Insurance Agent Forum

[Alston]

If you think that these tools might be useful, please use the Digg button or one of the other social networking buttons below to "vote" for this thread.

I just created an online BMI calculator with a special feature. If you place a link to the calculator on your blog or website your visitors will see a link back to your website on the results page.

I've removed my logo from the page. There is just a text-based link to my Connecticut health insurance site near the bottom of the page.

Free Tools available/soon to be available:

• BMI calculator - completed, details above
  Body Mass Index Calculator
• Disability Insurance Needs calculator completed - short and sweet, tells client how much DI they need, can be used as a pop up window
  Disability Insurance Needs Calculator
• Metric to imperial converter for height - should be done this week - can be used as a pop up window linked to your questionnaire.
• Metric to imperial converter for weight - should be done this week - can be used as a pop up window linked to your questionnaire.
• Insurance Questionnaires - should be done in August - will send you an email with your prospect's information.
• SEO tips - should be done in August - small, but potent ebook tip sheet on how to get more traffic, clients and money from your insurance-based website. Will trade tip sheet for a link from your website to one of mine.

The BMI and the DI calculators are are all set. All you need to do is place a link to one of the following:

• BMI calculator
• Disability Insurance Needs Calculator

on your site or blog. If you need help with the HTML coding, PM me.

If you are interested in any of the other tools, PM me and I will let you know when they are done.

[beatuplunchbox]

Alston,
Definately good stuff!
I am currently running 8 health insurance related blogs and will be glad to provide links.

Keep me updated.

[drew28973]

Awesome tool.... After using BMI charts to pre qualify hundreds of clients I never checked my self until now.. Wow... I never knew I was overweight at 6 2 202. ha ha

[dmiller90]

5' 9" and 170lbs and I am overweight? Not a good tool at all.

[Mark Quotit]

Originally Posted by dmiller90

5' 9" and 170lbs and I am overweight? Not a good tool at all.

BMI in general is not the best gauge of fitness. Assumes people have normal or less amount of muscle.
If you work out, and lift weights, you might have 6% body fat but the BMI might say you are obese because of those weighty muscles.
Muscles have the added benefit of burning more fat just moving around in normal daily activities.

[Alston]

Originally Posted by dmiller90

5' 9" and 170lbs and I am overweight? Not a good tool at all.

I checked with the Center for Diseases Control website. I also checked my printed BMI chart from Aetna. Your BMI is 25.1. Anything over 25.9 is considered overweight, so you are just barely in the overweight category.

As Mark said, BMI is not a perfect predictor of fitness, but the programming seems to match the CDC's guidelines.

[robliano]

Wow, great tool!! I'm finally considered normal weight at 6' 3" 176 lbs. At least according to insurance standards, everyone else tells me to gain, LOL!

[healthagent]

Lord Rob, eat a biscuit for heaven sake

[Alston]

I just added another calculator. It is a Disability Insurance Needs Calculator.

It is short and sweet and the results page links back to the site linking to it. For example the return text might say:

If you do not have a source of money that will pay you the $2900.00 you will need each month when you are disabled, we strongly suggest that you visit your_website.com for more information about disability insurance.

If you think that these tools might be useful, please use the Digg button on the first post or one of the other social networking buttons below to "vote" for this thread.

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Nice calculator. If you could plug SS benefits in there, it would be even better.

[Alston]

Originally Posted by CHUMPS FROM OXFORD

Nice calculator. If you could plug SS benefits in there, it would be even better.

This is primarily a sales tool. It uses simple arithmetic that the prospect can't argue with.

I'm just trying to help agents open a discussion about disability insurance. The agent will come across as the "nice guy" when s/he tells the prospect that the need is a little less.

Adding the SS benefits would muddy the water and make the form much more complex, not just for me, but for the person completing it.

[somarco]

I like your calculator a lot better than this one. Doesn't take as many entries. Nice.

Thanks for sharing.

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

I think if someone adds the calculator along with Alston's suave picture of him on the phone...the sales will roll in!

I wonder if I can copy that pic...

[Alston]

Originally Posted by somarco

I like your calculator a lot better than this one. Doesn't take as many entries. Nice.

Thanks for sharing.

Glad you like it. It is a simple concept I've used with a yellow pad before I became a full time underwear agent/web geek.

It is probably more accurate than using the traditional long list of questions.

[Jeff]

These are nice. I'll link to them.
Also, a Life Ins needs calc would also seem to be helpful. (in your spare time)
Thanks.

[RayGroupInsurance]

Alston,

My site is almost finished and I am trying to incorporate my blog into the site. I remember you mentioned something about a sub domain before something like http:blog.mysite.com. Would you please explain how to do that? Thank you.