"You ought to feel highly honored," said the businessman to the insurance agent, "so far today I have had my secretary turn away seven insurance agents."
"Yes, I know," replied the agent, "I'm them.”
Today’s insurance agents live in a time where there isn’t a lot of validity nor respect for the role they play in the lives’ of their clients. Unfortunately, there have been a few bad apples that have preyed upon the trusting nature of folks, and have sold them bad products that cost a lot and didn’t provide any real benefit. So, I get why it’s easy to hear the term ‘insurance agent’ and immediately picture a dishonest, door to door guy in a cheap suit with an even cheaper smile.
Unfortunately, with the technology of today, it’s becoming even easier to dismiss the value an insurance agent can bring to the table, because we can ‘order’ any insurance product we want right from a laptop while sitting in a Starbucks.
However, what if I told you that a life and health agent, especially one that deals with Medicare beneficiaries, can be as valuable to your overall health and financial well being as your family doctor, attorney and financial planner?
Indiana life and health insurance agents go through quite a lot in order to become and remain an agent. First, we must pass a state examination that tests our knowledge of the products we wish to sell, the duties and responsibilities we must uphold; and we must also possess a thorough knowledge of the Indiana insurance laws and administrative rules. Every two years, an insurance agent’s license can only be renewed if we have completed 24 hours of continuing education.
As an added protection to the senior population, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has put guidelines in place to control when & how Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans are sold – including annual training and testing with every company we are contracted with to be sure we understand the products, marketing practices, and privacy rules that govern these products. Agents must comply with these guidelines or face serious consequences, including a loss of their license.
I mention all of the commitment, long hours and hard work it takes to remain in this industry, because even though there might be a few bad apples out there selling insurance; there are also a lot of great agents out there too. . .the kind of agents that are active members in your community, the kind that don’t just ‘sell’ insurance policies to strangers; but actually help people make decisions about their health care coverage, educate them about more affordable generic prescription drugs, be sure they have life insurance in place for loved ones, coverage for stays in nursing homes and sources of guaranteed lifetime income.
Good insurance agents, like the ones your father used to know, we care about our clients in the same way they did in the good old days . . we become like members of the family.