Think F.A.S.T. during National Stroke Awareness Month

F.A.S.T. is an easy way to remember the sudden signs of stroke. When you spot the signs, call 9-1-1 for help right away.

To help you remember and be ready, download the easy-to-use F.A.S.T. app from the American Heart Association today.

4 Lessons to School Millennials on Renters' Insurance

Every year, more millennials become first-time renters after graduating from college or moving out on their own. Unfortunately, the vast majority of them also join the ranks of the nearly 70 percent of U.S. renters that don’t have renter’s insurance.

Young people often don’t know that they’re not covered, and don’t understand that they could lose everything they own in the case of a fire or burglary. What’s more, a shocking 52 percent of renters surveyed by InsuranceQuotes.com said they thought they couldn’t afford renter’s insurance, with  more than a fifth estimating that it would cost them more than $1,000 a year.

The good news is that insurance agents and brokers are perfectly positioned to help correct the misconceptions of many millennial renters. The next time you’re meeting with a young first-time renter, here are some things to keep in mind:

1.      A Landlord’s Policy Doesn’t Cover The Tenant’s Possessions

Everyone in the insurance industry knows this, but a surprising number of millennials don’t. Know your audience and remember that most young renters have never had to think about insuring their valuables before. Many young renters assume that their landlord’s insurance policy covers their personal property inside the apartment, and they don’t need insurance like homeowners do. Be sure to clear that up.

2.      It’s not as Expensive as They Think

The fact that so many renters overestimate the cost of renter’s insurance is a big problem, but it’s also easily solved. Explain to millennials that most renters’ insurance policies cost significantly less than they think: the National Assn. of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) estimates that a policy costs $185 per year on average. And given that the typical burglary causes about $2,100 in losses, renter’s insurance is actually quite a good deal.

3.       “I Don’t Own Enough Stuff” is No Reason to Go Bare

Many first-time renters underestimate the value of the property in their apartment, but their possessions are usually more valuable than they think. Millennials will often bring furniture with them from their parents’ homes, and don’t realize how high the replacement value of these items can be. Household items like couches and mattresses cost several hundreds of dollars each to replace; make sure that the millennials you work with understand that, too.

In addition, many renters’ insurance policies either include or have the option to include identity theft coverage. Since most millennials own either a laptop, smartphone or both, make it clear that their renter’s policy can cover not only the loss of their device but also any misuse of the financial data that’s stored on it. Financial fraud from identity theft can do serious damage to a young person’s finances – let them know that renter’s insurance can protect them.

4.      It Covers More Than Your Property

Beyond covering personal property, most renters’ insurance policies also cover liability and additional living expenses (ALE). Explain to your young customers that if someone gets hurt while visiting their apartment, their renter’s insurance policy can help cover any liability costs. Additionally, if their apartment should be destroyed or become temporarily uninhabitable, most renters’ insurance policies will cover the costs of hotel rooms and other living expenses. These issues are not typically the first thing on the mind of 20-somethings getting their first apartment, but they’re very important.

Make it Easy for Them
Just like everyone else, millennials are more likely to do something if you make it easy for them. Try to take advantage of any bundled policies that the carriers you work with are offering. If the young people you work with can simply bundle renter’s insurance to an existing auto policy, they’ll be more likely to do so.

Because all drivers are required to have automobile insurance, agents are given a regular opportunity to explain the importance of renter’s insurance, and many policyholders decide to expand their coverage.

Young people have a lot of misconceptions about renter’s insurance, but it’s not hard to explain its importance if you know what to say. Most first-time renters don’t understand just how risky it is to go without coverage (and how inexpensive it is to get it), and insurance agents with the right information and policies can do a lot to increase the number of millennial policyholders.

Stop Talking and Start Listening!

This marketing strategy may not seem like a marketing strategy to you, but I can assure you, if you do what I’m going to suggest you do, the positive word-of-mouth will spread like wildfire about you as an insurance agent.

My advice is to do 3 things:
1. Listen
2. Listen
3. Listen

I know, you probably think I’ve lost my mind. Did you know that when clients are surveyed about their insurance agent, the number one complaint they list about their agents is that they don’t listen?

I’m willing to bet that whatever you do, you’re anxious to provide the solution to a question, your client asks, before they finish asking. In fact, you are likely too anxious to answer their question that you don’t let them finish before you are in their face with the solution.

I’m going to ask you to purposefully listen! Give yourself the instruction to listen! Because, if your client or customer knows that you listen to them, do you know what they’re going to tell all of their friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors about you? They’ll say, “He/she really listens to me.” And, that means you care! That has so much inherent value; it’s impossible to put a price on it.

The amount of new business and client/customer retention you gain as a result of you listening to them is impossible to measure.

So do yourself a favor, and put this initiative in place and do whatever you can to make sure that your clients or customers know you’re paying attention to them and that you’re listening to what they have to say.

To Your Success,

Feeling Like There's Never Enough Time [SOLUTION]‏

So, it's Monday afternoon and guess what?

Already the week is shot...

The to-do list is a mile long and chaos has turned 90%
of the day's priorities into a wasteland of someday...

Sound familiar? So much so that in fact it's really just a
broken record you've heard droning in the background over
and over and over again?

Yeah.

What's so doggoned F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G about this scenario
is that you know it costs you big money. But the hits keep
coming as for some reason you just can't seem to get time
and priorities under mutual control. Instead, it's more
like mutually assured destruction.

Not good and not the way you want to run YOUR business
(and your life!)

Well, a guy I consider one of the top-notch minds in
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Even better news - it's FREE.

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Productivity for insurance agents is all
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There's a DIRECT correlation between productivity and profit.
Raise the first one, the second rises as well.  Oft-times
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Inside this report and video, Eben walks you through five
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You'll learn how to:

> See the hidden obstacles that get in the way of
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> Identify the specific actions inside of your own
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> Create an environment that puts you into the "flow"
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> Inspire and motivate yourself emotionally, to focus
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Finding the right path to productivity in an ever more
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You'll want this report and info now. Don't delay.

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PS. You get a two-fer with this when you grab this
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A quick tip: Read the report and print out the two
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if you already have them printed out.