Integrity just bought CSG actuarial . There going to control senior mkt.

[Travis Price]

Thanks but I believe that's through Integrity, isn't it?

I'm not particularly worried about CSG or Integrity 'stealing' my clients out of their system. I rarely input client name before doing a pricing sort, and just download into a spreadsheet and save it under my client name.

Look... There are things you can control and things you cannot.

You cannot control what X is going to do with your client list or prospects, or whatever.

You can control the experience you give your clients, prospects, etc...

Every year there's a sky is falling topic about this industry... Just do what YOU need to do..

Nothing is more valuable to your book than your relationship with your client. If they bail on you, that just means you're getting garbage out of the way.

An example, I had a 71 year old that had Afib a couple of years ago contact me because One world jacked up his rates. I could cut his wife's rate, but I couldn't get him approved.

I kept in contact with him over the next year.. and he called me about MA and his sister's plan. Didn't have to.. We discussed the pro's and Con's and because his afib was fixed, but not considered "stable" for underwriting purposes, we moved him, his wife (who was in perfect shape, and his CI cousin on Disability (also otherwise good health) onto the MA plan with 2 HI/Cancer plans.

I've easily made a few grand off that family, and they're not a out of the normal thing.

Another guy called me because of a letter I sent. He was moving to T65 and was on his wives plan. Talked to him about his choices and just answered his questions.. no push for sales, no rush.. told him the truth, stay on your wives plan if they'll let you and just take Part A premium free.

Guy called me and thanked me for the advice and asked if he could have his twin brother call, who.was in a different situation. I thanked him and said absolutely.

I'll send him a thank you note, a few of my cards, and a branded letter opener I have... I'm pretty sure he'll get a kick out of it and it'll cost me maybe 6 dollars.

Just. Do. You.

 

[somarco]

I have always felt that no other agent, or insurance company, can steal a client from you if your relationship is a good one. That's the way to make yourself bulletproof, in my opinion.

Well, Pollyanna . . .

That may be your experience but mine is different.

I attended a carrier meeting a few years ago, probably 200+ agents in the room. One person wanted to know why he was not getting paid on AOR business, then another, then another. The RD was running the show and could not answer. He asked for a show of hands, how many are not getting paid on AOR business?

Must have been 30 people (including me). He took our names and promised to get back to us. About a week later we got an email saying the carrier DOES recognize AOR and will let the new agent service the business, but the original writing agent will still get paid. If the WA is no longer licensed/contracted the policyholder is considered a house account.


And I have had 3 different carriers take over clients when they called the HO for a service related question. I have lost about 50 clients like this over the last 20+ years. Most of those were lost in the Obamacare transition when no one, including hc.gov or carriers, knew what they were doing.

Of course I have only been doing this for 45 years so I am still a rookie and probably don't know as much as you do about how this business works.

FWIW all of those issues happened with U65 health insurance. Most of the Medicare clients I lose are because they assumed room temperature.

Focusing on Medicare exclusively since 2010 I have lost around 20 because they can no longer fog a mirror, and another dozen or so who decided to do something else.

 

[vic120]

Look... There are things you can control and things you cannot.

You cannot control what X is going to do with your client list or prospects, or whatever.

You can control the experience you give your clients, prospects, etc...

Every year there's a sky is falling topic about this industry... Just do what YOU need to do..

Nothing is more valuable to your book than your relationship with your client. If they bail on you, that just means you're getting garbage out of the way.

An example, I had a 71 year old that had Afib a couple of years ago contact me because One world jacked up his rates. I could cut his wife's rate, but I couldn't get him approved.

I kept in contact with him over the next year.. and he called me about MA and his sister's plan. Didn't have to.. We discussed the pro's and Con's and because his afib was fixed, but not considered "stable" for underwriting purposes, we moved him, his wife (who was in perfect shape, and his CI cousin on Disability (also otherwise good health) onto the MA plan with 2 HI/Cancer plans.

I've easily made a few grand off that family, and they're not a out of the normal thing.

Another guy called me because of a letter I sent. He was moving to T65 and was on his wives plan. Talked to him about his choices and just answered his questions.. no push for sales, no rush.. told him the truth, stay on your wives plan if they'll let you and just take Part A premium free.

Guy called me and thanked me for the advice and asked if he could have his twin brother call, who.was in a different situation. I thanked him and said absolutely.

I'll send him a thank you note, a few of my cards, and a branded letter opener I have... I'm pretty sure he'll get a kick out of it and it'll cost me maybe 6 dollars.

Just. Do. You.

Every bit of this 100% side note funny he is getting screwed from one world LOL

But even more so this "Nothing is more valuable to your book than your relationship with your client."

I have heard from many agents that were U65 before Obama care, some just crumbled but others were able to take their book and transition and some into medicare some into FE some into annuities or Long term care

You never know where your book can take you if one field closes or becomes a waste of time

 

[somarco]

I have heard from many agents that were U65 before Obama care, some just crumbled but others were able to take their book and transition and some into medicare some into FE some into annuities or Long term care

You never know where your book can take you if one field closes or becomes a waste of time

I had 500+ U65 clients when Obamacare was passed. That gave me 4 years to find a new niche.

Most of my clients were not wealthy but few would qualify for a subsidy. Even fewer could pay $2,000 per month for health insurance so we were both screwed.

 

[vic120]

I had 500+ U65 clients when Obamacare was passed. That gave me 4 years to find a new niche.

Most of my clients were not wealthy but few would qualify for a subsidy. Even fewer could pay $2,000 per month for health insurance so we were both screwed.

there are few guys on here talk about they kept doing the service even when not getting paid have tons of clients aging into medicare, A lot of these guys also cross sell

I am sure you had a lot of age ins from your book too

 

[somarco]

there are few guys on here talk about they kept doing the service even when not getting paid have tons of clients aging into medicare, A lot of these guys also cross sell

I am sure you had a lot of age ins from your book too

Most of my clients were 10 - 15 years from aging into Medicare. There were a few that turned 65 about the time I "retired" from the U65 market and most of them became Medicare clients. Some are still with me.

But once I made up my mind to leave that market I never looked back. I tried to keep my feet in both pools but quickly found that if I wanted to grow my Medicare market I needed to leave the other behind.

So I did.

@Yagents is one that worked (and still works) both markets. He is also bi-coastal or more specifically, bi-time-zone.

There might be a few more that still work both markets but I suspect not many.

 

[Bill_Kiray]

Most of my clients were 10 - 15 years from aging into Medicare. There were a few that turned 65 about the time I "retired" from the U65 market and most of them became Medicare clients. Some are still with me.

But once I made up my mind to leave that market I never looked back. I tried to keep my feet in both pools but quickly found that if I wanted to grow my Medicare market I needed to leave the other behind.

Our agents that still work both markets - which isn't many - often try to gain referrals to the Medicare eligible parents/relatives of their ACA clients. That's a good approach if you choose to continue to work both sides of the river.

 

[Midlevel]

Signing people up through healthcare.gov is not a hard process. I guess I look at it as now you have a client starting at age 20 or 26 or 45 or 60 and have the possibility of having that client for many years rather than starting with them at age 65. Such an easy transition to their Medicare too when they hit age 65. Medica even has a reminder on your client view site that someone is getting close to age 65. Pay is not bad either, about as much as a Med Sup in some cases. No worries of losing them either because there aren't many companies that offer plans.

 

[somarco]

Our agents that still work both markets - which isn't many - often try to gain referrals to the Medicare eligible parents/relatives of their ACA clients. That's a good approach if you choose to continue to work both sides of the river.

Probably a worthwhile "investment" for the agent that is in their 30's, but I was 60 when Obamacare legislation was passed and could easily see what a circus it was going to be. I was ready to leave the U65 market and never look back.

My only regret is, I didn't leave that market years earlier.

 

[goillini52]

Western Marketing Joins Integrity to Bring New Technology Offerings to Their Extensive Network of Agents - Integrity Marketing Group