NAILBA Perspectives Spring 2020 | Page 22

ID 20 WINNERS — Q&A Why Factor Q&A from page 21 Pinney: The two most important ideas that we as agents, advisors, and an industry can convey to our clients and prospects are that: 1) we are here, open for business, and willing to help them by answering questions and making sure they have the appropriate protection for themselves, their families, and their businesses, and Rubin: You may have no idea what the person on the other line has gone through in the last 30-60 days. But what we do know is there will be a need for our solutions before, during and after this pandemic. 2) proper planning, even when done during a time many think of as too late, actually gives them the best opportunity to thrive during the current world, economic, and personal turmoil they may be facing. We also need to stay upbeat and remind them that insurance and the related financial products and services we offer were specifically designed to help them through times like these. Time to communicate Ross: I like the saying that “You can’t bury your head in the sand, and then complain that it’s dark!” Similarly, we can’t bury our heads in the sand and complain that our business is tanking. Although I can’t guarantee you that communicating with your agents and clients will result in spectacular success, I can assure you that failing to communicate with your agents and clients will likely result in failure. In these difficult financial times we run the risk that life insurance is one of the first things clients will discontinue paying for. More importantly than selling new policies, we need to make sure that our clients don’t lapse their existing policies! And, that demands communication. We need to reinforce to clients the incredible bedrock of financial security their life insurance policies provide. For some clients, if their “financial back is against the wall,” they may come to find that their life insurance policy has cash values they can access to help see them through. Take a policy loan now, and pay it back when you get back on your feet. And, heaven forbid, for those people that contract the virus and die unexpectedly as a result, their life insurance policy will definitely be their most valuable financial asset. Verbos: Reality is that there’s nothing today in our process that can’t be performed while working remote. We’ve created a complete end-to-end electronic process that in many situations (age and benefit dependent) can be completed without getting our clients life insurance coverage in as little as a few days providing them the coverage they need even in the absence of 22 Perspectives Q2 2020 in-person meetings. With recent studies reporting an increase in new application submissions over these past weeks, there’s never been a better time to let your clients know that you’re here, and able to help them narrow or eliminate any shortfalls they may have in their plans to protect the financial future of their families. So, while we’re all doing our part to stem the spread of Covid-19, reach out to your clients, let them know you care, and discuss life insurance as you ensure their well being because now is the time we must focus on the insurance planning side of our practices. Shelow: We know from our research that consumers need to understand why they require life insurance as the basic motivation and inspiration to buy it. This pandemic has emphasized the reality of uncertainty and illustrates the need for protecting families and businesses in the wake of this uncertainty. It’s time to proactively communicate, educate and give guidance on the importance of putting protection in place. Even in today’s age of social distancing, the good news is that there are fast and easy ways to lock in protection quickly, even if you can’t see clients right now. Leveraging video conferencing tools, e-solutions and accelerated underwriting programs come to mind. Many carriers are stepping up and raising accelerated underwriting limits and finding ways to write the coverage without getting medical exams. Why Factor Q&A continued on page 24