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A Fresh View On The LTC Insurance Market

Learning how to adjust to the changing market is crucial to the continued success of your Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance business.
 
Today’s market reflects an expanding, diverse clientele, so being able to respond to their unique needs and budget constraints is critical. The first step is to understand their concerns around buying coverage, including potential objections about the cost of a policy.

Adapting your approach to the new market will not only demonstrate that you are responding to changing trends, but will ultimately help to increase your LTC Insurance business.

3 important concepts to consider:
Who Should I Target?
 
The “younger” segment of the LTC Insurance market includes 45-55 year olds. And while they may understand the need for LTC Insurance, many have competing financial responsibilities, and feel they don’t have the disposable income to spend on a policy. Your challenge is to create a sense of urgency about the importance of applying when they are younger and healthy, and show them there are affordable ways to access LTC Insurance coverage.
 
How Can I Help My Clients?
 
Your clients may not know that they have a surprising amount of flexibility when designing LTC Insurance coverage. Buying a policy is not an all-or-nothing proposition. If you start with a policy design that addresses 100% of your clients’ anticipated future care needs, you can offer alternate designs to help lower the premium, if necessary.
 
For example, suggest shortening the Benefit Period to 3-5 years to save money, while providing ample coverage for most care needs. Leaving off compound inflation protection can also make a big impact, potentially cutting the premium in half. With this strategy, consider other alternatives for inflation protection or a higher initial daily benefit to account for future cost of care.
 
What Can I Do To Succeed?
 
One of the characteristics of the new market is that the public is more aware of the need to plan ahead for LTC. They are open to having long-term care planning discussions, and will welcome your guidance. Take a proactive approach and make it a priority in your practice to initiate LTC planning discussions with your clients by age 50.
 
By connecting with your clients, emphasizing the value of LTC Insurance protection, and showing that coverage can be adjusted to meet their budget, you will demonstrate that you have their personal needs in mind and are on top of the latest product offerings. And, that is a recipe for success for years to come.
 
Contact your LTC Sales & Marketing Associate today for more resources and information.

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It’s Not Disability Insurance – It’s Income Protection

Over the past couple years we’ve slightly modified the language around Income Protection.
 
The word disability is somewhat alarming and often evokes thoughts of being incapacitated or laid out in a hospital bed – it’s the reason we don’t refer to Life Insurance as Death Insurance.

Put in a more positive light, DI Insurance is really Income Protection for clients who want affordable, simple protection that can help cover bills should they be unable to work due to illness or injury.

Here are a few conversation starters you can use to help engage your clients in a conversation about Income Protection:
  • How would you protect your income should you be unable to work due to illness or injury?
  • How much do you have in savings?
  • Do you have enough set aside to make ends meet for a several months if you’re off work?
  • Where will the money come from when your savings runs out?
Why should you use these conversation starters?
They’re effective in closing the sale – although many clients recognize the need for Disability Insurance, the number of folks who actually get a policy is much lower.
 
Rather than trying to convince clients that they may be unable to work due to illness or injury (“spitting in the wind” as your grandpappy may say), selling DI as Income Protection focuses clients on how they would financially manage a disruption in pay – especially when the majority of Americans don’t have sufficient savings.
 
Lay out exactly how Income Protection fits in with their overall financial protection plan and how simple it is to get affordable coverage in just days – no medical exams or occupation classes are great selling points. Once they understand just how easy the process is, chances are they’ll be sold.
 
What’s next?
 
Simply let your clients know you are in the income protection business – they likely already want income protection but just don’t know where to get it. Plus, they’ll want to purchase a policy from someone they know and trust – You!
 
Also, many clients are probably unaware they can even purchase an individual Income Protection Plan – as odds are they’re under the impression they can only get an employer sponsored plan.
 
We have numerous options available, and can help you get the word out. Contact your Income Protection Specialist today for more information.

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Executive Bonus – Enhanced To Show Quality

If you wanna feel better about yourself just do an Internet search on something like Celebrities Without Makeup, or Un-photo-shopped VIPs. It will do your heart good to see how plain looking or, in some cases, how down-right ugly-wuggly many icons among the “beautiful people” really are in their natural state.
 
Personalities whose reputation rests significantly on their physical attractiveness even have a critical team member responsible for the prior scouring of any pictures intended for distribution to assure that nothing un-doctored, un-enhanced, or unflattering slips through for consumption by the masses.

The Lady and Lord Mucks of the entertainment world understand that they work in a tough marketplace and things simply sell better when they look good.

Perhaps we insurance advisors could take a lesson from that when showcasing our own products and services. The difference is that a properly accoutered insurance-funded benefit plan will not only sell more easily, it will remain an ongoing thing of attractiveness and substance to those it protects.
 
A prime example is the often unadorned (and as a result the often unsold) executive bonus arrangement. The plan chassis is simply an executive-owned policy paid for by the employer. But creative use of some of its flexible features makes it the most attractive non-qualified benefit in most business situations:
 
Eliminate sticker shock.
 
The amount of premiums paid by the employer is reported on the executive’s W-2. Avoid the sting of a year-end tax increase by adjusting the bonus so that the after-tax amount covers the planned premiums and the remainder can be withheld to cover taxes on the total bonus on April 15.
 
Forget about recovering costs.
 
Too many employers worry about getting premiums back if the executive leaves after a couple annual bonuses. If recovery is a serious issue than use a split dollar plan. Otherwise provisions requiring reimbursement are burdensome and reduce the attractiveness of the plan to the executive. An employer can reduce risk by funding a policy at lower premium levels in the early years, then increasing the bonus amount as the service period lengthens.
 
Make it a “gold watch” as well.
 
A policy that must be maintained by the executive beyond retirement can be seen as an anticipated burden that takes some of the luster off the current benefit of the coverage. Fund the policy in a manner that will achieve paid-up status and allow the executive to carry the self-sustaining policy into his or her non-working years.
 
Make it a “living benefit” as well.
 
Adding a long-term care rider gives the executive lifetime protection as well by assisting with costs of care using tax-free accelerated benefits. Funding the policy to paid-up status at retirement gives the executive this protection through his or her entire life.
 
Economize using a “two-policy solution”.
 
A paid-up permanent policy, especially with an LTC rider, can get costly. Recognizing that death protection needs are higher during the working years, structure the plan so that the bulk of the coverage is provided with a level-premium term policy for the duration of the anticipated working life. This can be dropped at retirement when no longer needed.
 
In addition, carry a smaller permanent policy whose death benefit will cover a significant portion of costs if long-term care expenses arise, but will still provide adequate estate liquidity if long-term care needs don’t arise.
 
The ultimate futility of cosmetic or techno-treatment to shore up current or deteriorating beauty was summed up best by comedian Moms Mabley when she said, “Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly is to the bone!” But there is no decline in the beauty of a well-designed benefit plan that will keep good executives in the company fold through the provision of employer-provided lifelong protection.
 
Call Tom Virkler, JD, Director of Advanced Markets, with questions on your next case at 706-354-0401 or tom@cpsadvancedmarkets.com.
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Get To Know Your Clients Better – Use Our Sales & Marketing Resources

Every client is different. Every client’s needs, goals, family situation, budget, risk tolerance, health, and protection concerns are unique. What motivates your clients? And why does it matter?
 
Two big reasons why you want to learn what truly matters to your clients are: 1) You can better design solutions to meet their needs, and 2) You can use this information to motivate your clients to implement your recommendations.

When you know which questions to ask, and learn detail of what your clients would like to accomplish, you start to get a clear picture of what matters most.

You must be willing to ask the discovery questions and be patient with the clients’ responses.
 
A few of the classic, high-level questions are:
  • What do you want your retirement to look like?
  • What kind of legacy do you want to leave?
  • How do you plan on taking care of your children if something happens to you?
Or, you can try a question or two that might normally be outside your comfort zone, such as:
  • What keeps you up at night?
  • What are you most passionate about?
  • What is important to you about life?
You might be surprised what you learn by asking questions you’ve never asked before.
 
Contact your Life Sales Representative today to learn more about the tools and resources we have available for you.
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Key To Success: Answer Your Underwriter’s Questions Before They Ask

If you were an underwriter and received the following application on your desk, what questions would you have?
 
  • Female, age 35
  • Noted to be retired with no annual income; Net worth left blank on the app
  • Seeking $8 million of term coverage; Purpose of coverage left blank on the app
I know you’d be scratching your head wondering why is this woman retired at such a young age and why is she looking for $8 million of coverage?
 
What the producer forgot was a good cover letter explaining the purpose of the coverage. This client just inherited a very large estate and recently quit her job. Estate taxes were a concern. Based on the inheritance, the $8 million applied for was justified.
 
How can we help in this situation?
We are here to provide our expertise when it comes to writing good cover letters. We can even write them for you. We will help explain the purpose of your applications to our carrier underwriters.
 
However, the most important source of information about a proposed insured is you, so we’ll need your help to prove your applications are financially justified.
 
Key information we’ll need includes:
  • What is the purpose of the insurance?
  • How was the face amount determined?
  • Who will be the policyowner and premium payor?
  • What is the current amount of in-force and applied for insurance?
  • Do you have any other pertinent documentation you can provide to explain how the amount of insurance was determined?
Give us the opportunity to help you move your applications smoothly through underwriting. If we answer our underwriters questions before they ask them, who knows?
 
Quicker approvals leading to faster receipt of commissions – then we move on to your next big app waiting to happen.
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Using Caregiver Contracts To Leverage Your LTC Sales

A caregiver contract is when relatives are hired to take care of their disabled or aging family members. It is usually drafted by an attorney and specifies the caregiver’s duties and the length of contract (usually the elder’s lifetime). Caregiver payment can be made either in lump sums or installments.
 
How Does Long-Term Care Get Thrown Into The Mix?
 
Purchasing a Long-Term Care (LTC) policy is one way to pay the compensation promised in a caregiver agreement.
 
Please note: Many LTC Insurance policies do not allow a relative to be hired directly as a caregiver, it is important that the policy have a cash benefit.
 
Once an individual triggers benefits, the insurer pays out the cash benefit regardless of who the caregiver is. A full cash benefit will provide the same benefit.
 
It is important to discuss these planning options with current and prospective clients. An agent who knows about LTC planning as well as insurance may be seen as more knowledgeable about the options available.
 
To learn more about caregiver contracts and how to incorporate them into your sales, contact your LTC Specialist today.
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Can Your Clients Afford A 58% Pay Cut?

A majority of employees have Disability Income coverage sponsored by their employer. However, they are unaware of how much coverage their plan would provide if they were to be too sick or hurt to work.

Many individuals live with a false sense of security regarding their Income Protection plan – believing that if an accident were to occur, they would be financially set until they could return to work.

The Reality
 
A typical group Disability Insurance policy covers 60% of their base income. This can be a good income replacement safety net. However, benefits are usually taxed and the remaining after-tax monthly benefit could be as little as 42% of a person’s regular base income.
 
For highly compensated employees, this amount could be even lower if there is a monthly benefit cap, or if incentive pay or bonuses are not covered by their plan.
 
The Solution
 
Fill the gap by offering an Individual Disability Income insurance policy in conjunction with the Group Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance.
 
This additional coverage can bring your client’s income back to approximately 80% of their pre-disability earnings and can be offered on a simplified issue basis. With no exams or tax returns, they can buy up to $7,500 off additional monthly income protection.
 
Plus, when three or more lives are covered with Individual DI insurance policies and share a common employer, all are eligible for at least a 20% discount on unisex rates.
 
So, when your client says they don’t need an Income Protection plan because they are already covered through work, don’t let that be the end of your conversation. Find out exactly what their plan would pay them if they were unable to work, and if those benefits would be taxable to them. A small amount of additional coverage can put them right where they need to be: financially sound.
 
For more information on how you can provide your clients with the coverage they need – contact your Disability Income Specialist today.
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Policy Valuation: How Much Are You Worth?

A bidder at an auction purchased a Stradivarius and a Rembrandt for what he felt was an unbelievably low price. He took them to an appraiser to see if they were authentic. The appraiser informed him, “Yes, they are authentic. It’s just a shame that Stradivarius couldn’t paint and that Rembrandt didn’t know beans about making a violin.”
 
The common legal definition for fair market value of an asset is the price on which a seller and a buyer can agree, neither being under any constraint and both being aware of all the circumstances. Simple enough. So why is there so much confusion with regard to valuation of an inforce life insurance policy?

The need for a reliable value occurs often in the business, estate and financial planning process.

And by “reliable” we mean one that the IRS will find acceptable, because usually the value is needed to calculate the tax consequences at the time of an ownership change.
 
The reason the IRS takes such an interest with life policies is, probably, because most transactions don’t involve parties whose opposing interests are characterized by a level of dynamic tension that will necessarily result in a fair and final value.
 
Consider This:
  • An employer distributing a business-owned contract to an employee-insured (e.g. distribution of a key person policy at retirement) may appreciate the corresponding business deduction, but probably would be happy to undervalue it to augment the benefit to a long-time employee by decreasing the amount he or she must recognize as income.
  • When a policy is distributed from a qualified plan, the stated value matters not at all to the plan trustee. But to the participant who must recognize the value as income (perhaps even with a 10% tax penalty) the lower the valuation, unrealistically or not, the better.
  • In a gifting situation the transferor of a policy is of a donative mindset anyway, so a lower value doesn’t reduce anything he or she might have received in return, except the size of a gift tax bill. So the lower the better, again realistically or not.
The difficulty is that neither Congress nor the IRS nor the courts have put together a reliable set of laws, regulations and rulings that allow for easy or certain valuation of a policy. Taxpayers must deal with a hodge-podge of criteria that vary with circumstances and with interpretation of the facts.
 
The good news for the insurance advisor is – it is not your responsibility to determine value, nor should you try. Rendering an opinion is outside the scope of your legitimate professional activity. The best you can, and should, do is offer to request from the carrier their “Form 712” valuations used by an executor in determining a policy’s value in an owner’s estate. You will get back one or more numbers.
 
The most common is the interpolated terminal reserve, but many will also include: accumulated cash value, PERC value, premiums paid, cash surrender value, tax reserve, statutory reserve, etc. Provide it to the attorney, CPA or appraiser to assist in their valuation. You’ve done all you can and more than most would.
 
There is another story of an auctioneer who was interrupted when his clerk handed him a note. Reading it the auctioneer announced, “A gentleman has lost a wallet containing $500 in cash. If it is returned, he will pay a reward of $100.” After a moment someone in the audience shouted, “$150!”
 
Call with any questions concerning policy valuation. We will make it worth your while.
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Life Insurance For The Small Business Market Restrictive 162 Executive Bonus Plans

The traditional 162 Executive Bonus Plan is one of the simplest and most popular executive benefits offered in the small business market. The bonus is tax deductible and has few regulations and reporting requirements. This makes the Executive Bonus Plan extremely attractive to many business owners.

The bonus needs to be considered reasonable compensation in order for it to be deductible, but other than that, the business owner has complete flexibility.

Who is covered and the level of participation is completely discretionary, plus the commitment to the contribution can also be flexible.
 
Even with all of the positive attributes of Executive Bonus Plans, some employers continue to have concerns. Many employers are concerned about not having control of the asset (the policy), which is owned by the employee. The employer may feel that unlike other executive benefit plans, there is nothing to tie the employee to the company, no “golden handcuffs.”
 
Though employees have an incentive to stay with the company in order to continue receiving premium bonuses, some employers may feel that the bonuses paid are “money out the door.” Further, they may fear that the employee may handle ownership of the policy irresponsibly.
 
A potential solution for the employer who has these concerns is the restricted executive bonus plan.
 
The Restricted Executive Bonus arrangement is designed to give the employer some degree of control over the employee’s access to the policy during employment.
 
The restrictive bonus may be approached in many ways; however the most popular method is through a restrictive endorsement to the policy. Using the restrictive endorsement, the employee agrees to sign an endorsement form, which becomes part of the policy. The endorsement states that the employee will not exercise certain ownership rights in the policy; usually for a period of years or until the employee reaches a certain age.
 
It is extremely important that the endorsement signed by the employee not grant any ownership rights to the employer. The only way the premium/bonus can be deductible to the employer is if there are no ownership rights with the employer. If the business had any ownership rights, the business’ deduction of the premiums would be jeopardized.
 
The restrictive bonus should be used sparingly.
 
And only in cases where the employer has expressed significant concern over the lack of control perceived under a standard executive bonus arrangement. In addition, the employee participant may feel as though the benefit is less compelling since the bonus is already taxable (causing an out of pocket expense in a single bonus situation) and the benefits are not immediately accessible.
 
In some cases, a restricted plan may even have the opposite effect from the intended goal of tying the employee closer to the company. It is more practical to use the double bonus, or gross up bonus, when the restrictive endorsement is used. In this situation, the cost is zero and the plan should continue to be compelling to the employee.
 
The bottom line is that executive bonus is a great way for employers to reward and retain key employees. The restrictive bonus can be used sparingly when the objection of “money going out the door” arises. Either way, executive bonus is a great sales concept for the small business market and can generate significant commissionable sales to the producer.
 
Contact your Life Sales Rep for more information.
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Great Underwriting News On A Weighty Issue!

Our Underwriting Department can help you make the sale for your clients whose weight is an issue.

One of our A+ carriers takes an aggressive approach to underwriting build cases.

Some case examples that may surprise you:
  • A man who is 6’ 0” and 300 pounds could possibly qualify for Standard rates with credits for favorable blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
  • A woman can be 5’ 4” and 235 pounds and possible Standard if there are no co-morbidities present.
Next time you have an applicant whose weight is an issue, think of us and you’ll find we don’t think it’s that big of an issue.
 
Contact our Underwriting Team to help uncover more ways to get better offers for your clients and increase your sales !

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