5 Insurance Mistakes to Avoid

 

Insurance is something we all need, yet most of us spend very little time actually thinking about it. This can lead to making a number of insurance mistakes that can result in having less insurance coverage than you really need. Here we�ll look at some of the most common mistakes people make when buying insurance, and how you can avoid making those mistakes yourself.

1. Selecting an insurance company by price alone

Clearly no one wants to pay more for an insurance policy than necessary. Yet more important than price is choosing an insurance company that will be there when you need it and is able to pay their claims. There are

independent rating companies where you can check the financial strength of the insurance companies you�re considering. It�s also important to talk to others about their experiences, especially when it comes to handling claims. You want a company that is easy to work with and is fair about paying claims.

2. Insuring your home for its market value

The value of a home can fluctuate, and sometimes people will reduce the amount that their homeowners insurance covers when the value of their home drops. This is a mistake � your home should be insured for the amount it would cost to rebuild, which is seldom equal to its market value.

3. Not having flood insurance

People who don�t live near a river or lake often believe that they don�t need flood insurance. If you do live in such areas, flood insurance is something you shouldn�t be without, but those in lower-risk areas should consider it as well. Of all flood claims that are paid in the U.S., 20% are not in high-risk areas.

4. Getting the minimum required auto liability coverage

Most states have a minimum requirement for car insurance liability coverage. However, that minimum might not be enough to cover the cost of damages in an accident. Anything beyond the limit of your automobile insurance policy becomes your responsibility, and this can be disastrous if you can�t afford that expense. You may need to sell something of value, or could end up filing bankruptcy. If your car is older and not worth a lot, it can make more sense to drop your comprehensive and collision coverage than to skimp on liability.

5. Neglecting renters insurance

Your landlord�s insurance isn�t going to cover your belongings. Chances are the things you own are worth more than you think. It�s smart to take a detailed inventory of your possessions to reasonably estimate their value, and to consider getting insurance to cover that value. You will probably find that it�s much more affordable than you think. If you purchase insurance for your rental, you�ll also be covered for liability, so for example if your apartment floods and damages your neighbor�s property, you�re covered.

Armed with these insurance tips, you�re in a good position to review your current coverage. If you find that you�ve made any of these common mistakes, talk to an insurance agent you trust to provide you with great insurance advice and get you the coverage you need.

10 Reasons Why Your Car Insurance is So Expensive

 

�Why is my car insurance so expensive? Why does my car insurance keep going up?� Millions of people have asked themselves these questions whenever they make an installment payment or are shopping for

affordable car insurance. These are fair questions to ask, especially since more and more people are looking for low-cost car insurance coverage for all of their vehicles.

However, many people don�t know the gauging factors that could result in a higher auto insurance premium. Some actions of your past or circumstances that aren�t in your control can raise the price of your premium dramatically. Here are some reasons why your car insurance is more costly and what you can do to shave down the price of your premium.

1. Your Age

Young driver insurance is pricey. Due a combination of the lack of experience on the road and lack of overall maturity, many insurance companies feel that younger motorists can pose a higher chance of being involved in a collision. On top of that, teen drivers account for 11% of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention , so many insurance companies consider them a higher risk due to that statistic. Plus, drivers aged 16 to 19-years-old are three times as likely to be in a fatal crash than a driver that�s 20-years-old or older.

Unfortunately, until these statistics change, there�s nothing you can do to lower your insurance rate until the driver on the policy turns 25-years-old. That said, some insurance providers may provide a small discount if the young driver to attached to their parent�s policy, especially if the parent has been doing business with the insurance company for decades.

2. The Garaging Address of Your Vehicle

The location of your vehicle can affect your car insurance rates. Weather patterns, the local crime rate, and the number of claims made within the vicinity of your car�s garaging address are all factored into the price of your premium. If you move into a heavily populated city rather than a spread out suburban area, you�ll likely see your rates go up based on these factors. If a place has a more unpredictable climate, you could experience a rate increase due to the risks of a hurricane, snow storm, tornado, or other damaging weather phenomena. If you are moving to a new location, talk to an insurance agent to see how much your move will affect the cost of your overall premium so you can shop and budget accordingly.

3. Your Vehicle and Its Usage

The type of vehicle you drive and how often you use it can exponentially affect the cost of your auto insurance premium. The more expensive and desirable the automobile, the higher the risk of it getting stolen and the higher the cost for repairs. If you drive your car for a long commute to work, you have a higher chance of getting into a collision compared to someone driving the same car only for weekend drives in the country. No matter how clean your car history is, your rates will be higher the more miles you put onto a vehicle.

If you need a newer car but don�t want to your insurance premium to soar up, investigate in getting an efficient, modest vehicle that boasts a good safety rating. That will encourage insurance providers to offer you a more reasonable rate.

4. Your Marital Status

It may seem unfair, but the numbers don�t lie. Statistically speaking, married people get into less collisions and have less traffic violations than people who are single. With that mind, insurance companies see married folks as a safer bet than people who are unmarried.

5. Your Credit Score

If your credit is bad, insurers may only offer you high-risk auto insurance rates. Regardless of your driving record, poor credit automatically makes you seen as a higher risk for insurance companies. Once you�ve improved your credit score, talk to your insurance provider to see if they would be willing to cover you at a lower premium.

6. You�ve Cancelled a Policy in the Past

Not fulfilling a current insurance term and cancelling it prematurely not only hurts your relationship with your insurer, but other insurance providers, too. Regardless of the reason, when another company sees that you have a cancelled policy in your past, they will be hesitant to cover you and will likely require a higher cost to cover you. Your best bet is to discuss with an insurance agent the reasons why you previously cancelled a policy to see if they are willing to negotiate to a lower premium cost.

7. You Haven�t Bundled Your Policies

Most insurance companies are willing to offer lower car insurance premiums if you are willing to do other business with them. See if you can get a discount if you bundle your car insurance along with a homeowners, renters, or life insurance policy. This can not only lower your auto insurance rate, but the cost of other coverage could go down overall since you have bundled all of your policies together.

8. Low Deductibles

It�s basic math: the more you spend out of your pocket before your insurance kicks in, the lower your overall premium will be. Having a low deductible is helpful if you are in a collision since you don�t need to pay a lot before your insurance coverage activates. However, you�ll be paying much higher premiums overall since your deductible is so low. If you are a safe driver or don�t drive often, you could likely get away with adjusting to a higher deductible and take a risk on yourself which would put your premiums at a lower overall cost.

9. You�ve Made Claims That Resulted in Big Payouts

For some insurance companies, seeing a large payout for an accident or theft encourages them to raise your premium, regardless of whether or not it was your fault. Your best bet to avoid a much larger premium payment in the future is to only claim what was damaged or stolen without embellishment. Also, if you�re involved in an accident and it wasn�t your fault, make sure that your records has it listed as �no-fault� to avoid unnecessary premium increases.

10. You Have a Poor Driving Record

Car insurance for people with accidents, violations, or other bad marks on their driving record can make insurance companies view them as high risk drivers. Folks with a extremely poor record will have to get an

SR-22 to legally drive. There are high-risk auto insurance companies like Freeway Insurance that specialize in helping drivers obtain low

SR-22 insurance costs, but many companies charge a higher premium based off your past if you were previously in an accident and were at fault, commit too many traffic violations, or were given a DUI. If you improve your driving record over time, you could convince insurance providers that you will not repeat your past mistakes, leading to lower cost premiums in the future. All it takes is time

How to File a Car Insurance Claim

Getting into a car crash can be stressful and cause panic, even if you are protected with car insurance. Many folks have coverage, but don�t know what to do after an accident and don�t know how to file a car insurance claim. Keep calm and read on.

The car insurance claim process may seem daunting, but it is easier than it appears. Here is some information on what to do after a collision and how to file a claim with little hassle.

Things You Should Know Before the Worst Happens

No one plans to get into an accident, but it�s important to know what your policy covers in case you have file a car accident injury claim or any other insurance claim. Read through your policy so you always know where you stand. Know how much liability coverage you have and if you have collision and comprehensive coverage. If you notice any coverage you want that isn�t included in your plan, contact your insurance company to get it added to your policy. Reading over your policy can also inform you on how to best file an auto insurance claim with your insurer if you cannot proceed with traditional methods.

After the Accident

There is a whole guide on what to do after getting into an auto accident and there are some steps that take priority before filing accident claims. In short, pull over and park away from traffic if possible, check yourself and others involved in the accident for injuries, call the police to report the accident, and exchange insurance information with the people involved with the collision. Also, take pictures of the accident scene if you are able, write down license plate numbers of all vehicles involved in the collision, and write down the names and contact information of any witnesses.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Regardless of whoever caused the accident, you should call your insurance company as soon as possible to report the accident and file a claim. There should be a national or local phone number on your insurance card that you can call. When you speak with your insurance representative, ask if there are any particular forms you need to fill out or other information they need in order to swiftly process auto accident claims. Knowing what information you�ll need to obtain, usually items such as repair bills and the police report, will save you from making follow-up phone calls later on.

Take Your Car to a Repair Shop

While most state laws prohibit insurance companies from favoring specific auto body repair shops, many will provide you a list of local shops that are backed by repair and labor guarantees. Ultimately, you will be the one to choose which repair shop will fix your car. Make sure you know what your settlement amounts are before signing off on an estimate for repairs. You don�t want to end up paying beyond your policy�s limit if you can help it. Keep and make copies of all paperwork.

Cooperate With Your Insurer

Depending on the severity of the accident, you may be required to give your insurer additional information. They may call the repair shop to discuss the estimate for repairs or send an insurance adjuster to inspect the car. You may need to send copies of any legal papers or settlement offers you receive in relation to the accident. This can help your insurer defend you if you are sued as a result of the accident. It may seem like a hassle, but it is all in the interest of providing you the protection you purchased.

Keep Records of All Related Expenses

If you get a car estimate, hospital bill, a bill for a rental car, or any other expense related to your car accident, you need to be able to show proof of it to your insurance company. Keep any and all receipts or paperwork that indicates how much you paid or need to pay. You should also write down and report anything that could be considered lost wages. This can help you get reimbursed properly for these expenses.

Keep and Store Copies of Paperwork

This has been mentioned previously multiple times, but it bears repeating. It is important to keep any and all paperwork related to your accident in order for your insurance provider to refer to it when filing your car insurance claim. Keep the originals and make copies of any forms, bills, or other items related to your accident. You should also consider keeping your records organized in a file and kept in a safe place in your home.

If You�re Dissatisfied, Talk to Your Insurance Agent

If your claim has been processed and you aren�t satisfied with your payout, don�t be afraid to talk things over with your insurance provider. You can both review what was outlined in your policy agreement and see if there was any information that was overlooked or forgot to provide. It could also be an opportunity to update your insurance policy to include certain coverages that weren�t available to you in this instance.

5 Insurance Mistakes to Avoid

 

Insurance is something we all need, yet most of us spend very little time actually thinking about it. This can lead to making a number of insurance mistakes that can result in having less insurance coverage than you really need. Here we�ll look at some of the most common mistakes people make when buying insurance, and how you can avoid making those mistakes yourself.

1. Selecting an insurance company by price alone

Clearly no one wants to pay more for an insurance policy than necessary. Yet more important than price is choosing an insurance company that will be there when you need it and is able to pay their claims. There are

independent rating companies where you can check the financial strength of the insurance companies you�re considering. It�s also important to talk to others about their experiences, especially when it comes to handling claims. You want a company that is easy to work with and is fair about paying claims.

2. Insuring your home for its market value

The value of a home can fluctuate, and sometimes people will reduce the amount that their homeowners insurance covers when the value of their home drops. This is a mistake � your home should be insured for the amount it would cost to rebuild, which is seldom equal to its market value.

3. Not having flood insurance

People who don�t live near a river or lake often believe that they don�t need flood insurance. If you do live in such areas, flood insurance is something you shouldn�t be without, but those in lower-risk areas should consider it as well. Of all flood claims that are paid in the U.S., 20% are not in high-risk areas.

4. Getting the minimum required auto liability coverage

Most states have a minimum requirement for car insurance liability coverage. However, that minimum might not be enough to cover the cost of damages in an accident. Anything beyond the limit of your automobile insurance policy becomes your responsibility, and this can be disastrous if you can�t afford that expense. You may need to sell something of value, or could end up filing bankruptcy. If your car is older and not worth a lot, it can make more sense to drop your comprehensive and collision coverage than to skimp on liability.

5. Neglecting renters insurance

Your landlord�s insurance isn�t going to cover your belongings. Chances are the things you own are worth more than you think. It�s smart to take a detailed inventory of your possessions to reasonably estimate their value, and to consider getting insurance to cover that value. You will probably find that it�s much more affordable than you think. If you purchase insurance for your rental, you�ll also be covered for liability, so for example if your apartment floods and damages your neighbor�s property, you�re covered.

Armed with these insurance tips, you�re in a good position to review your current coverage. If you find that you�ve made any of these common mistakes, talk to an insurance agent you trust to provide you with great insurance advice and get you the coverage you need.

Ways to prevent drunk driving

Driving drunk is a serious problem. Any time you drive intoxicated, you risk your freedom. Being convicted of DUI/DWI can result in jail time, losing your license, fines, and higher insurance rates. More important, though, are the safety risks. We all know how dangerous drinking and driving can be, yet drunk driving accidents remain common � of the nearly 40,000 traffic deaths in 2016, over 10,000 were in crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol level (BAC) above the legal limit of 0.08%. On average, there are 28 deaths every day from drunk driving crashes. In 2010, 17 million people admitted they had driven drunk � that�s more than the population of most states. Statistics like these make it clear that all of us need to do our parts when it comes to drinking and driving prevention. So what can we do to ensure that we and our loved ones stay safe during celebrations?

Plan Ahead

When you�re out enjoying a few drinks with friends, it�s easy to tell yourself that you feel ok to drive. Unfortunately, even after just one or two, you are not in the best position to judge. Alcohol impairs normal judgement, so trusting yourself to make smart choices when you�ve been drinking is a recipe for problems. Even though you feel ok, those couple drinks are enough to affect your driving. Impaired driving is always dangerous, even if you don�t think you�re drunk.

The best way to prevent this type of problem is to plan how you�ll get home before you go out. Instead of relying on your own questionable judgement, keep yourself safe by having a plan. That could mean walking home, taking a cab, or getting a ride with a non-drinking friend. If you�ve already decided how you�ll get home, you won�t be as tempted to drive later.

Have a Designated Driver

One of the most common choices to avoid the temptation to drink and drive is to have a sober driver. It�s important to remember, this doesn�t mean a driver who drinks less than the passengers; it means someone who will not drink at all. If you have friends who don�t drink, they are often your best choice. Another option is to take turns being the designated driver among your group of friends. Regardless, if your planned driver decides to drink, find a new driver.

Use a Ride Sharing Service or a Taxi

If you don�t have a designated driver, this is your next best option. Services like Uber and Lyft have made it easy to get a ride whenever you need one. If you live in a city with good taxi service, it should be easy to flag down a cab. There is very little excuse for driving intoxicated when these options are available.

Stay Where You Are

If you�re drinking at someone�s home, you might ask the host if you can sleep for a while before you head home. If you�re out at a bar, switch to non-alcoholic drinks and stick around until you sober up. Keep in mind, though, that you�ll need about an hour for each alcoholic drink you�ve had. If you don�t have time to wait it out, look for another option.

When You Are the Host

If you�re throwing a party, you should consider drunk driving prevention one of your responsibilities. This is not just the considerate and responsible thing to do; it can prevent legal trouble as well. If one of your guests has an accident while driving home from your house, you could be held liable. So keep an eye on your guests, pay attention to who�s drinking, and be aware when someone seems like they may have had too much. Don�t be afraid to take someone�s keys � they�ll probably resist and might get a bit angry, but they�ll probably appreciate it the next day.

Be sure to serve food as well, since it will help to slow the absorption of alcohol. Have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages available, too. If you have games or other non-drinking activities, this can also help to slow people�s drinking.

Keeping the roads safe is everyone�s responsibility. Keeping intoxicated drivers off the road saves lives, and each of us can play a part. Plan to be safe and to keep your loved ones safe, through the holiday season and all year long.

Humours about insurance fallacies

THE MEANING OF INSURANCE, BY AMBROSE BIERCE
INSURANCE, n. �An ingenious modern game of chance in which the player is permitted to enjoy the comfortable conviction that he is beating the man who keeps the table.

INSURANCE AGENT: My dear sir, that is a fine house � pray let me insure it.

HOUSE OWNER: With pleasure. Please make the annual premium so low that by the time when, according to the tables of your actuary, it will probably be destroyed by fire I will have paid you considerably less than the face of the policy.

INSURANCE AGENT: O dear, no � we could not afford to do that. We must fix the premium so that you will have paid more.

HOUSE OWNER: How, then, can I afford that?

INSURANCE AGENT: Why, your house may burn down at any time. There was Smith�s house, for example, which..

HOUSE OWNER: Spare me � there were Brown�s house, on the contrary, and Jones�s house, and Robinson�s house, which..

INSURANCE AGENT: Spare  me!

HOUSE OWNER: Let us understand each other. You want me to pay you money on the supposition that something will occur previously to the time set by yourself for its occurrence. In other words, you expect me to bet that my house will not last so long as you say that it will probably last.

INSURANCE AGENT: But if your house burns without insurance it will be a total loss.

HOUSE OWNER: Beg your pardon � by your own actuary�s tables I shall probably have saved, when it burns, all the premiums I would otherwise have paid to you � amounting to more than the face of the policy they would have bought. But suppose it to burn, uninsured, before the time upon which your figures are based. If I could not afford that, how could you if it were insured?

INSURANCE AGENT: O, we should make ourselves whole from our luckier ventures with other clients. Virtually, they pay your loss.

HOUSE OWNER: And virtually, then, don�t I help to pay their losses? Are not their houses as likely as mine to burn before they have paid you as much as you must pay them? The case stands this way: you expect to take more money from your clients than you pay to them, do you not?

INSURANCE AGENT: Certainly; if we did not..

HOUSE OWNER: I would not trust you with my money. Very well, then. If it is certain, with reference to the whole body of your clients, that they lose money on you it is probable, with reference to any one of them, that he will. It is these individual probabilities that make the aggregate certainty.

INSURANCE AGENT: I will not deny it � but look at the figures in this pamphlet.

HOUSE OWNER: Heaven forbid!

INSURANCE AGENT: You spoke of saving the premiums which you would otherwise pay to me. Will you not be more likely to squander them? We offer you an incentive to thrift.

HOUSE OWNER: The willingness of A to take care of B�s money is not peculiar to insurance, but as a charitable institution you command esteem. Deign to accept its expression from a Deserving Object.

21 Insurance Sales Tips For Young or Inexperienced Insurance Agents

Selling insurance is different from selling everything else.

Insurance is one of the most expensive things people buy and they can�t see it, touch it, or hold it.

You�re selling ideas. You�re selling trust. You�re selling promises.

You�re selling yourself.

This is such a huge challenge that most insurance salespeople quit in the first 2 years and many agents are afraid to hire inexperienced salespeople.

I hate to see young producers fail and even more, I hate seeing agents miss out on the largest pool of cheap, passionate, and open-minded talent.

That�s why I created this resource. To help young insurance salespeople be successful and encourage hiring agents to consider young and inexperienced applicants.

If you know a young insurance salesperson please pass this article along to them. And if you are one:

Follow these 21 tips to be an inexperienced but insanely successful insurance salesperson:

1) Dress More Professionally

Obviously, if you dress more professionally clients are more likely to take you seriously. I don�t need to convince you of that.

But when you�re the sharpest dressed person in the office your coworkers and your boss will take you more seriously and most importantly, you�ll take yourself more seriously!

Sometimes confidence comes from the outside in. If you look the part everyone, including yourself, will start to believe it.

2) Avoid Using �Young� Slang

Have you ever told a client or prospect that you were �all about� customer service?

Do you express agreement by saying things like, �Gotcha�, �Right on� or �For Sure�?

Don�t get me wrong, I believe in being yourself and not apologizing for it, but when you�re trying to sell, the more you speak like your prospect the better success you�ll have.

If your prospect doesn�t use those terms it�s harder to earn their trust when you do.

3) Find Common Ground

Regardless your prospect�s age or background there�s always something you have in common.

Find it.

Did you grow up in the same neighborhood? Like the same baseball team?  Shop at the same grocery store? Do you both love your family?

Ask questions and figure it out so you can focus on the commonalities and skip over the rest.

4) Ask Prospects About Their Kids

If you�re trying to sell to someone much older than you, try to find out if they have a child or grandchild your age and ask a lot of questions about him or her.

You�ll prime their brain to think about their loved one. This makes your prospect more likely to buy from you since they would want someone else to do the same for their child.

Plus, while you may be young and inexperienced, if you�re more polished than their child you�ll come off as a real professional by comparison.

5) Reference Combined Experience

Remind prospects that they�re not buying only from you.

�I passed my licensing exam 3 months ago and I�m so lucky because our office has over 45 years of insurance experience! In fact, every single policy I write is double-checked by the owner of the agency.�

If experience may be an issue for your prospect, make sure they know you�re up to your ears in it.

6) Learn From Experienced Coworkers

Technology has created a very unusual situation in the business world.

It makes younger people think they�re smarter than they are.

As a tech guy myself, I know it�s hard to take advice from someone you just watched peck away at a keyboard to write a one sentence email.

But I also know more multi-millionaire insurance agents than almost anybody and I have found almost no correlation between their tech abilities and their success.

That�ll change for your generation, but learn everything you can from those who�ve been around.

7) Be Enthusiastic

Have you ever seen an infomercial without enthusiastic people?

Everybody likes enthusiasm and as a young salesman, you can display unbridled enthusiasm without looking like an idiot.

People will just think you�re young and have a lot of energy.

They�ll like it. And they�ll buy into it.

8) Follow the Markets

If want to relate to a more mature and professional audience, follow the stock market.

You don�t have to be an expert, just know enough to ask questions that don�t make you sound stupid.

After you�ve qualified someone by asking if they follow the market, ask something like, �What sectors do you think are going to do the best in the next quarter?�

And don�t turn into one of those Cramer wannabees who think they always know the sleeper stock. It�ll make you look inexperienced to someone who has followed the market for years.

9) Listen to Your Phone Voice

Record your voice on the phone while talking to some clients.

Do you sound smart?

Do you sound confident?

Do you sound like a little kid who picked up the phone in Daddy�s office?

10) Sell to Other Young People

There�s one group you have a huge advantage with in selling� other young people!

And guess what�

There�s millions of them!

Millions buying homes, millions getting married, starting businesses, having kids, buying expensive stuff!

Go get them!

11) Don�t Ignore Sales Fundamentals

I�m sorry to burst your bubble, but Facebook, Twitter, Text Messages and QR Codes don�t sell insurance.

People do.

Of course there are tools that can make things easier and more effective for agents, but social media will never replace the basics.

Read �How To Win Friends and Influence People� by Dale Carnegie. It was written in 1936 and teaches you how Teddy Roosevelt, Henry Ford, Benjamin Franklin and a lot of other old people become successful long before Mark Zuckerburg.

Everything in that book is just as relevant today as it was 75 years ago.

12) Speak Less, Listen More

As a young or inexperienced salesperson, there�s always an impulse to demonstrate your knowledge.

You want prospects to see you know your stuff because you�re a bit worried about it yourself.

The more you talk or explain things they didn�t ask about, the more obvious it is how much you don�t know.

And the more likely you�ll elicit a question you can�t answer!

13) Bring Up Age First

The best way to avoid an objection is to bring it up and overcome it before the prospect has a chance to.

Make a joke about your inexperience and be open about it.

Once you�ve brought it up, you have the excuse to explain why your prospect shouldn�t be concerned.

(you�re well-trained, you�re licensed, you ask questions when you don�t know answers, etc)

Here�s the greatest example ever.

14) Be Better Prepared

If your inexperience makes you feel inadequate as a salesperson then find a way to get around it.

Work harder, work longer, learn more about your products. Have an answer for every possible question.

Read books about sales, listen to sales audio tapes, go to seminars about sales.

Get in front of a mirror, a colleague, or a friend and practice your sales scripts, practice your rebuttals, your closes.

Nothing comes to you. Prepare yourself and go get it.

15) Expect to Live In the Trenches

Selling insurance is hard, hard work.

Insurance agents you see with big houses and nice cars playing golf around the world didn�t get there overnight.

They sold and sold and sold.

And sold more.

It�s the only way to become super successful in this business and if you want to be successful you�re going to have to do it too.

16) Become a Marketing Expert

You can�t rely on the agency or carrier you work for to come up with all the marketing ideas and generate leads.

Here�s a few marketing resources to get you started:

• Free Marketing Book for Insurance Agents
• 100 Insurance Agent Marketing Ideas
• 100 Insurance Social Media Marketing Ideas
• 100 Insurance Lead Generation Ideas
• Insurance LeadFinder Tool

You�re not just a salesperson, you are a marketer.

17) Don�t Spew Features

When you�re new to selling it�s common to focus on product features rather than benefits.

At some point you learned all 10 features of a product and you�re anxious to prove your knowledge by telling customers about all 10 of them.

Unfortunately they don�t care about all of them.

There�s maybe one or two features that interest them and  you�re better off asking questions to identify the client�s needs so you can explain how your products will satisfy those needs than trying to explain everything.

Don�t spew features on your clients; identify their needs and satisfy them.

18) Don�t Use Jargon

Nothing says �bad salesperson� more than using jargon to someone that doesn�t understand it.

There is no better way to show prospects you don�t give a %&#! about them than by using terminology no one outside your industry should know!

When you�re new, you have a unique advantage of being able to relate to clients as an outsider. People will actually relate better to you if they feel like you�re still on their side. You haven�t crossed over to the �insurance salesman� side.

Don�t use jargon, it only makes you look like you�re hiding something.

19) Recognize and Act on Buying Signals

I�ve witnessed a lot of new salespeople shoot themselves in the foot because they didn�t know when to shut up.

When someone is ready to buy, let them do it.

If it�s that important to explain everything then go ahead and do it� after you get their signature and a check!

20) Don�t Sell on Price

I get it� people are shopping on price, they�re comparing on price, and they�re buying on price.

You buy everything on price too, right?

Wrong.

Here�s the bottom line:

If you honestly believe people only buy on price then quit today. You�re in the wrong business and the industry doesn�t need you.

We�re not going to survive with a bunch of price-checkers. The entire industry will suffer if you don�t get out now.

Need some ideas for selling value?  Read this.

21) Embrace Your Youth

Be crazy. Be reckless. Be passionate. Be young!

No one ever had a mid-life crisis and became an insurance salesman. Don�t be afraid to breathe some life into this business!

Smile. Laugh. Be fun.

Who would you rather spend an hour talking about insurance with?

Don�t Just Read This Article:

1. Make a list of strategies that are going to help you.
2. Develop an ACTIONABLE plan to follow through.
3. Share this resource with every insurance school classmate or young co-worker so they�ll owe you a favor.
4. And click �Like� to show me you want more material for new salespeople.

Good Luck!

3 ways to save big

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog. I hope that you all are having/had a great Wednesday ?? 

Today I am continuing my save big series by giving you all some easy ways to save money. The holiday season is vastly approaching and I�m sure that we all can use the extra money.

So let�s jump right into it�. Open A New Bank Account: 
I know that you all are thinking, how can I save by opening a new bank account? Well, I�m going to tell you. I suggest opening a account with a bank that is difficult to withdraw from like an online banking account, then make an initial deposit�and keep making small deposits. This separate account allows you to track your positive progress and it also builds momentum.

 Analyze Your Bills: 
With really analyzing your bills you are sure to find ways that you can save money. For example, with care insurance companies they usually makes the most money off of the people that has been with them the longest. Just think about it. If you have been have a good driving record and have been with your car insurance for years your premium has either went up or stayed the same. Why? Because they think you want leave them. That�s exactly what you should find another company that will save you money and that fits your needs.

 Ask For Your Savings: 
 That�s right! Don�t be afraid to ask for the savings that you want. I am always asking for companies to waive fees. When I upgrade my phone, I ask if they can waive the $30 activation fee. So far, I have not paid activation fees for my upgrades. I mean, what�s the worst that can happen with asking. They are more likely Togo along with whatever you are asking becauthey want to keep your business. 

I hope that you all found these tips to be helpful. No, they are not tips that can be used only for the holiday season but can be used all year around to help save money for anything. Such as a family vacation or something else.

The Benefits of Bundling Insurance

There are a number of advantages when you choose to bundle your insurance. Not only is it convenient, but you can also save money.

American Family Insurance offers insurance diacount when you combine your home , auto , motorcycles and life insurance. Consider it our way of rewarding you for proactively protecting what matters most.

Bundle and Save

Whether your home is a house, condo, apartment or manufactured home, you can enjoy the convenience of insurance packages and take advantage of bundled insurance discounts. American Family agents know our products inside and out and can help you identify what�s best for your situation. Talk to your American Family Insurance agent to see which of the following discounts may apply to you.

Auto & home. Save money on your auto premium when you bundle your auto and home insurance.

Auto & renters. If you�re a renter, take advantage of a discount on your auto insurance premium when you bundle auto and renters insurance.

Auto & life. Just another reason to proactively protect what matters most � bundle auto and life to get a discount on your auto insurance premium.

Motorcycle & Home Discount. By bundling your home and motorcycle policies with American Family, you could get insurance discounts on specific motorcycle coverages.

Home & Auto Discount. If you�re a homeowner, you�ll definitely want to consider adding car insurance to maximize your savings. In contrast to the Auto & Home discount, you can save money on your homeowners, condo or renters premium when you bundle home and auto.

Home & Umbrella Discount. You may qualify for a discount on your homeowners, renters or condominium policy when you purchase the additional liability protection of an American Family Umbrella policy.

Does Car Insurance Cover Theft?

Imagine walking to your car after a long day at work and discovering that your car isn�t there. Or, finding your vehicle, but it�s got a broken window and all of your belongings are missing. These are exactly the type of situations where you want to have insurance on your side � and we�ve got you covered! The key is knowing what type of insurance you need and how it will help you.


In the above scenario there are two different types of theft that happen � and each one would be covered by a different type of insurance. If you have comprehensive car insurance, then you�re covered if a thief takes off with your vehicle. Your car policy will also cover up to $200 in personal property. If you have more valuable items in your vehicle, your home owners or renters insurance will step in after the deductible. So is theft covered? You bet � but different types of theft need different insurance, and it won�t always be covered by your auto insurance.

If you�re wondering about the broken window in the first example, or any vandalism for that matter � we�ve also got you covered. Your comprehensive insurance steps in to help you pay any out-of-pocket expenses that may arise from vandalism.

Because a car theft or theft of items in a car can be complex and involve different types of insurance, it�s a great idea to contact the police and file a report, take lots of pictures, make note of anything that was stolen and all damage done to the vehicle. And finally, call your agent to see if they have any advice for you while you�re on the scene.

What Theft Does Comprehensive Insurance Cover?

If you�re wondering specifically what types of theft your auto insurance covers, then we should explore comprehensive auto insurance more thoroughly. The following chart is an easy way to do just that!

Your car is stolen

Yes

Your hubcaps are stolen

Yes

Your locks are wrecked in a failed theft

Yes

Your tires are stolen

Yes

Your vehicle is vandalized

Yes

Windows are broken

Yes

It�s important to note that comprehensive coverage is optional. So to get the coverage, you�ll need to add it to your policy.

Choosing a travel insurance

I have been very busy preparing for my upcoming trip, so I have not been making much new content lately. One thing I have recently been working on is choosing my Travel Insurance. So far, this has been one of my least favourite aspects of preparation but I know it is important, so I am taking it very seriously.

This is a lengthy, time-consuming exercise if you want to do this properly as you have no idea what you are getting unless you go over the lengthy Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) with a fine tooth comb. It is important to note that they may advertise that they cover you for X amount of dollars for medical, dental, personal luggage etc. but these things all come with a list of conditions � situations they won�t cover you for, so you need to look into this in depth. A lot of people might not be getting what they think they are really paying for without taking the time to research.

I regularly read horror stories in the news where Australians go overseas (mainly to Asian countries) and are in motorcycle/moped/scooter accidents and sustain serious injuries and they wind up being in a lot of trouble as they aren�t covered by their insurance. They end up making �Go Fund Me�s� and relying on the kindness of others to compensate. Despite these stories many people don�t seem to know that you are not covered when driving those kinds of vehicles without a motorcycle license (from your home country normally). It is super important to know what activities you are covered for and the conditions that go along with it.

I have read a lot of very popular bloggers shoving one brand of travel insurance down peoples throats but this insurance is one of the most expensive ones you can get and the reviews are horrendous. Even worse, you cannot truly depend on reviews, especially with negative reviews because how can you determine if that individual did adequate research into what they were getting?

It is probably impossible to find the perfect travel insurance (they are businesses after all who exist to make money) but finding the best for my criteria, that will look after me if the worst happens, that is doable

If my inane ramblings haven�t made you run for the hills, this was my process for choosing my travel insurance:

I visited the Choice website, they are a consumer advocacy group in Australia, who provide independent reviews of a huge variety of products and services and defend consumer rights. They have a buying guide and they have evaluated what seems to be every single Travel Insurance product on the market available to Australians. I selected a handful of their top-rated Travel Insurance products, for my additional analysis.I researched travel insurers for long-term travel, I hand-picked the insurers that allow the longest amount of travel.I created an excel spreadsheet with important points from my personal criteria. I proceeded to fill out each section for 8 different brands (I started with 10 and automatically excluded 2 from the start due to the ridiculous prices), including 1-2 policies from each brand.I selected my top 2 policies based on my evaluation of the spreadsheet.I printed out the PDS for each product I am interested in and read them thoroughly and see what I am really being offered. Surprisingly my top 2 were very similar but had some points that set them apart.I contacted both insurers with some questions I couldn�t answer by reading the PDS.Choose: I have chosen to go with Itrek and get their top-notch cover (Pioneer).

If you are also looking for travel insurance here are some reasons I choose to go with Itrek:

-Activities: They automatically cover a wide range of activities include loads of snow activities. As I will be spending winter in some snowy destinations, I like to have the peace of mind that my options are open in terms of doing these activities and being covered by my insurance. A lot of insurers charge substantially more to have this type of cover.

-Price: Considering a lot of snow sports are included this is a bargain compared to other insurers. This was a compromise for me as it is a mid-range price � I wasn�t prepared to blow my budget out on a ridiculously priced insurance but didn�t want to just go for the cheapest cover and hope for the best.

-Length: You can extend for up to 18 months with Itrek � so it is one of the longer length insurers.

-Luggage & Personal Effects: The policy I am purchasing comes with a decent level of cover for luggage including for computers, cameras and mobile phones (with limits, of course). I know that some people who have more expensive equipment sometimes purchase a separate insurance just for all their gear but that isn�t necessary for me.

I hope you find that my methods gave you some insight on factors you might want to consider when selecting your travel insurance. I know some people just choose the cheapest one and go for gold (not judging but you are playing Russian roulette, mate!!) but I implore you to spend a couple of hours making a decision and looking into this. This is about your health and safety, very important aspects of your survival and wellbeing. If you can do your part to know what you are entitled to, what you shouldn�t be doing etc. you can adventure away with the peace of the mind that if worst comes to worst your insurance company will probably have your back.

3 types of insurance? everyone should have

There are a lot of different types of insurance, but it isn�t always clear why you need them. Insurance can feel like you are paying a lot of money each month or year for something that �might� happen. You might feel like insurance isn�t worth getting, but you would be wrong. Here are three types of insurance that you simply need to have:

Car Insurance:

It is illegal to drive and operate a car without insurance. That is a simple truth. You need to get car insurance, but how much coverage you get is up to you. You might feel that you only need the minimum and that you will never get into a car accident. But what if you do? What if you are in an accident and then have to make a huge payout either to fix the car or to somebody else? What if your car breaks down by the side of the road and you have to pay extra or can�t get a road site pick up? What if you lose the only key to your car and can�t get into it?

There are so many things that can go wrong when driving and owning a car and the above are only a few possibilities. You want to ensure that you are covered for a myriad of problems. They might just be something that could potentially happen, but you will be kicking yourself in the behind if it does happen and you aren�t covered. Instead, you want to make sure that you have roadside assistance, key coverage, breakdown coverage, and decent all around insurance to make sure that you can drive safe in the knowledge that you are properly insured.

Medical Insurance:

Medical insurance is something that you might not need to use for years, but then you are suddenly ill, and it becomes the most important thing in the world. If you have a health & medical insurance plan, then you are ensuring that you will be taken care of should you become ill. This might be something as simple as needing to have your appendix removed or something as serious as having cancer. You need to make sure that you have decent medical insurance. It might be costly, but you need it. If you become ill and need to go to a hospital without medical insurance, then your standard of care will be far lower, and you might not be able to get treatment for certain things without paying incredible sums of money that you cannot afford. The amount that you get back if you need to claim your medical insurance dwarfs the amount that you would be paying each month or year.

Home & Contents Insurance:

Home and contents insurance cover your house in case you are burgled or if something else happens to your home such as a flood, burst pipe, or anything that will damage your property or your items within. If you own a lot of expensive goods such as electrical items, then you should get the insurance to cover them and make sure that if they get stolen or break, then you aren�t left having to pay out of pocket for new ones. Home and content insurance is just another cost of living that you need to factor in, because if you don�t have it and something happens, then you might be left with nothing.

Paying for insurance is an admitted hassle, but can you imagine the trouble you would be in if you went without it?