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?

How does car insurance work

You have to have it, but do you really know how car insurance works? You probably know that your auto insurance can help pay to repair your car if you�re in an accident. You�re most likely aware that it will pay for the other person�s repairs if you�re the one at fault in an accident.

 

Beyond that, most people are pretty clueless about their automobile insurance, so let�s dig deeper and help you to understand the way your policy works and to make good choices when purchasing a new policy.


Types of Car Insurance


There are several types of insurance offered by car insurance companies, and it�s likely a few of them will be combined to get you the coverage you need. Let�s look at the various types that are available so that you can determine what�s right for you.

Liability Insurance

Arguably the most important coverage to have is liability insurance; in most states, this is a minimum requirement. If you�re in an accident and found to be at fault, your liability insurance will pay for damages to the other driver�s vehicle, as well as covering medical expenses for those injured (except yourself). Every policy will have a per-incident maximum that can be paid, and your state probably has a minimum requirement for the amount of coverage you must have, although you can always choose to get more.


Collision Insurance

Collision insurance is probably required by your loan provider, unless your car is paid for. This is what covers damage to your own vehicle in the event of a collision. It does not cover theft or any damage that is not the result of a collision, like hail or vandalism, nor will it cover any medical expenses.

Collision coverage will always have a limit , or maximum amount it will pay. Usually this would be the cash value of your car. There is also a deductible ; in the lingo of car insurance, �deductible� means the amount you�ll have to pay out-of-pocket before your insurance pays. When you�re choosing an insurance policy, the deductible you choose helps to determine the amount of your car insurance premium (insurance jargon for price). Choose a deductible that keeps your policy affordable for you, and that you can afford to pay when you need it.


Comprehensive Insurance

This is another type of insurance that will probably be required by your lender if you�re still paying for your vehicle. Comprehensive insurance pays for damage or loss of your vehicle from things other than a collision. If your car gets stolen or vandalized, this is the insurance that will pay for the damage. As with collision coverage, there will always be a

deductible and a limit .


Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Even though insurance is required in almost every state, we know that not everyone follows the rules. So what happens if your car is hit by an uninsured driver? This is the purpose of

uninsured motorist coverage. It covers your expenses when you�re hit by an uninsured driver or are the victim of a hit-and-run.


How Rates Are Determined

With a better understanding of the types of insurance available, let�s look at the factors that determine your premium. There are a number of things insurance companies consider in order to decide how much you�ll pay, and some may be less obvious than others.


 One thing that you should be aware of is that all insurance companies are required to make a profit on every policy they sell; this helps ensure solvency � the ability to pay their claims.


Beyond solvency, the most important determinant of the premium you�ll pay is the level of risk , or how likely you are to file a claim. To determine this, they�ll look at several things, starting with your driving record. 


The better your record, the less you�ll pay. The car you drive makes a difference too; expensive cars cost more to repair, older cars may not be as safe, and high-performance sports cars can be more dangerous. 


Your driving record is also important, as it is a good measure of how safe a driver you are. Of course, your past claims history is considered as well.


There are some less obvious considerations as well:


Your age � younger, less experienced drivers will generally pay more


Your gender � statistically men have a higher likelihood of accidents


Marital status � married people will pay less, as studies show that they are more careful overall


How much you drive � if you�re on the road more, your chance of having an accident is higher


Credit history (in some states) � some studies show a correlation between bad credit and accident risk


The Claims Process

The time you really see the value of your insurance policy is when it comes time to file a claim. Of course we all hope to never have an accident, but if you ever do you�ll be glad to have good insurance coverage to take care of your expenses.


Your first step in filing a claim is to call up your insurance company or agent; you can probably find the number on your insurance card, but if you can�t find it, it is sure to be available on the company�s website. 


They�ll need some information when you call, including your policy number, when the accident happened, and contact and driver�s license information for all drivers involved in the accident.


They�ll also ask for details of the accident. Be as detailed as possible here, including personal injuries in addition to vehicle damage. Having pictures of the damage will be helpful as well.


The insurance company will look over the police report and examine your car to determine who was at fault and the extent of damage. They�ll also review any injury claims, and determine the amount of payment you�ll receive. Once this is complete, you�ll usually receive a check within a few days.


Insurance may seem complicated, but it doesn�t have to be. Now you should be well equipped to choose the right policy for your needs.

Difference Between �Pleasure� And �Commute� In Terms Of Insurance

When you buy car insurance, you will normally be asked a number of questions regarding who you are, what kind of car you are driving, what type of driving experience you have, and even

how often you drive your vehicle.

Answering these questions correctly and thoroughly is extremely important because failure to do so could render your auto insurance void. Unfortunately, not all of these questions are straight forward and you might find yourself scratching your head over a few of them.

Why Do Insurance Companies Want To Know Whether You Commute In Your Car?

For example, one question you might find yourself faced with, is whether you use your car for ' commuting ' or for ' pleasure '.

This question is intended to ascertain the most common way you use your car and why you tend to find yourself driving it. The reason for this, is that the insurance company needs to know the circumstances in which you are most likely to be found using your car.

Insurance companies need to know how likely it is that the cars they insure are going to be in accidents. Using this information, they can then

calculate how much they need to charge each driver in order to make them profitable based on the likelihood that they will require a pay-out.

This is why an insurance company also asks how many miles a car is likely to do in a year. A car that does 10,000 miles a year has much more opportunity to be involved in an accident than one that does 500 miles a year. Commuting and driving for pleasure involve different volumes of traffic, different frequencies of driving and more � and all this impacts on how likely a car is to have an accident.

To Auto Insurance Companies, What Is Defined As Commuting?

On the face of it, this seems like a straightforward question: if you drive to work every day, then you commute in that car. If you use another vehicle, or if you get on the train, then the car is considered for 'pleasure'.

Generally though, a car is only listed as a 'pleasure' vehicle if it is not the 'primary' car. For example, if you don't use the car for commuting as such, but if you use it for all your other daily tasks, then this wouldn't be considered 'pleasure' as such. In this case, commuting could also mean going to get groceries, or going to get your hair cut.

However, this isn't entirely accurate either, as if a car is used regularly but is not used for commuting, then you probably still won't be on the road during the most dangerous hours: peak times.

Of course, there are also a number of different scenarios where your car might not fit neatly into that bracket. For instance, if you partake in a carpool or lift-share and you only commute in your vehicle once a week, then would you consider that your 'commute' vehicle?

Likewise, if you drive your car to the train station down the road and then get the train to work, would that be considered 'commuting'?

Of course, commutes vary greatly from person to person as well. One person might commute on the highway and travel hundreds of miles into work. Another person might commute just down the road. But if you're given only this binary option, then that kind of detail isn't going to be available to the insurance company.

How to Proceed With Your Car Insurance

Thankfully, a lot of insurance companies will provide additional or alternative options to make this a little bit simpler. For instance, you'll often find that insurance companies instead prefer to ask whether a car is your primary or secondary vehicle, which is a lot easier to answer: the primary car is the one you drive most often.

You might even be given the chance to state whether a car is primary or secondary, whether it is a commuting vehicle and how many miles it does on average. By using all of that information together, you can hopefully get a more accurate quote and be sure that the policy will cover you for the way that you use your car.

But if you're unsure, then you might need to get a bit more technical and read the small print. Most car insurance providers will more precisely detail what they mean by certain things, for instance, you should find that they will often explain precisely what type of driving would count as 'commuting'. Likewise, they might detail precisely what it takes for a car to be considered primary. If you read this extra information, then you should be able to make a more detailed decision.

Another option is simply to call up and discuss with the insurance provider. Often, you'll find that buying auto insurance online is a good way to save yourself money. But if you're not sure of how to go about finding the precise policy you need online, then you can always call up and discuss the options with someone on the phone and still buy the policy through their website. This way, you can be sure that you are ticking the box that best describes the way you use your car. And if you take the advisor's name, then you can always quote that back if there are any questions when you eventually need to make a claim .

What Happens When a Vehicle is Stolen?

You cannot believe this has happened to you. Your vehicle is gone, nowhere to be found. How did this happen? When did it happen? Vehicles are stolen every day. Some are sold as used vehicles that are never registered. Others are sold for the value of parts. What happens to you and your ownership?

 Generally, your auto insurance company is there to help.

The first step in the process of overcoming a stolen vehicle is to call the police. 

The police will help you to determine what happened. In the process, you will create a police report that outlines what happened. This document is the starting process. 

The police will go to work to try and find your vehicle. In addition, the insurance company will use this report to help you with what happens next.

If your car is found, your auto insurance company will pay for damage repairs as long as the instance is considered a true case of theft and the damage can be attributed to the theft.

 If it takes a while for this to happen, your auto insurance company may also pay for a rental.

If your vehicle is not found, your car insurance company will turn to the policy to determine what is next.

 You may receive a check for the value of the vehicle. 

The amount of this check depends on the type of policy you have. For example, if your policy is for the actual value of the car, it will pay you the amount your vehicle's value as if it was sold on the market today. 

However, some policies offer replacement protection, which would give you enough to replace the vehicle.

What should you do? If your vehicle is stolen, contact your car insurance provider right away and discuss what is happening. 

In most cases, your auto insurance agent is there to help you throughout this process and to provide you with the financial support you need to get through it. If your insurance isn't what you need it to be, call the agency today to update your policy. Be sure it is valued high enough to allow you to replace your vehicle should a theft occur.

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.

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?

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!