your experience with general agencies with what happened and why. I deal with many agents. As I learn about potential pitfalls, I quickly steer someone away from the situation if I see it comming. Perhaps I can prevent a few others from experiencing the same difficulty. Let me know. Thanks.