- Thread starter
- #11
What companies down in your area do not offer consumers the chance to look over the plans online?
I sure hope you did not take the time to count all the plans available
Send Me the Plans
- Thread starter J.R.
- Start date
What companies down in your area do not offer consumers the chance to look over the plans online?
I sure hope you did not take the time to count all the plans available
- 14,808
While no one wants to waste time with tire kickers, remember that tire kickers may eventually buy. I pick up 2 to 3 deals a month from leads over 3 months old and at $1,000 average commish I'll take the money.
Always be pleasant with people even when you know for a fact they are not buyers. Leaving them with a good impression of you keeps the door open so you can stay in touch. They may have no interest now, but four months later here comes their renewal notice.
Always be pleasant with people even when you know for a fact they are not buyers. Leaving them with a good impression of you keeps the door open so you can stay in touch. They may have no interest now, but four months later here comes their renewal notice.
- Thread starter
- #13
Agreed. I don't think an agent should be rude if he or she ascertains the prospect is a tire kicker. I think the tire kickers fall into at least following categories.
1) Simply wanting to shop at the moment and are not ready to make a decision.
2) Feeling overwhelmed with the plethora of agent calls/e-mails, as well as the numerous health insurance options they have been shown. (Doesn't apply as much to telemarketed leads)
3) Strong distrust of other people, especially sales professionals and wish to maintain control of the entire process.
4) Requesting literature is a nice way of saying "I have no interest in what you are offering and this is my way of telling you that.
5) To busy at the time and cannot devote any attention at the moment.
Sending the client information or to your website to review quotes and plans is a great tool as long as you don't expend too much energy and time on them once they have been classified to a group. I prefer clients who are types 1,2 and 5.
Time alone has over 800 variations of the 4 basic plans. The Norvax quote engine shows around 30 plans. World has a similar number between the brokerage side (which only appear on some quote engines) and the private label side. Coventry is not online yet. Neither is American Republic.
If you go to an agent's Time site you will get a chance to see all of the plans but who really wants to look at 800 different plans? Even then the combination you pick may not be what you need, may not be competitive with similar plans, and certainly does not reflect underwriting offers.
Ask a consumer what they have now and most have no clue. They know they have a $20 doc copay and another $20 for Rx. They have no idea what their deductible is, or if they do they just assume everything above that is covered at 100%. Even though their current copay plan does not impose a deductible before allowing doc copays they assume the plans they look at online operate differently and require satisfaction of the deductible before they can see a doctor. They think it costs more to use an agent and they can get a lower premium by going direct to an online site. They believe they can apply for coverage on the 30th of the month and have it effective the next day. They assume because their group plan covered a pre-ex condition so will the individual carrier. They think they cannot be denied coverage, or surcharged or have a condition ridered. They think they can buy maternity coverage after they are pregnant and can buy health insurance after they are diagnosed with a serious illness. They believe they need copays, should have a plan that pays them more in benefits than they pay out in premiums and a plan with a limited Rx benefit is OK as long as it has a copay. Ask them what they want most in their health insurance the first thing they say is a doc & Rx copay. If they are a woman they want a plan that pays for their annual exam including mamm's & pap's. Other than that, they don't need insurance because they never get sick.
Take all of this, mix in the choice of 1800 plans, and how many consumers will make an intelligent decision on the plan they need?
Most of them have a better chance of winning the Nigerian lottery than getting the right plan.
If you go to an agent's Time site you will get a chance to see all of the plans but who really wants to look at 800 different plans? Even then the combination you pick may not be what you need, may not be competitive with similar plans, and certainly does not reflect underwriting offers.
Ask a consumer what they have now and most have no clue. They know they have a $20 doc copay and another $20 for Rx. They have no idea what their deductible is, or if they do they just assume everything above that is covered at 100%. Even though their current copay plan does not impose a deductible before allowing doc copays they assume the plans they look at online operate differently and require satisfaction of the deductible before they can see a doctor. They think it costs more to use an agent and they can get a lower premium by going direct to an online site. They believe they can apply for coverage on the 30th of the month and have it effective the next day. They assume because their group plan covered a pre-ex condition so will the individual carrier. They think they cannot be denied coverage, or surcharged or have a condition ridered. They think they can buy maternity coverage after they are pregnant and can buy health insurance after they are diagnosed with a serious illness. They believe they need copays, should have a plan that pays them more in benefits than they pay out in premiums and a plan with a limited Rx benefit is OK as long as it has a copay. Ask them what they want most in their health insurance the first thing they say is a doc & Rx copay. If they are a woman they want a plan that pays for their annual exam including mamm's & pap's. Other than that, they don't need insurance because they never get sick.
Take all of this, mix in the choice of 1800 plans, and how many consumers will make an intelligent decision on the plan they need?
Most of them have a better chance of winning the Nigerian lottery than getting the right plan.
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