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CPS Texas Underwriting

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Underwriting Strengths Help Shape Great Offers

The underwriting strengths of a carrier can help you shape up for spring and beyond. Here are some examples to help with the heavy lifting:

Tobacco and Marijuana Underwriting Strengths
  • Occasional cigar users (two per month or less) can qualify for Preferred Plus, Preferred & Standard Plus non-tobacco rates if there is a negative urinalysis test
  • Clients who occasionally use marijuana may qualify for Preferred or Standard Plus non-tobacco rates
Family History Underwriting Strengths
  • Family history qualifications do not apply if the proposed insured is 60 or older for Preferred Plus, Preferred & Standard Plus classes
  • Family history qualifications apply only to deaths rather than disease
  • Family history qualifications do not apply to gender-specific cancers for opposite sex persons
  • Family history of deaths due to diabetes can qualify for Preferred Plus, Preferred and Standard Plus classes
Underwriting Strengths for Common Health Impairments and Non-Medical Risks
  • Mild Asthma clients may be eligible for Preferred
  • Mild Sleep Apnea may be eligible for Preferred with verified C-PAP usage
  • Treatment for cholesterol or hypertension does not exclude a proposed insured from any Preferred classes
  • Maximum cholesterol levels for Preferred classes is 300 with favorable ratios; 5.0 or less for Preferred Plus, 6.0 or less for Preferred, 7.0 or less for Standard Plus
  • Commercial pilots for regularly scheduled passenger airlines can qualify for all Preferred classes
  • Certain private pilots with IFR/ATP rating, flying between 50-250 hours annually and 1000 or more total hours of piloting experience may qualify for Preferred and Standard Plus classes
  • Preferred classes may be available for occasional scuba diving if proposed insured is certified and dives less than 100 feet
Call our Life Underwriting Department today – we can help you shape great offers and get more business on the books!
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Take Heart! Not All Cholesterol Is Bad

Did you know:
  • The liver produces all the cholesterol our body needs, however, dietary cholesterol (taken in through the foods we eat), causes the liver to send even more cholesterol into the bloodstream.
  • High cholesterol can cause fatty build up in the arteries which increases our risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is considered “good” cholesterol. HDL helps to remove bad cholesterol known as low-density lipoprotein, or LDL. Triglyceride is another form of cholesterol and the most common type of fat in the body.
  • Cholesterol/HDL Ratio is calculated by dividing total cholesterol by HDL. The higher the HDL, the lower the ratio. This is a good thing!
In the past, carriers looked stringently upon all cholesterol levels when underwriting a case.  These days, there are some carriers who can overlook total cholesterol levels if between 150-300.

Preferred classes are available with favorable, low cholesterol/HDL ratios, even with total cholesterol levels nearing 300!

Consider these examples:
  • Male client, age 45, NS
  • Seeking $2 mil of Term, Cholesterol on exam was 298 with a Chol/HDL ratio of 5.0
  • Does not take any medication
Underwriting outcome: PREFERRED BEST!
 
  • Female client, age 60, NS
  • Seeking $1 mil of UL, Cholesterol on exam was 275 with a Chol/HDL ratio of 6.0
  • Takes a prescribed cholesterol medication
Underwriting outcome: PREFERRED!
 
  • Male client, age 52, NS
  • Seeking $500k of Term, Cholesterol on exam was 260 with a Chol/HDL ratio of 7.0
  • Takes a prescribed cholesterol medication
Underwriting outcome: NON SMOKER PLUS!
 
Our Life Underwriting Department has a heart for finding the best possible outcomes on your cholesterol cases.  Give us a call!
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Underwriting Diabetes

Let’s talk about Diabetes. This is a chronic condition associated with high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Insulin hormone produced in the pancreas helps to turn glucose from the food we eat into energy.
When the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t effectively use the insulin produced, it increases the amount of sugar in the blood and can lead to diabetes.
 
Types of diabetes:
  • Type 2: Occurs when the body is resistant to insulin and cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This is the most common form of diabetes.
  • Type 1: Occurs when the body produces little to no insulin. This is an autoimmune type of diabetes and generally diagnosed early in life. Latent diabetes in adults is a slow-progressing form of autoimmune diabetes.
  • Pre-Diabetes: Also referred to as impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance, this occurs when glucose levels are higher than normal but still below the level for a diabetes diagnosis.
  • Gestational Diabetes: Occurs during pregnancy and generally resolves after delivery. Women with gestational diabetes have an increased chance of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
A1c blood testing (average blood sugar) is key in determining severity when diagnosed as well as ongoing level of diabetic control.
 
Complications from diabetes can include neuropathy (nerve damage), kidney disease, retinopathy (vision problems caused by damage to the retina), stroke and cardiovascular disease.
 
Now let’s talk about some potential underwriting outcomes for Life coverage.
  • Type 2 diabetes may qualify at a Standard rate class with good diabetic control and no complications.
  • Type 1 diabetes could be as good as Table 2 for over age 50 in a best case scenario. Higher table ratings would apply for ages 50 and under depending on diabetic control and any complications.
  • Pre-diabetes and gestational diabetes may qualify at Standard Plus.
Contact our Underwriting Team for help in pre-screening your client living with diabetes.
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Succession Planning For Your Business Owner Clients – We Can Help

Business owners are faced with many challenges when doing the planning related to a successful exit. Typically, business owners focus on day-to-day operations far more than on retirement, or on keeping the business going in the event of death. Business owners need your help!

You can rely on our expert guidance – we’ll help you target potential opportunities and navigate through the entire planning process.

We offer the following exit planning tools – at no cost:
  • Access to a Succession Consultation Group
  • Materials that will help motivate and engage your clients
  • Professional review of a completed business succession fact finder
  • A report summarizing the findings
  • Participation on conference calls with you and your clients
  • Analysis including applicable ideas, agreements and concepts
  • Undeniable value to your client
Target Market:
  • Owner aged 45-60
  • Substantial owner net worth
  • Owner wants to exit business in 2 to 10 years, or transfer the business at death
  • History of stable earnings over a period of years
  • Annual revenue of $2 to $50 million
  • Sustainable and transferable cash flow
  • 5 to 100 employees
We deliver the most relevant tools for you to use – please contact us today for assistance with growing your share of sales in the business insurance marketplace.
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Aggressive Rates For High Blood Pressure

Don’t let one impairment, like elevated blood pressure force your client into a Standard Non-tobacco class.

Here’s an example for the record:
  • 60-year- old female non-smoker
  • Has no history of high blood pressure
  • Her current BP is 150/92 (normal should be 140/90 and under)
  • Applied for $1 million of Permanent Life Insurance
Offer: Standard Plus!
 
If you aren’t quoting Standard Plus for your healthy standard cases, your clients could be paying more than they need to.
 
Our Underwriting Team is here to help with all of your impaired risk cases. Please contact us today for more information about this carrier and how we can help boost your sales.
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How Our Underwriting Team Can Help You Make A Difference To Your Clients

One of the most important aspects to placing more business is a knowledgeable underwriting team to be your advocate for those challenging cases. Our Life Underwriting Team has a philosophy we call “never say never”.

We don’t give up on a case because it’s difficult. We take on the challenge and look outside the box for solutions.

This innovation sets us apart from the rest and helps to get more cases placed for your clients.
 
Here’s a recent example:
 
We were presented with case on a 53 year old seeking $2 million of IUL coverage. Initial tentative assessment of the case was a Table 6 due to a long history of Chronic Kidney Disease with abnormal kidney function testing and impaired fasting glucose, subject to review of additional records. The client then submitted a formal application at the Table 6 rating.
 
  • Upon review of the additional required medical records, the case was later declined due to elevated A1c (average blood sugar) of 6.5% found in the additional records.
  • The lab report was of somewhat poor quality and our Underwriting team questioned the true A1c reading. We reached back out to the underwriter to discuss and they agreed to review a clearer page of the report to further confirm the A1c.
  • We obtained a clearer copy showing the A1c reading was actually 5.8%. As a result, the case was approved at the initial Table 6 rate class, as applied!
If we had not gone back to the carrier for reconsideration, the case would have remained a decline on the books. Another way we made a difference to our broker and the client.
 
Let our Underwriting Team help you with your challenging cases and generate more sales this year. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Expedite Cases With Field Underwriting

Nothing makes an underwriter happier than details to health histories.

When a health history (“I’ve got a guy” scenario) is shared with us, we look for the basics of the Who/What/Where/When and Why.

These details help frame the health history and add context.
 
The standard set of questions include:
  • What is the nature of illness / health issue or underlying cause? For example:
    • For cancer, type of cancer, area affected, Stage and Grade, PSA readings (if applicable), any recurrence or cancer spread
    • For Diabetes, most recent A1c reading, Type 1 or Type 2
  • Date diagnosed?
  • Diagnosed as Mild, Moderate or Severe?
  • How is the health issue treated?
  • Are symptoms well controlled?
  • Any complications?
  • Fully recovered?
  • Date of last follow-up with a physician and the outcome
  • Present Condition
Also helpful:
  • Height and Weight
  • Any use of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigar, tobacco chew, e-cigs)
  • Any family history such as diabetes or cancer
Every additional detail gleaned or morsel of information provided, builds the story of each particular individual – and allows the underwriter to provide a firmer response with quicker turnaround time, versus working with gaps in information in what could have been a well written story.
 
Presenting each client’s history to the carriers in the best possible light will allow us to provide you with solid recommendations, the best carrier options, products and plan for a successful outcome.
 
Our Underwriting Team is here to provide guidance and direction – the full story of each client’s health history has a shot at a happy ending.
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High BMI Weighing You Down?

Our Underwriting Department can help you make the sale for your clients whose heavy build may be weighing down a chance for a favorable underwriting decision.
 
The reality is…
  • 71% of American adults are considered overweight and nearly 40% considered obese
  • 20% of American adolescents ages 12-19 are overweight or obese
  • 18% of American children ages 6-11 are overweight or obese
Here are some case examples from A+ carriers that may surprise you:
  • A male non-smoker, 5’11” and 265 lbs. and in good health otherwise could qualify for STANDARD rates
  • A female non-smoker, 5’4” and 235 lbs. could qualify for STANDARD rates assuming no co-morbidities (heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc.)
Call our Underwriting Department today to turn real life cases into success stories for you and your client.
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Underwriting Niches Lead To Opportunities To Place More Cases

We know how to elevate your sales. We are experts when it comes to new and innovative underwriting changes. We also know which carriers to recommend for your challenging clients.

Bottom line, we find ways to say “yes” to your cases.

We represent carriers that can offer:
  • Right away to individuals after treatment is completed for early stage prostate and breast cancer
  • Preferred Non-Smoker rates to your clients who use marijuana on a regular basis
  • Up to $3 million of term or permanent plan coverage to your healthy clients without any exam requirements, and can still offer their Super Preferred rates
  • Standard or even better to your clients with Type 2 diabetes
  • Preferred classes to your overweight clients
  • Preferred Best rates even if someone’s total cholesterol level is up to 300
  • Preferred Best rates for someone who is treated for depression
  • Preferred or better for your clients treated for sleep apnea using their CPAP machine on a nightly basis
  • Non-Smoker rates to your clients who smoke cigars or pipes or use tobacco chew on a regular basis (even daily) and have a positive specimen for nicotine
Contact the Life Underwriting Team – get some Preferred Best service as we help you with your next case!
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Underwriting Program Improves Sub-Standard Ratings

One of our A+ rated carriers has underwriting crediting program that will benefit more of your clients.
 
Here’s an example:
  • Seeking term coverage
  • 45-year-old male, non-tobacco
  • History of bipolar disorder with occasional minor episodes treated with medication on an as-needed basis – no daily medication
  • History of elevated cholesterol with favorable cholesterol ratio of 3.17
  • Family history of early heart disease – had a coronary artery calcium score test 3 years ago showing a zero calcium score (no heart disease)
  • Favorable height/weight 5’10” 174 lbs. (BMI 25.0)
Initial assessment is Table B, but with the application of this crediting program, a more favorable underwriting decision is possible. Underwriting outcome; Standard!
 
Our Underwriting Team is here to help with all your impaired risk cases. Please contact us today for more information about this carrier and how we can help boost your sales.

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