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Thriving in a large target market as a final expense agent requires a strategic approach. With millions of potential clients, it's essential to stand out from the competition and effectively reach your target audience.
A well-planned marketing strategy can help you achieve this goal, as discussed in the article section "Building a Strong Marketing Foundation." By leveraging social media, email marketing, and other channels, you can increase your visibility and reach a wider audience.
To succeed in a large target market, it's crucial to have a deep understanding of your target audience. This includes knowing their demographics, financial situation, and insurance needs, as highlighted in the section "Understanding Your Target Market." By tailoring your approach to meet their specific needs, you can build trust and establish yourself as a trusted advisor.
By combining a solid marketing strategy with a deep understanding of your target audience, you can effectively navigate a large target market and build a successful final expense agency.
Getting Started as a Final Expense Agent
Selling final expense insurance is simple, but it's not easy. You need to become an expert in selling final expense insurance to succeed.
It's a full-time job to work with the senior market, and understanding their unique attitudes and needs is crucial.
The elderly have distinct problems, needs, goals, wants, and concerns that you must discover to fully assist them.
To get started, you should allot time to focus on your market and research seniors on the web is not enough.
Here are some questions to ask your recruiter to ensure you get comprehensive final expense training:
- Do you offer comprehensive final expense training?
- Beyond online videos, what is your strategy in helping me succeed?
- Are ride-alongs available?
- Do you have on-going sales training opportunities, in-person and virtually?
- Can you refer me 2 or 3 final expense agents who have succeeded in your final expense insurance sales system?
Asking these questions will help you identify whether your final expense marketer is serious about your development and success.
Understanding the Business
You need to know your target market, which in this case is seniors. They have unique needs and concerns that you'll need to address.
Final expense insurance is typically marketed to this demographic, so it's essential to understand what they're looking for in a policy.
Discover more: What License Do I Need to Sell Final Expense Insurance
Large Target Market
The senior market is a large and growing target audience for final expense insurance. Almost 10,000 Americans turn 65 daily, according to the Pew Research Center.
This demographic trend will continue for the next 20 years, making it a significant and sustained market opportunity.
Appeals to Consumers
Final expense insurance has become increasingly popular among consumers, and for good reason. It provides inexpensive, fixed payments that remain constant throughout the policy's duration.
Many funeral expenses can add up to more than $10,000, leaving loved ones with a significant burden. Final expense insurance helps alleviate this concern by providing a predictable and affordable solution.
Here are some key benefits of final expense insurance:
- Accumulates cash value, which can be borrowed against or serve as a non-forfeiture benefit.
- Issued quickly, with only a few questions about your health required.
- Stays active as long as payments are up to date.
This type of insurance is often the right solution for individuals who want coverage to help with immediate needs after they pass away, without the frustration and hassles associated with the comprehensive underwriting process.
Sales Strategies
Selling final expense insurance requires a daily, on-going process of building relationships with prospects and showing them why your solution is better than others.
To perfect your sales pitch, review the potential client's financial capabilities and health condition, complete the application, and determine the type of coverage they need.
Offering different death benefit amounts with corresponding payment terms will demonstrate your purchasing capabilities and meet their budget.
Here are some essential questions to ask your recruiter:
- Do you offer comprehensive final expense training?
- Beyond online videos, what is your strategy in helping me succeed?
- Are ride-alongs available?
- Do you have on-going sales training opportunities, in-person and virtually?
- Can you refer me 2 or 3 final expense agents who have succeeded in your final expense insurance sales system?
By asking these questions, you can identify whether your agency is serious about your development and success.
Why Agents Need to Sell Products
Selling final expense insurance requires a deep understanding of the product and its benefits.
To succeed in this industry, agents need to sell products that meet the needs of their clients. This means offering coverage and monthly payment options that fit their budget.
Final expense insurance agents play a crucial role in helping seniors and their families plan for end-of-life expenses. These agents specialize in providing coverage for funeral expenses, outstanding medical bills, and estate taxes.
To close a sale, agents must offer payment options that meet the client's budget. This means discussing different death benefit amounts and corresponding payment terms.
Agents should also educate their clients about the benefits of final expense insurance, including the fact that the policy builds cash value, which can be tapped into in case of emergencies.
A key takeaway for agents is to always start the qualifying process early and verify their prospects' needs. This involves asking questions and listening to understand the client's situation.
Agents should also look outside their comfort zone and practice their sales pitch to become more effective. By doing so, they can build rapport with their clients and increase the chances of a successful sale.
Here are some key characteristics of a successful final expense insurance agent:
- Always start the qualifying process early and verify the prospect's needs
- Ask questions and LISTEN to understand the client's situation
- Take every opportunity to educate the client
- Know the client's budget and don't oversell or undersell
- Practice the sales pitch and focus on the WHY factor
Ultimately, the success of an agent depends on their ability to sell products that meet the needs of their clients. By offering competitively priced final expense coverage, agents can increase their sales and income.
Find Good Sales Opportunities
Finding good sales opportunities is crucial to success in the final expense insurance business. Selling final expense insurance is simple, but it's not easy, and you need to be serious about it to overcome rejection and failure.
To find a good final expense insurance sales opportunity, talk to successful final expense producers, not recruiters. You want to know if they have years of field experience selling final expense insurance. Always get references from other final expense insurance agents that the marketer or agency has dealt with.
You should ask your recruiter questions like: Do you offer comprehensive final expense training? Beyond online videos, what is your strategy in helping me succeed? Are ride-alongs available? Do you have on-going sales training opportunities, in-person and virtually? Can you refer me 2 or 3 final expense agents who have succeeded in your final expense insurance sales system?
It's essential to ensure your final expense agency earns its cut. Look for an independent agency with multiple carriers, which gives you the best price and coverage advantages, drastically reducing replacement risk.
Here are some key questions to ask when evaluating a final expense insurance sales opportunity:
- Do you offer comprehensive final expense training?
- What is your strategy in helping me succeed?
- Are ride-alongs available?
- Do you have on-going sales training opportunities, in-person and virtually?
- Can you refer me 2 or 3 final expense agents who have succeeded in your final expense insurance sales system?
By asking these questions, you can identify whether your final expense marketer is serious about your development and success.
Face-to-Face vs Telesales
Selling final expense insurance can be done successfully over the phone or face-to-face.
Many agents are interested in telesales because it allows them to work from home or a call center.
You can sell final expense insurance from home or a call center, and there are resources available to help you do so.
Multi-level marketing insurance recruiters often focus on producing agents rather than generating final expense business.
Recruiters may make a lot of money selling one company's products every year and have loyal clients.
However, this is not entirely true for final expense sales jobs, where prospects often receive solicitations over the phone, on Facebook, and via direct mail.
This can make it difficult for agents to retain clients and generate repeat business.
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Qualifying a Prospect
Qualifying a prospect is a crucial step in the sales process. You don't have to market your insurance to everyone, it pays to pinpoint who will benefit from your policy.
Start the qualifying process early and verify your prospect's needs. This will help you determine their exact needs and how you can fill that need. Emphasize how the plan will protect their loved ones.
Ask questions and LISTEN to understand your client and WHY they need insurance. This is key to building a strong relationship and making a sale. Don't just focus on the features of the policy, but on how it will benefit them.
Know your client's budget, don't oversell them, but don't undersell them either. This will help you tailor your pitch and make sure they get the right policy for their needs.
Here are the key takeaways to keep in mind when qualifying a prospect:
- Always start the qualifying process early
- Verify your prospect's needs
- Ask questions and LISTEN to understand your client
- Know your client's budget
- Look outside your comfort zone and practice your sales pitch
By following these steps, you'll be able to pinpoint who will benefit from your policy and make the sales process much more effective.
Leads and Commissions
Selling final expense insurance is predominantly prospected via final expense direct mail, with agents using other methods like Facebook final expense leads, telemarketing final expense leads, and free final expense leads like cold calling and seminar marketing.
Direct mail leads are used 90% of the time, but there's a dirty side to buying final expense leads. You need to ensure the company promises in writing that you'll get fresh leads and partner with a third-party vendor for control and faster lead turn-around.
To avoid getting duped, look for agencies that provide a good lead flow and treat you right. Some agencies have producers transfer all future commissions from terminated final expense insurance agents to their managers if terminated within the first two years of service.
You can spot a bad deal if your final expense commissions are below 80% and you're expected to pay full price for your leads.
Commissions
Commissions can make or break your success in the final expense sales business. You'll leave a ton of commission on the table when you shouldn't have to if you don't know the max commission ceilings.
Low starting final expense commissions can limit your earning potential. I was told I could never get more than a 90% commission level early on, but that's not always the case.
A good commission rate can vary, but I start agents between a 100% and 125% first-year commission contract. Yes, final expense carriers WILL pay higher than 100% commission.
Renewals are in the 3% to 10% range for years 2 to 10, depending on the carrier's renewal payout schedule. Even better, first year and renewal commissions increase with time.
It's a numbers game, but in final expense sales, it's not about scoring 5 and 6-figure deals. Your target market is fixed-income seniors who can afford an average premium of $50 a month.
You must have the passion to win and the right tools to succeed in final expense sales. Not only must you have the passion to win, but you must also have the best final expense carrier selection.
You are paid 100% commission in the final expense insurance sales business, which means what you close is what you earn. The agency pays a stipend of a few hundred dollars for the first 4 weeks, but ultimately, it's sink or swim after a month.
Selling Success Requires Leads
Selling success requires leads, and in the final expense insurance business, direct mail leads are the primary source, accounting for 90% of prospecting efforts.
Direct mail leads are a crucial part of the final expense insurance sales business, and agents should be aware of the potential consequences of buying leads, as mentioned in Example 1.
To succeed in final expense insurance sales, you must constantly write business every day, which requires a daily commitment. A lack of daily commitment usually leads to failure.
The final expense sales business has a fixed-income senior market with an average premium of $50 a month, which is a key factor to consider when selling final expense insurance.
Here are some key takeaways on lead development:
- Make sure lead-development is done using fresh final expense leads using a well-vetted lead house.
- Don't work with a final expense agency that refuses to release you.
- NEVER work with a final expense agency that does not vest you 100% from the first day.
Finding clients is one of the biggest challenges that final expense insurance agents face, and marketing yourself and your services is essential to the success of your business.
The Problem with Lead Vendors
Middlemen take a cut of the action, raising your costs of doing business.
Leads may sit in inventory for months, reducing quality considerably.
There's usually zero proof whether or not the leads are new, weeks, months, or even years old.
Many agents discover that the leads they receive aren't really interested in buying final expense insurance.
The commission you received was an advance, which is another word for "loan" that comes back to you.
Having access to competitive carriers makes a difference in winning and keeping business, but it's not always the case.
Partnering with a third-party lead house vendor gives you control over the lead flow.
You can tell them where to drop mail and what income demographics to set up.
Lead turn-around is faster with third-party vendors, meaning you sell and see people quicker.
Leads are fresher, resulting in more sales selling final expense insurance.
Some agencies affiliated with a company named after a President transfer all future commissions from terminated final expense insurance agents to their managers if terminated within the first two years of service.
Instant Decision
Getting an instant decision is a game-changer for final expense insurance agents.
There's no reason not to lead with final expense companies offering a point of sale decision while with your prospect, providing peace of mind for both agent and prospect.
Knowing if the client's not approved allows you to pivot to another carrier, making the sales process smoother.
Instant decisions are typically provided immediately after the submission of your application, with some carriers giving an underwriting decision within 1 to 2 minutes post-submission.
Alternatively, virtually all telephonic applications give an underwriting decision by the end of the phone call.
Most carriers with paper applications allow a point of sale interview call to determine insurability.
Focusing on final expense life insurance companies with e-apps and telephonic applications with instant underwriting decisions helps you get paid faster and keeps business on the books.
Challenges and Solutions
Being a final expense insurance agent can be a challenging career. Final expense insurance agents typically work with clients who are nearing the end of their lives.
One of the biggest challenges is dealing with clients who are facing their own mortality. This can be emotionally taxing and requires a high level of empathy and compassion.
To overcome this challenge, final expense insurance agents can develop strong relationships with their clients and their families. This helps to build trust and ensures that clients feel supported throughout the process.
Challenges for Agents
Being a final expense insurance agent can be a rewarding career, but it comes with its own set of challenges.
Final expense insurance agents typically work with clients who are nearing the end of their lives, which can be emotionally taxing.
Working with clients in this situation can be a challenge, but it's not the only one.
Multiple carriers can provide the best price and coverage advantages, drastically reducing replacement risk.
In fact, having access to 10 to 15 carriers or more can give you a significant advantage.
However, many new final expense insurance agents are afraid of failing in the business.
Failure is a possibility, even for experienced agents, and can happen within the first year.
One reason for failure is refusing to follow the fundamentals of successful agents.
Know Your Target Market
Knowing your target market is crucial for success in selling final expense insurance. It's essential to understand the needs and concerns of seniors, your typical target market.
Knowing their budget is key, as money is a deal breaker for some potential clients. They consider their financial capability first before saying yes to an agent.
You'll need to be able to answer questions about the policy and address any concerns potential customers may have. This requires a deep understanding of the policy and its benefits.
Client Relationships
As a final expense agent, building strong client relationships is crucial to success. A good agent can establish trust with clients by being transparent about the products they offer, such as whole life insurance policies that can help cover funeral expenses.
Client relationships are built on communication, and final expense agents should be prepared to answer questions and address concerns in a timely and professional manner. This can be achieved by providing detailed explanations of policy benefits and features.
By being proactive and responsive, final expense agents can turn clients into long-term customers, increasing the chances of repeat business and referrals.
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Assess Client Need
Assessing Client Need is a crucial step in building strong Client Relationships. Your goal is to understand their specific needs and how you can help fill them.
Just because a prospect says they already have an insurance policy, it doesn't mean they might not need more. Your role as an agent is to determine their exact needs and how you can fill that need.
To qualify their need for a final expense insurance policy, start by emphasizing how the plan will protect their loved ones. You can ask questions like "Who is your beneficiary? Are they financially ready to pay for your final expenses?" This will help you understand their situation and identify potential gaps in their coverage.
Asking the right questions is key to understanding your client's needs. Here are a few questions to consider:
- “Who is your beneficiary? Are they financially ready to pay for your final expenses?”
- “Are you planning a traditional burial or cremation?”
- “Have you and your family assisted in paying for someone else’s funeral?”
By asking these questions, you'll be able to better understand your client's needs and provide them with the right solution.
Dealing with Death
Dealing with death is a tough aspect of being a final expense insurance agent, but it's essential to remain professional while providing support to clients and their families.
You'll need to be able to have honest and transparent conversations with potential clients about their needs, even if it's uncomfortable. This means asking the hard questions, like what would happen to their loved ones if they passed away without a final expense insurance policy.
It's not about being morbid, but about understanding the client's perspective and helping them see the value in planning for the future. You can share a personal story, like one of your own experiences with final expense insurance, to make the conversation more relatable and enticing.
Remember, your role as an agent is to determine the client's exact needs and how you can fill that need. Start by qualifying their need for a final expense insurance policy by emphasizing how the plan will protect their loved ones.
Worth a look: What Is a Registered Agent
Thoughts
Building strong client relationships is crucial in any profession, and as a final expense insurance agent, it's no exception. You'll need to ask the right questions to understand your clients' needs and concerns.
It's essential to ask your clients about their beneficiary, whether they're financially ready to pay for their final expenses, and their preference for a traditional burial or cremation. This will give you a clear understanding of their situation and help you provide the best possible service.
Dealing with death can be difficult, but it's a reality you'll face as a final expense insurance agent. You'll need to be professional and provide support to your clients and their families during this challenging time.
To build trust with your clients, it's essential to be honest and transparent about the products and services you offer. Take the time to explain the benefits and limitations of final expense insurance, and be prepared to answer any questions they may have.
Before you start working with clients, it's crucial to do your research and learn as much as you can about the industry, the products available, and what it takes to be successful. This will help you make informed decisions and provide the best possible service to your clients.
Here are some key questions to ask your clients to better understand their needs:
- “Who is your beneficiary? Are they financially ready to pay for your final expenses?”
- “Are you planning a traditional burial or cremation?”
- “Have you and your family assisted in paying for someone else’s funeral?”
Multiple Carrier Options
As a final expense agent, I've learned that it's essential to have multiple carrier options to provide the best coverage for your clients. You see, each carrier has different underwriting standards, making it impossible to "one-stop-shop" your clients.
This is why it's crucial to represent multiple companies and not be beholden to one specific company. Otherwise, you risk forcing the same high-priced, poor-coverage product on everyone, which can lead to disastrous consequences.
In fact, I started my career with a company that only offered one particular carrier, and I can attest that it didn't work long-term for most final expense insurance agents. To succeed, you need to have access to multiple final expense insurance carriers and be independent, not captive.
Here are some key qualities to look for when selecting a carrier:
- Underwriting flexibility
- Ease-of-use
- Premium competitiveness
By having access to the best final expense carrier options at all times, you can sell more policies with a higher sticking rate. This is especially important, as too many charge backs can ruin your final expense sales career.
Here are some benefits of working with a trusted final expense insurance partner:
- Access to online training programs
- High commissions
- Simple online contracting
- Access to high-level and top-rated insurance products
- Ability to work with multiple carriers
By having the right tools and support, you can give your potential clients more reasons to choose you instead of other insurance agents.
Carrier Selection
As a final expense agent, selecting the right carrier is crucial for providing the best options to your clients. You need to represent multiple companies to avoid forcing a single high-priced product on every client.
Dealing with various underwriting issues is a challenge, and each carrier has different standards, making it impossible to "one-stop-shop" your clients.
Representing multiple companies allows you to replace overpriced, inferior policies and provide better coverage to your clients.
It's essential to be independent and not captive to a single company, as this limits your ability to offer the best options at the best prices.
You need to match the best carrier with the prospect's health, regardless of their medical history.
To avoid overwhelm, choose a handful of top final expense carriers by investigating major qualities such as those I consider when selecting a carrier.
I investigate the carrier's underwriting standards and policies before deciding to request an appointment.
Agent Success
To achieve success in the final expense insurance sales business, hard work is essential. Good training alone doesn't guarantee success, as selling final expense insurance is simple but not easy.
Beyond good training, ongoing coaching, quality leads, and proper carrier selection are necessary. I've seen a 20% increase in the sale of final expense products as an industry, and many agents are entering this business due to shifts in other insurance niches.
In fact, I've stayed afloat in this business for years, and it's not something you want to do if you've never done it. With 90% of final expense insurance sales business prospecting through direct mail leads, it's crucial to have a solid lead generation strategy in place.
Help for Agents
If you're struggling as a final expense agent, don't worry, you're not alone. Many agents face sales slumps, and it's normal to feel uncertain about your career choice.
You want to ensure your agency earns its cut, so it's wise to avoid fast-talking recruiters who are "all hat and no cattle." This means you should ask tough questions, like "Do you offer comprehensive final expense training?" and "What's your strategy for helping me succeed?"
Comprehensive training is crucial for success in final expense insurance sales. You should ask about ride-alongs, on-going sales training opportunities, and whether the agency can refer you to successful agents who've worked in the system.
To succeed, you need to focus on what's best for your family, not just the agency recruiting you. Don't be afraid to ask for help and guidance along the way.
Be the Best!
To be the best in the final expense insurance sales business, you need to research and understand the key factors that drive success. With more people buying final expense insurance and more agents selling it, the competition is fierce.
You must have the right final expense prospecting, sales training, and carrier selection system to stand out. Well-trained agents will take your opportunity away, and you'll likely make little to no money selling final expense insurance.
To succeed, you should join an agency that matches your goals and has your best interest in mind. Ask your recruiter if they offer comprehensive final expense training, on-going sales training opportunities, and ride-alongs to help you succeed.
Here are the seven factors you must research to learn how to sell final expense insurance successfully:
- Comprehensive final expense training
- On-going sales training opportunities
- Ride-alongs to gain hands-on experience
- Carrier selection system
- Final expense prospecting strategies
- Lead generation methods
- Agency support and mentorship
By focusing on these key factors and finding an agency that has your best interest in mind, you can increase your chances of success in the final expense insurance sales business.
Full Vesting
Full Vesting is a game-changer for agents selling final expense insurance.
60% of your total income comes in the first year, with 40% accounting for renewals over the next 10 years.
Renewals are a fantastic way to make money even when you're not working.
Vested contracts force you to stay with your company for 2 years before considering a move, ensuring you don't leave with your clients' renewals.
How Many Hours Should I Work?
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Working too many hours can be counterproductive to your success as an agent. By overcommitting, you're setting yourself up for burnout and decreased productivity.
You only need to work with a few good carriers to be successful in final expense sales. In fact, starting with no more than 4 of the best final expense insurance companies to work for is a good rule of thumb.
Don't try to learn too many carriers at once, as this can lead to overwhelm and decreased performance. Focusing on a few key carriers allows you to develop a deeper understanding of their products and services.
Seeing people and building relationships is what really counts in final expense sales. Don't get caught up in trying to work too many hours, focus on building connections with potential clients.
Expand your knowledge: How Does Final Expense Insurance Work
Agent Requirements
To become a final expense insurance agent, you need to be licensed in the state where you plan to do business. Each state has different requirements, but generally, you'll need to pass an insurance exam and background check.
You'll need to be licensed, period. It's the most important thing you need to know before becoming a final expense insurance agent.
In order to sell any kind of insurance, including final expense insurance, you must meet the licensing requirements of your state.
Home Office Support
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To be a successful agent, you'll need to have access to the right tools and support from the home office. The best final expense insurance companies allow for agent access to underwriting assessments.
This means you can review and analyze the underwriting process, making it easier to understand and work with. Home office agent support also includes simple tools to review commission and business quality reports.
Having this kind of access will help you stay on top of your business and make informed decisions about your clients and cases. With the right tools and support, you can run your business more efficiently and effectively.
Defining an Agent
A final expense insurance agent specializes in providing coverage for end-of-life expenses. They typically work with seniors and their families to help them plan for the financial costs associated with death.
These agents focus on whole life insurance policies with smaller death benefit amounts than traditional life insurance policies. These policies are designed to cover only the final expenses of the policyholder.
Final expense insurance agents play a crucial role in helping seniors prepare for the financial aspects of death. By working with an agent, seniors can ensure that their final expenses will be covered.
A fresh viewpoint: Globe Life Final Expense Insurance
Licensing Required
To become a final expense insurance agent, you need to be licensed in the state where you plan to do business. Each state has different requirements for licensure.
You must pass an insurance exam to get licensed. This exam will test your knowledge of insurance policies and regulations.
A background check is also required for licensure. This is to ensure you have a clean record and can be trusted with sensitive financial information.
You'll need to meet the specific requirements set by your state's insurance department. These requirements may include completing a certain number of hours of training or education.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do final expense agents make?
According to industry data, final expense insurance agents in the US earn an average yearly salary of $71,554, which is 20% above the national average. This competitive pay can be an attractive aspect of a career in final expense insurance sales.
How hard is it to sell final expense insurance?
Selling final expense insurance is relatively straightforward, with short sales appointments and simplified underwriting processes. This makes it an accessible product for many insurance professionals to learn and sell.
What does a final expense agent do?
A final expense agent sells life insurance products that cover funeral and household expenses after a person's passing, typically ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. Their goal is to maximize sales of these packages to help families during a difficult time.
Who is the #1 final expense insurance company?
Mutual of Omaha is considered the top final expense insurance company due to its low costs, quick claim payments, and A+ rating with A.M. Best. With over 100 years of experience, it's a trusted choice for burial insurance.
Sources
- https://www.trkingim.com/final-expense-insurance/
- https://davidduford.com/selling-final-expense-insurance-the-truth/
- https://www.trkingim.com/final-expense-insurance-agents-know-consumers-purchase-life-insurance/
- https://davidduford.com/best-final-expense-carriers/
- https://kraftelderlaw.com/5-things-to-know-before-becoming-a-final-expense-insurance-agent/
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