I Love It When the Phone Rings

It's a litttle bit before 9am
The voice on the phone says "Hi Jim, I have someone I'd like to refer to you. I think you can help."
Oh man, that is good stuff!

The rewards that come like this really get me fired up.

I love the hard cases. And I love it even more when people see that I give a project my best effort and I'll go much farther than other insurance advisors in helping the people that other agents will turn away from because it takes too much time, looks too hard, and won’t be a big commission...

Many of you who read this blog have done this for me too. Referred people that you care dearly for to me for help with insurance needs. I've got to tell you, it means a lot to me.

Sincerely, thank you!

Suitability? For Who?

Had an opportunity to go with one of my relatives to a Medicare Advantage Plan meeting recently. Pretty amazing stuff!


The guy who conducted the meeting said this "I'm big on suitability." For my relative all of her doctors were 'out of network' and her three most expensive prescription drugs were out of the plan formulary.

The MA plan representatives were still convinced that she was a 'suitable' fit for the plan. Wow!

Getting Ready to Heat Up!

It has been a really busy Summer and I believe we are going to move into an all-out-frenzy as this Fall and Winter arrive.
As a life and health agent who is mostly serving the 'Baby-boom' generation I can see the numbers of boomers continuing to rise. Each month as we look at the demographics the pool of new 65 year olds gets larger and larger.
While I don't have any empirical data to support this, I think I see a definite trend toward people who are still healthy continuing to work for a couple extra years past 65. People who are sick or employed in industries that are under economic pressure are retiring right on schedule.
I love to be busy doing good work! Here we go!

Sometimes you have to take the long way around

My second appointment Saturday morning was a real challenge.

I met with a husband and wife couple who are deaf.

The three of us sat down at their dinning room table with a blank pad of notebook paper and just muscled our way through the whole Medicare presentation in longhand.

I've long been known as a good communicator. But when people say this about me what they usually mean is "Jim likes the sound of his own voice".

To replace my voice with my sketchy handwriting for three and a half hours was scary. 

I write quite a lot but I edit and revise a lot too. When two people are reading the words as the ink dries you don't get to do that. Their spelling and penmanship were much better than mine.

My wife Jenna predicted that this would be a chance for me to focus on being economical with my words and message.

That it was. 

We got it done. Spent the needed time getting to know one another, did some proper 'fact-finding', worked through all the details involved in introducing the concepts and parts of Medicare, discussed their specific needs and opportunities... 

We did ultimately run out of time. We'll continue at another meeting soon. It will be good to have some time to let the information soak in and foment some questions.

I've shared on this blog before about how I often pray that God will make me able to serve the needs of the people who trust me to be their agent. This was one of those times for sure. 

It was a fantastic appointment!

Video Bar Project

Good day faithful readers!
Many of you have already made note of the enhanced 'Video Bar' on my blog page.
I literally stumbled across this animation creation software and felt an overwhelming urge to let it consume a bunch of my available time.
One of the things I like to do most here on my blog page is detail interesting cases I've worked on, elegant solutions to complex problems, concepts for resolving tough problems with clever application of insurance products. The animations lend themselves to this goal pretty well.
I'll be dropping more animations in as I can afford to allocate the time.
The links down under the graphic will take you to the YouTube pages for these two animation videos.
Enjoy!

First Up:

Louie Gets Engaged

Second:

Did You Hear About Kenny?

Every Need is Different

Had a very interesting appointment this week. Wrote a Long Term Care plan for a husband and wife couple.
I asked them my favorite insurance-guy question
"What is the job for the insurance?"
This couple have been quite successful as Realtors. Their answer centered upon how much they were not able to do for their children as they were building their real estate business.

"Our children bore a big burden as children, we want to be sure we don't burden them again in our elder-years if we can avoid it."
I thought that was a really beautiful way to express their specific concern. Can Long Term Care insurance resolve this need? In a very real way 'Yes'.


One of my favorite aspects of the Long Term Care insurance products is that they can be configured to accomplish other goals too. I could go 180 degrees the other direction and resolve a concern for 'I know my kids will want to be deeply involved in my care in my elder-years, I'd like for them to have resources to deploy in caring for me so they don't become over burdened.'
This was a good week. I was able to use my God given talent to help a family. 
That's good stuff!

I Like Dreaming

Woke from a dream this morning. I was selling life insurance in my dream!
I worked in the printing industry for so many years and never once did I dream about it. Not one single dream about a pixel, a pica, or a press-check.
Man, I love what I'm doing! And for the sales persons in the crowd, yes, I woke after the close!! Talk about your dream commissions?!

And What Does An Insurance Agent Do Tomorrow?

Tomorrow I will get up and do what I did yesterday.
Proudly serve my clients and do everything in my power to help more new clients.
It's what we do.
Honesty, Respect, Genuine Interest and Trust.
I am at heart a problem solver.
There will be more to do tomorrow.

Friday in Sioux City IA

Had a splendid day in Sioux City Iowa today.



Drove up I-29 early this morning for a second appointment with a couple that asked for some help choosing two Medicare Part D drug plans. One for him and one for her.
They both have some rather serious health issues.
By helping them carefully match the drug plan details to their drug use, budget, and pharmacy preference I was able to save them several thousand dollars in yearly drug cost. They had been paying cash for all their drugs.
I've not contracted with any of the Part D drug plan companies. This means that I have the flexibility to help my clients shop for the optimum, best fit. In most circumstances I can save a family enough money by carefully recommending a drug plan that this frees up funds for more complete life insurance, insurance to fill the gaps in Medicare...
The satisfaction is huge!
I want you to know, I do this mostly for total strangers (they usually become my client). If you are reading this blog chances are you are in my circle of friends, family, or acquaintances.
Let me state plainly, I'd like to bring this same value to you and those you care about.

Out In The Cool Air

This was the first really nice day of door knocking this year. The temperature wasn't that great but the sun was shining and the blue sky stretched from east to west. 

I met a bunch of nice people. 
For those that don't know what I mean by "door knocking". I'm talking about ground level prospecting. I have a public information list of names and addresses for people who are celebrating a 65th birthday soon and I go their door, politely introduce myself and offer to help them understand Medicare...

I must have a face people find easy to trust. I also carry a few tools to quickly validate myself as a credible expert and someone who can sincerely help.

“Door knocking” is a very strait ahead approach and it is one of my favorite ways to meet people and win new clients. Once they figure out that I really can help they’re often a little bowled over. “This guy just came out of nowhere with all this solid information” it really is fun. Almost all the people I meet need at least a little help and some need a lot of help desperately. I’m able to say I’ve made a huge difference for my clients. 

Questions about 'Open Enrollment', 'Part-D drug plans', 'filling the gaps in Medicare'. People ask some great questions.
My career contract is with Physicians Mutual. Their product line to supplement Medicare is unique. Many options, some unique enough to patent (companies we compete against offer very few options). We can sell the cheapest plan (if that's what the prospect needs) or we can show them how to supplement Medicare at the lowest price for the next twenty years or more. 
It was a great day to be out in the streets.

Check Out The New Suggestion Box --->

Can a blog have a suggestion box without having it fill up with a bunch of cruddy stuff?
I guess we're going to find that out.
No, I'm not thinking that you nice people who have been so kind in reading my assorted ramblings would do such a thing.
The internet is teaming with people who have a lot of freetime and little regard for others.
But, I believe it's worth the risk to hear what matters to you.
There have been many kind and useful comments about the content I've shared so far. My hope is that the Suggestion Box can guide this dialog toward your interests and concerns more directly.

Insider Info

Had a really really neat thing happen last night.
My wife and I were out having dinner with all our children and a family friend. We are at a local pizza place that specializes in making things 'over-the-top-fun' for kids. All you can eat buffet, balloons, Ice cream, cookies, candy, weeee!
So, we're having a fine time. Kids are using their best manners and everything. The server who was assigned to our table has given the kids their balloons, suckers and a small handful of vending/game machine tokens. As we are leaving the restaurant we find the vending/game machines. The most captivating machine to all of us is the big clear plastic box filled with stuffed animals that has the claw hand you control to lift out the stuffed animals out and into the world where children live.
My kids go at it with all the gusto and hope they can muster. Tokens are leaping from their sticky hands into the coin slot faster and faster. They are getting so frustrated and angry. Our really nice family evening is collapsing toward a big crying fit.
"We better let Daddy do this while we still have a few tokens left." OK here we go.
I step to the controls. Cool and collected. We've got five tokens left. The next four tokens go down fast like goldfish at a frat party. Last token. I feel a little sweat on my upper lip. Token goes in. I push the claw control forward and to the right, over a little more and let it dive deep into the pile of plush toys. It grabs a whole claw full of toys. and I navigate the claw back to the front of the machine where the toys are dumped into a clear plastic chute for passage into our world where children can love and fight over them!
This was one sweet moment people. If my kids were bigger people they would have carried me out of the restaurant on their shoulders.
Here's the 'Insider Info' part. One of the prayers I've prayed most lately is that I can be the father this family needs. This little moment of triumph at the pizza joint last night was like a big wink and a nod from the Lord.
A beautiful moment in a life I love dearly.
I have moments like this in my life as an insurance agent too sometimes. You prepare yourself to serve and then you find out how much your service is needed. I have a couple cases this week that will require some extraordinary care and service.
Please make me able to serve Lord.

"1 in 3 persons experiencing a disability of 3 months or more" How can that be?

All of you who are readers of my JamesOilerAgent Blogger page know that I've recently contracted with Illinois Mutual to offer Disability Insurance products to individuals and workplace groups. 

What you may not know is this means I'm obliged to read and understand about 600-800 pages of products guides and third party resource materials so I'm well versed in the products, common and less common uses, and technical aspects of these offerings...
Some of the statistics are blowing my mind. At first they are tough to believe but when I think about the sample of people that I know the stats start to ring true.
I found a concise guide to most of the materials I'm reading (sort of a Cliff Notes version) at the www.lifehappens.org web site. (linked below)
1 in 3 persons experiencing a disability of 3 months or more was tough to swallow at first until I started adding up my people. 
The next one I had to prove to myself was the greater risk for women. This one took less time to think through. I know quite a few women who are breast cancer survivors. In my own informal calculus they tip the scales very heavily toward supporting the greater risk for women.
Please find some time to download this 8 page "What You Need To Know About Disability Insurance" guide. It will be worth your time.
Anyone reading this that has substantial student load debt from undergrad and grad school please call me today if you don't have disability insurance. I'd rather serve my friends and family first.

What You Should Know About Disability Insurance

The Most Powerful Penny In Your Dollar

The Secret Insurance
Alright, Disability Insurance isn't exactly a secret. But as our nations attention is drawn so completely to "Healthcare Reform" Disability Insurance has gotten pushed so far out of view that for many people it is a forgotten, or maybe even 'new' concept (younger folks who have entered the job market in the last two years may not even know you can insure your paycheck).

Disability Insurance has been around for a good long while. It has long been known as a great value for protecting your lifestyle from life's hard knocks. But in our current economy many people assume that it is a product that will be priced out of their grasp.

The point I want to get to in this blog post is that a very strong Disability Insurance policy can be had for about 1% of most peoples income. I think it's fair to call it the "Most Powerful Penny in Your Dollar".

This is no stripped down 'starter' product either. For this 1% of your income we're talking about a plan that;
1. Will keep your major expenses from falling into arrears
2. 'Guaranteed Increase Option' to increase the value as your salary grows (with no new underwriting)
3. ADL (activities of daily living) rider.

I've heard several people in the last few days use the phrase "I got a lot of skin in the game". The economic condition of our country has made this phrase fit most everybody I know. Disability Insurance can be used to insulate your family from the trauma this economy is bringing to some households.

If I've peaked your interest in 'insuring your paycheck' reach out to me here.
(402) 250-2244
jamesoiler@cox.net
Let's talk more.

Anyone Interested in Tens of Thousands of Dollars in Savings?

Here's some text I paraphrased from one webpage which purports to be an authoritative source on buying Medicare Supplement Insurance:

"Since all the Medicare Supplemental insurance plans are standardized the supplemental coverages are all the same, your best bet is to just compare Medigap premium rates.... pick the cheapest plan that has the coverage you want."

Sounds true enough on its face but it is just a select slice of the truth presented as a 'whole' truth.

In a state where insurance carriers are allowed to issue Medicare Supplement plans only under the 'attained age' rate structure it's a true enough statement. But, that is rarely the case.

In most states there are usually two rate structures available and often three for Medicare Supplements. Your right (and it is a right) to pick the most favorable (more stable) rate structure can amount to tens of thousands of dollars in savings over the life of a Medicare Supplement policy.

Think "total cost of ownership". How much will a cheap plan today cost you in the years to come? This can really bite you if your health declines after your Medicare Open Enrollment has passed.

Furthermore, while the Medicare Supplement plans are uniform in the coverage details, the companies which fulfill the commitments made in those details are vastly different.

Things as simple as speed of claims payment or additional "added value" incentives should all be considered in your decision.

Please understand that you may have more options than the broker/agent is presenting to you.

Door Knocking in the Shadow

The weather here has just been amazing the last few weeks. I've been tearing up the streets door knocking around town. It's pretty fun. Get's a little dull when nobody is home.

So, I've been avoiding working in a part of town that had some really grim stuff happen last year. We're talking unsolved double murder in an affluent mid-town neighborhood.

So, there I am door knocking in this neighborhood. One of the only known facts from the double murder a little more than a year ago was that a person was seen approaching the front door to the house earlier in the day.

I was working in this neighborhood a good solid 3 hours. It all went well enough. I even talked briefly with one neighbor who was retired from a competing insurance company.

The pall cast from this grim event in the neighborhoods recent history was really something to experience.

The thing I took away from this experience is that we really do meet these people where they stand today. It might be a great day in their life or it might be the worst of the lot.

Step up to the plate and do the best job you know how. You can't expect to succeed by backing down from the challenges.

Break in the Insurance Action

Took a little detour off of my regular insurance agent path to have a new baby.

My wife did all the real work on this project of course.

Here is a photo of our other kidos (Rachel, Robbie, Lily) greeting the newest member of our group (Vivian).

Baby born July 31, 2009 9lbs and change healthy, happy, eating well.

Thanks to all who have wished us well, offered prayers wisdom and strength.

Life insurance plans are being shaped accordingly.

Thank you God!

Good Day To Be Working The Streets

So, we were door knocking in Bellevue NE this morning.
We being myself and another new agent named Marc.

We pulled a half dozen names off of our list of people who are having a 65th birthday in September and started ringing door bells.

I walk up to a door and knock. The gentleman comes to the door and I induce myself. He looks kind of surprised and flustered. Says to me, ?But, I just saw the commercial for your company. I wrote the number down and I was gonna call in a few minutes. You?re here already??

I just started laughing. ?We are known to be very responsive but this is a coincidence.?

Talk about a great icebreaker. Sharing a hearty laugh about something fluky really works great.

This was a fine morning to be meeting people. Bright blue-sky morning, slight chill in the air, many people home and in a light mood? This is fun work when people are glad to see you.

This Is Not The ‘Self-Service Lane’

“Well, I don’t see a reason you can’t give me the information over the phone.”

This is a phrase I’ve heard a several times recently. I’ve also read a similar variant in the context of email.

The scene plays out like this usually; the caller or emailer is contacting an agent (me) and requesting the “details” for this insurance product or that one.

The request, if taken at face value seems reasonable. ‘I’m a busy and intelligent person. Give me the details I need to make up my own mind and I’ll get back to you if I like the “details” you provide me.’ Streamlined, efficient, respects the persons autonomy... But, as a practical reality, it is a poor way to help people make insurance buying decisions.

When I’m pressed for a response to the phrase that begins this blog post: “Well, I don’t see a reason you can’t give me the information over the phone.” The shortest answer goes like this: “I understand your request. However, I am not able to offer any more details in the context of a phone call. There are legal and company guidelines that I must conform to.

The long-form answer I know in my heart is: People all have a complex set of conditions, concerns, history, finances, knowledge, resources… To manage a good fit between the specific condition of a person and the vast array of insurance options is a task that benefits greatly from the technical skill and care of a professional.

Our training makes us experts in the ‘details’. But even more important are the interviewing skills to discover the weaknesses in the current insurance program and prioritize them in a logical order. There is no way to cover this vital step if I just hand off the ‘details’ to you and let you ‘go it alone’.

Can you imagine going to see a doctor for some medical problem and the doctors shows you to a room full of medical reference books and a pile of prescription drugs and tells you to “help yourself”? Bad plan, really bad plan!

The products we sell are complex and the details are exacting and precise. But that complexity pales in comparison to the complexity and infinite variation in the people and what is happening in their lives.

Why does it have to be so complex? Why can’t the choices be simpler and easier for the consumer to sort out on their own? It’s not that way. I’ll write some thoughts on that ‘side’ question in a future post. One short and durable answer is “The insurance has to work when you need it.

On the whole, we agents are in this profession to help people. We lend a high level of technical and professional skill to persons who do not have the time to make the investment in building these skills in themselves.

When I am approached by a person who wants to reduce my role to that of “The man behind the curtain” in a fictional “Insurance Search Engine” of sorts, I worry that the person has a flawed understanding of what we agents (and myself specifically) have to offer. They sure don’t understand that I have obligations as an insurance professional.

The truest answer to the statement at the top of this blog post: “I can’t do that because I care about you.” If I didn’t care what really became of you and the people you love I’d be delighted to just shovel “details” out to you.

This is not the ‘Self-Service-Lane’.

I don’t shy from telling people the truth on this question. I won’t give you the details and let you sort it out for your self because you and your loved ones matter to me. I want to be sure that you and your loved ones get good value in your insurance buying.

The Porch, Real Joy

I'm just in from indulging in one of my late fathers fondest joys. Sitting on the porch, sipping coffee in the cool of the morning.
The mind slips and rambles away, miles away. Just free.
There's a point where a little twinge of "Time to get going and start the day, make something happen..." creeps in. I can usually squeeze in twenty more minutes of porch time before I really have to start the day.
Oh, that's good time. Nearly stolen from the working day.