Even Old Guys Make Huge Mistakes

[TradeCraze]

Another thread "gone off the rails"...

this happens a lot in here.. But the derails have nuggets of wisdom ...

 

[jerry176]

I flew into the Philly Airport and drove to the hotel in the Vineland area. So I think I drove through Camden to get there if I'm not mistaken.


We worked Vineland, Millville and Atlantic City. It was my first time in NJ. All I kept hearing was that door knocking would be brutal as everybody in New Jersey were jerks. I experienced just the opposite


Are you from that area?

No, Im in the good area, up Northern NJ

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We met up in Camden County

You could have taken Spur City to the aquarium, then did some door knocking, while in Camden.

 

[FEsalesNC]

Advice from anyone for how new agents should handle this? I mean as new agents aren't likely to know what all meds are for what until they learn in the field?

Fell prey to the temptation of taking shortcuts today. Had a case that appeared to be a laydown.... 70 year old retired truck driver.. Had a 25K term expiring.. wanted to increase his coverage to 40K.. Asked the health questions .. no problems other than cholesterol and taking an oral medication for diabetes.. well controlled. Quoted 25K SNL and 15K Equitable.. Total $276 monthly.. Prospect says , "great".. and gets his checkbook..

Fill out the SNL app and ask for meds.. Taking a statin for the cholesterol, the diabetes pill, a long term antibiotic becasue of a condition that cause skin boils. And then......... Gabapentin. I ask him if he has ever had seizures.. He says no.. Uh Oh.. how about Neuropathy? He says "no" I ask what the Gabapentin is for.... He says he is taking it for leg cramps that he has had since he was a child.. I breath a sign of relief because the drug can be used for restless leg syndrome.. I ask how long he has been taking it and he says about 2 years.. the sick feeling returns.

Do the phone interview with Equitable.. At the end the policy is approved but the rate is $800 more than my quote.. I ask why and she tells me it is issued standard due to neuropathy.. I explain the leg cramps.. she insists it is neuropathy... Prospect gets upset and says he will not pay additional premium because he does not have neuropathy.. .. End up leaving the hosue with no sale.

I almost always do not quote a case until after I have discussed the medications a prospect takes.. Had I not gotten in a hurry, I would have known to quote something different. He would have probably bought at a higher premium if I had not already quoted a lower premium.. as it was he felt he was being taken advantage of.

New agents... if your sales slack off, take a look at how you are doing things.. Never ever get to thinking you are so good you can afford to take shortcuts..

 

[Gooner]

Advice from anyone for how new agents should handle this? I mean as new agents aren't likely to know what all meds are for what until they learn in the field?

Americo' rx book is great. I keep it in my briefcase...If I don't know what a script is for and I don't have cell reception I pull that booklet out.

 

[jdeasy]

I've gotten a few forms from fbl in the past just to check them out but a few things concern me. As far as I can tell they've only been in business as an insurance company since 2012. Also there agent portal is the worst I've ever seen.I thought snl was a small company but trinity is probably a 1/5 the size. A kids paid up policy is a long term obligation of living benefits(that dividends are paid as projected) were a final expense product is much shorter term and almost always a death benefit thus guaranteed by the state even If somebody else takes it over.

They are the same company as Trinity. I don't know how long they have been around. Nor care.

Their agent website is terrible. They are supposed to be revamping it and someone here said the new one would available by March. Well, tomorrow is March.

 

[FEX Quotes]

Advice from anyone for how new agents should handle this? I mean as new agents aren't likely to know what all meds are for what until they learn in the field?

The learning curve is not that bad, but even experienced agents frequently get thrown curve balls with meds.

One of the tools on FEX Quotes is a prescription look up database..

 

[jdeasy]

Every company was new at one time. I am not with them but the organization behind them seems stable.

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That is as high as the table rating would be for neuropathy? Most FU companies seem to rate it much higher if they will accept it at all.

I've got many, many clients approved with no problem that take gabapentin. With many companies.

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Americo' rx book is great. I keep it in my briefcase...If I don't know what a script is for and I don't have cell reception I pull that booklet out.

Yep, that book is pretty good. I carry it too. It's great for telling you what the med is for even if you aren't using Americo.

 

[WinoBlues]

I can assure you I won't be gone(I did $30k for the month) as my concerns for the client are very valid.Its not all about the agent. How is there customer service?Will they be able to honor there long term commitment in keeping there word on paid up policies.Have you had a death claim with them? How there service on nsf's and changing beneficiary's. Yes I want to know these things about the co's I sell. There's 75 other FE co's out there.

I spent an hour yesterday talking to the CS and claims of a company I am looking at. How companies treat my clients is as important to me as underwriting. To many companies out there to settle.

 

[jdeasy]

I spent an hour yesterday talking to the CS and claims of a company I am looking at. How companies treat my clients is as important to me as underwriting. To many companies out there to settle.

Doesn't every company claim to have great agent services and great customer service?

 

[rousemark]

Another thread "gone off the rails"...

Engineer has been in the Thunderbird again.(do they still make that stuff?)!!