Life Insurance Agents can help turn your objective into real protection for your family. Find out what they really do!

1. What Do Independent Life Insurance Agents Actually
Do?
lifenetinsurance.com/blog-0/bid/109631/What-Do-Independent-Lif e-Insurance-Agents-Actually-
Do
Posted by Lenny Robbins on Tue, Mar 25, 2014 @ 06:44 PM
They can do a lot f or you...but not
all independent lif e insurance agents work the
same way. Some people say a little knowledge
is a dangerous thing. Others that a little is
better than none. When it comes to an
important decision like lif e insurance,
knowledge is very important. Lif e insurance is
intricate and involves protecting your f amily
(or business, or estate), so be smart and use
an independent agent to simplif y the process.
Begin at the Beginning
You need lif e insurance. You might know how much and f or how long. Or you might not be sure.
Talking to an agent can help you f igure it out. Things to take into account:
Who or what are you protecting? For this article we will discuss protecting your f amily.
Do you have children? How old are they?
Do you have a special needs child? Or spouse?
Do you need to consider college expense? Prof essional school expense?
Does your spouse work or are you the sole provider? Do you both work?
What will your f amily lose f inancially if you are gone?
Do you have a mortgage to pay of f ?
Would you leave behind debts?
Can your f amily af f ord to pay your f inal expenses?
These are only some of the questions you need to consider. You need to know your goals f or
getting lif e insurance. Then your agent can help you f ind the right policy to f ulf ill your goals.
How Much Will It Cost?
The cost of your insurance will be determined by a number of f actors including:
How much insurance you buy.
What is the policy length? Is it term or permanent?
Your build (height and weight).

2. Medical history.
Current medications.
Family medical history.
And more.
An independent lif e insurance agent can help you determine your likely insurance rating which
determines the price of a policy. Important note- ONLY the insurance company can give you a real
price. An agent gives their best guess, based on their experience and what you tell them. The
insurance company will obtain inf ormation not available to your agent such as lab test results, doctor
records and several database results bef ore making a decision.
Once you know your rating you can adjust the price by changing the f ace amount or the length of the
policy. But we are getting ahead right now.
You should never be insurance poor….never spend more than you can comf ortably af f ord. You may
not have the option to get as much coverage as you would like, but any benef iciary will tell you, it’s
better to have some help than none at all. Figure out what f its into your budget and make sure your
agent knows so they show you what works.
The Best Way to Shop
Let your agent be your lif e insurance personal shopper. You can go online and get quotes, but if you
aren’t including some of the inf ormation mentioned bef ore…like your build, medical history, etc., you
don’t really know if you will qualif y f or that price
Your independent lif e insurance agent has access to many more companies than you do. They can
also screen out policies based on your build, medical issues, etc. They can show a list of carriers f or
the type of policy, amount and length of time that you want. Then and only then do you know that
you are getting your best deal.
There is no cost f or using an agent, they are paid by the insurance companies. All rates are set and
recorded with the state insurance departments. So the cost is the same if you go direct (which most
insurance companies don’t of f er) or if you use an independent agent.
What Else Does an Agent Bring to the Table?
What happens if you get declined? Or approved at a poorer rating? An independent agent will
probably be able to give you other options. You aren’t alone- they can tell you what options are
available. Also, they may have an in-house independent underwriter to help too. They may be able to
go back to the insurance company and get you a better rating. Or they may be able to get you some
other of f ers.
Check with your agent to see what they do once your policy is in f orce. We want to be there to help
you if you need to change your benef iciary or you move or you change banks. Or anything else. Not
all agents do that. Find out what you can expect once your policy is in f orce bef ore you choose your
agent.
The Bottom Line
If you have the right independent lif e insurance agent, you have an advocate in your corner. They are
with you f or lif e, starting with the quoting and application process. Having the right agent can help
you make sure you get the best lif e insurance f or your needs.