Whether you’re a new agent or have been on the market for a while, the big bad world of marketing your services and the need to hedge your assets is finally knocking on your doorstep. Do you think the two are separate issues? NO. For much of what you do in this industry, the same things you need to do to influence new customers are the same things that keep you out of trouble. That’s why we developed this checklist! Some elements may seem a bit obvious, even cheesy, but they work, and as you get busier, it’s important to review them to make sure you’re not getting sidetracked.

 

___ Focus on customer service and customer satisfaction first.

 

___ Disclose all facts necessary to allow my clients to make informed decisions.

 

___Sell to the needs of my customers, not mine. my focus will be solution-based; helping my clients solve their insurance dilemmas by understanding their financial needs and goals.

 

___ Ask the 3 closing questions to determine that my customers understand the product I am recommending:

 

· Have I given you all the information you need to make a decision?

· Does this information or policy make sense?

· Is there anything else I can answer to ensure that this is the right solution based on your needs and goals?

 

___ Pay close attention to my client’s need for liquidity. Products that do not match a customer’s time frame should be avoided and those that do not meet a specific need should be supplemented.

 

___Spend extra time with customer applications – a serious matter where mistakes can void a policy. I will make sure my clients understand the importance of accurate information and the ramifications of mistakes, especially intentional misinformation.

 

___ Never promise complete coverage if it cannot be achieved. Rather, I will strive to provide my client with the most correct coverage available at the time of sale.

 

___ I do my best to detect and disclose coverage gaps, even if it means my clients must purchase additional coverage elsewhere. My silence about inadequate provisions or coverage gaps is the same as a lie.

 

___ Offer immediate or conditional coverage to clients if it is within my authority to do so.

 

___ Always explain the options widely available in the policies I sell.

 

___ Know the difference between the policies I sell and the ones I own sample policies to answer specific questions about coverage or terms.

 

___ Always use reasonable care and follow up to get coverage. And, I will always act within rules from other agents in the same field.

 

___ Never make promises that exceed the limits of the policy I am selling.

 

___ I will follow strict consumer protection standards in all of my advertising, including prior approval from my insurer, identification of my insurers, accuracy and truthfulness, realistic illustrations and quotes, fair comparisons and competitive benchmarks, actual testimonials or endorsements, and fair treatment of all people I reach out to and serve. In addition, my advertising will not use words, letters, initials, symbols, or other devices that are similar to those used by a government agency, charity, etc. to mislead customers into believing that I am endorsed or authorized by these entities.

 

___ To reduce customer disputes, I will develop and use customer disclosure agreements acknowledging any limitations on my services, policy options that were rejected, as well as client refusals to seek outside legal or tax advice. Posting a public policy (on a website and in my office) regarding disclosures and referencing it on my signs and stationery will help if I forget to submit a written disclosure form.

 

___ Follow strict procedures when using artwork that involves showing all pages of the print copy and explain to clients that it is a projection and not a guarantee of future policy performance. Also, I’ll be careful not to highlight or change the illustration. In any accident quote or proposal, I will be very specific in matching the quote to the specific coverage and avoiding any language that implies the client is covered.

 

___ Always get a sample policy for products I sell or intend to sell. I will study these policies and know what they say and say what they mean because ambiguity, whether in a policy or in my presentation, will not decide in my favor in any dispute.

 

___ I strive to learn as much as I can about the product subscription I am selling to better locate my client’s coverage in an expeditious and efficient manner because in any insurance transaction time plays against my client.

 

___ If I profess to have special knowledge or experience in a field or product, I realize that I have assumed a higher level of care on which my clients depend. In any dispute, I will have to show that my special abilities were used correctly in accordance with the rules of fairness and fiduciary responsibility.

 

___ Be sure that the insurers I represent are financially solvent at the time insurance coverage is placed for my client. Monitoring creditworthiness after the sale may not be a legal responsibility, but it is a good measure of “preferred business conduct.”

 

___ Develop my own Privacy Policy to explain to my clients how and why I will protect the personal and financial information they have entrusted to me.

 

___ Never advertise or represent that an insurer or product such as sure due to the existence of State guarantee funds.

 

___ Never make false statements or derogatory comments about another insurer or competing agent.

 

___ I will witness clients signing documents and try to never simply leave or mail them for later signings where I am not present to witness.

 

___ I will endeavor to personally deliver issued policies promptly because it is “preferred business conduct.”

 

___Develop standard operating procedures and an operations manual to help me be consistent in how I treat all customers, handle premium payments, document customer conversations, review customer policies, process requests and cancellations, respond to customer inquiries and complaints the clients.

 

___ Maintain good customer contact and always respond to letters, calls, voicemails, and emails. And, as I am aware that practically all communications with a customer are considered advertisingmy words will be clear, complete and balanced regarding benefits, costs, limitations and deadlines.

 

___Take all customer complaints and concerns seriously and ensure they are resolved fairly and promptly. When a dispute develops, I will not attempt to settle the case or ignore my duty to my bearer of errors and omissions.

 

___ Respect my clients’ right to privacy and safeguard any information I collect about them. I will never make a derogatory comment in my client’s file or reveal personal information.

 

___ Always note in my client’s file any action taken or proposed and I will create a paper record of all conversations and reminders.

 

___ Review my client’s coverage annually. When I have a special or long-term relationship with my client, I realize that I may have a legal and ethical duty to monitor the adequacy of these policies. after sale.

 

___ Make sure that any replacement policy is beneficial and understandable to my clients. And I’ll do it document why a replacement policy better serves my client’s needs and goals than keeping the old policy.

 

___ Comply with all laws and regulations in my area.

 

___ I will not influence customers or prospects to think that they will lose a right, privilege, or benefit under any federal, state, or local law if they do not respond to my sales letter.

 

___ I will not use an address to mislead my true identity, location, or licensing status or that of my insurer.

 

___ I will not use the term seminar, class, briefing or a substantially equivalent term to characterize the purpose of a public meeting if the true intent is to sell insurance without adding the words and insurance presentation immediately after those terms in the same typeface and font.

 

___ If I am doing business with Old people I will be especially careful to avoid any action that might frighten or intimidate, such as alluding to your loss of Medicare or Medicaid benefits. I will voluntarily withdraw any offer if I realize that a prospective senior client may lack the short-term memory or judgment to knowingly purchase an insurance product.

 

___ I will not restrict or limit a client or prospective client from having other people present at a meeting, including family members, financial advisors, attorneys, etc.

 

___ If I meet at a client’s home, I will properly notify them that I am coming, either by phone or in writing.

 

___ In any meeting, my client has and will respect his or her right to end the meeting at any time. And/or, I will end any discussion and leave the client’s home immediately after being asked to leave.

 

___ Read and know the terms of my agency agreement(s) including all the duties and responsibilities they have.

 

___ If I refer a client to another professional, I will refer only to those I believe to be trustworthy and will let the referred professional do their own research on my client’s needs and goals.

 

___ I will remember that I am also trust of my insurer and you must always exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence on their behalf.

 

___ I will become a student of consumer protection issues and “agent blunders” because I can learn a lot about how to serve my clients correctly from mistakes made by others before me.