Insurance World

The study of the human history and civilization reveals a universal desire for security, and it indicates that the need for security has been one of the most powerful motivating forces in the material and cultural growth.

Early societes relied on family and tribe cohesiveness for their security. With economic progress, however, this security source weakens. Insurance, in some form, has been a universal response to societies’ request for security.

Life insurers sell today policies that permit policyowners the felxibility of deciding the amount of the premium he or she would like to pay. Whole life policies are examples of such flexible plans because they are a function of the amount of the policyowner’s past and present premium payments.

Subject to company rules regarding minimums and maximums, the policyowner may pay whatever premium during a policy year that she or he wishes. An amount to cover the insurer’s expenses and mortality charges is subtracted from the cash value and a penalty for early policy termination, called a surrender charge, may be assessed against the policy’s cash value.

Many life insurance policies have cash values. Conceptually, all life insurance policy cash values can be derived in the same way and all evolve for the same basic reason: prefunding of future mortality charges. As a practical matter, however, policies are usually viewed in different ways.

The savings element is considered a by-product of the level premium method of payment. With universal life and some other newer forms of life insurance policies, the savings element is usually considered to be a more independent part of the policy, specifically designed to build a savings fund from which mortality and expense charges are withdrawn.

Economists and marketing personnel tend to view a level-premium whole life contract as a divisible contract providing financial protection to the policyowner’s beneficiaries, with other contract benefits available, including cash surrender and loan values. A policyowner may discontinue the insurance and surrender the policy for its cash values.

Alternatively, a policyowner may borrow from the insurer an amount up to the cash value, at a contractually stated rate of interest, using the cash value as collateral.

The distinguishing features of universal life policies are:

1- their flexibility
2- their transparency.

These policies are flexible in that they permit policyowners, within limits, to increase or decrease premium payments as they wish also to increase or decrease the policy face amount.

The transparency means that the three elements of life insurance ( mortality, interest, expenses ) are identified and disclosed to the customers.
The savings component of the life insurance policies is a direct function of the premium payments made by policyowners.

While life is populated by choices, one certainty that faces the majority of adults is that they can control their future options only by planning ahead. Financial planners recommend diversifying interests to insure profit. Real estate planners bank on the idea that real estate matures over time and is a solid investment.

Life insurance promises a financial cushion for bereaved family members so they won’t have to worry about things such as house payments or accrued debt. Long term care planning focuses on the growing need for assisted care as the nation’s baby boomers near retirement age and individuals are living longer and longer lives.

Who benefits from the leads on long-term care?
Long Term Care FacilitiesIndividualsInsurance PlannersFamilies
Long-term care is provided for individuals who need special assistance, but do not want to be a burden on their families. Why leave important decisions and financial burdens until the last minute? By planning ahead, adults can guarantee that their needs will be met in a manner that they choose and pay for.

For example, with life spans reaching 90 to 100 years old on average, a retiree with declining healthy may have to rely on family alone to support them if their health takes an ill turn or they are injured. Long term care planning puts those decisions and options into the hands of the people who will need them.

A 55 year-old man or woman is an excellent prospect for long-term care because they have the time and wherewithal to make the decisions now that will benefit them 30 years down the road.

What makes long-term leads a viable option in today’s market?

The target market of long-term care leads are far more likely to discard direct mail advertisements about planning ahead versus answering their own curiosity or searching out potential services on their own. Since the prospects provided by a lead service are already contemplating their options, it’s a much smaller leap for the agent to make in helping them achieve their plans.

Let’s face it, planning for a nebulous time of infirmity and ill health in the future is not a pleasant topic. Longer life span means that robust adults will not see a decline in their health until their years are much further advanced. They are less likely to take into consideration needs like debilitating disease or chronic conditions. Direct marketing techniques that pursue these avenues will likely outspend their return value.

A lead service can cut down on the overhead and output of marketing dollars while providing a more sustainable list of prospective clients. By cashing in on the prospects that are already aware they need some plan or formula in place, the agent’s work is halved with better odds at providing returns.

How can long-term care leads help everyone involved?

Yes, long-term care leads will help agents close more sales and thereby increase their profits. However, the concept behind long-term care leads will also provide excellent service to the target market. The information age is overripe with available material. Websites that detail the finest of small prints and where one resource can sound very much like another are a turnoff for a lot of prospective clients.

A lead service helps them to cut through the tape by acquiring their contact information and interests. That information and specific points of interest are then distributed to the right agents and contacts that can help them find what they are looking for. Ultimately, long-term care leads are a win-win-win situation for the agent, the client and the client’s family.