I Am Not My Competitor

In my business of voluntary insurance, I am often asked, "Isn't what you do just like...?" or "That's the stuff I see on that commercial, right?" I have to admit that in the past I have said, "Yes, that's just like it only with a different logo attached to it." I did that for ease and so we could move past the whole quizzical look I sometimes get when I talk about voluntary insurance benefits.

However, I am done with that response. I am in no way affiliated with or like my competitor. That's one reason why we are competitors and I don't represent them. I either don't agree with their way of attracting customers and/or I am especially not fond of the way they talk to individual clients like they are stupid for not getting a certain insurance product they might be peddling today.

It is now time for to stop myself before I go off on a tear about how my competition stinks and I'm way better. That's no way to conduct myself or do business. I have been reminded for the past few weeks how my competition works and what they do. I have also thought about what they do well. Let me focus on a few of those things right here and now, just to be fair:

1 - My competition does a great job of advertising. In many ways they make my job easier because people know their name or company. I can use that information to let them know that I do it better and I won't be on their TV set every 10 minutes wasting their premium dollars on my advertising.

2 - My competition is all over the marketplace. I call on businesses all the time who tell me, "Thanks for your offer, but we have (fill in the blank)." I'm always OK with that because when I show someone I can do it better, at less expense, and with better benefits within the policies I offer I know I have their attention and my competition is being escorted out the door.

3 - My competition has agents busting out all over. While it may seem like a great thing for people to have jobs in this day and time, in this insurance business it means two things are about to happen: (1) you are about to get your door knocked on more than before (even if you already have the competition as a client) and (2) your current agent will be disappearing and will be replaced by someone new. I definitely won't be happy having to answer the phone from pushy cold call salespeople more. I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of changing who I do business with. Many times the like or dislike I have of a company is directly related to the person who I have dealt with in the past. When that changes, I may not be as happy as I was. Also, many issues that came up in the past rear their ugly heads again with a new person who does not understand the expectations that have been worked through.

4 - My competition does a great job of selling. Unfortunately for my competition, business is not about selling...it's about buying. I can walk into any of my competitor's client offices right now, take one look at their billing statement and tell you that the people at that business have been sold. Wrong policies, double policies, unnecessary policies run rampant on many bills I see and it's a dead ringer that whoever had been in there had someone believing that if they didn't buy this or that they were missing out. I don't sell. I offer and educate and let people buy what they feel they need and can afford.

5 - My competition has a great customer service department. In the business of insurance people need to know they are covered and that when they need help with a claim or an issue, they know who to call or contact. Many times the client contacts the person who sold them the policy expecting some help there when all they get is an 800 number and an extension for them to call. I am the face my clients know and I want to be there when they need me.

So, a word to my competitors: Keep doing what you're good at because you're keeping my phone ringing.

Are you in the insurance industry and trying to take care of your clients?

Do you want an option that will help you stop the competition from bugging your clients?

Do you own a business and have my competitor selling to your employees?

Are you tired of being put off to someone else to handle your service questions?

Would you like to work with an insurance professional that will be there for years to come?

If you answered YES to any of the questions above, I am a phone call (205-370-8453) or an email (gene@generamsay.com) away.

Are you ready?


Another tag line I have adopted over the years is "Step into my office, let's talk business." I am revealing the origin of that quote here.  I love it and you know what? It still applies.  Thanks Ray.

Working American's Financial Advisor

In my line of work, I get called all sorts of things.  I get called "the insurance man" or "benefits guy"...just to name a few.  However, in the time I've been in the insurance industry my most important and needed title (in my opinion) is that of "the working American's financial advisor".

You see, I can advise people on certain things financially. I can explain how certain insurance policies pay interest or acquire cash value.  I can even talk about how an annuity works and how it can help those who need a steady income to happen from a large sum of money they have acquired (usually through being a beneficiary of a life insurance policy). Those things are all important and might land under the "financial advisor" title, but what I'm talking about is what I mainly do almost every day.

In my insurance business, I get the distinct pleasure and opportunity to offer my services to companies. It doesn't matter the company size or industry.  If someone has a job, I can help them (through their work environment) acquire quality insurance that they may need for themsleves and/or their families. Many of the companies I represent and help are the hard-working American labor force.  These are people that keep things moving to create the fiber of our country.  Whether those people work in the office of that company or they are the "hands on" of the company, I am there to help.

So much of what I do is sit with that wage earner and talk about things that, in many cases, they had no clue about with regards to insurance and how it can benefit and help them and their families. These are people who will make it paycheck to paycheck and most likely will never need an accountant or financial advisor or broker to help them with their money or money decisions. I sit with these people one-on-one and ask the hard questions like:

 - "Who would care for your children if something happened to you?"

 - "How long could you go without a paycheck if something happened and you couldn't come into work?"
 - "How would you deal with a bill from a medical insurance carrier that equaled more than what your home costs?"
 - "What would your family do financially without your paycheck?"
The list just keeps on going, but as you can see these questions are all very real. Many times I ask these questions and I get looks of uncertainty as to their answers.  These questions are never meant to scare.  they are always asked so that I know the person I am talking to feels they have done all they can do to protect themselves and/or their families.
Every day I appreciate what I have been given as an opportunity to make a difference in people's lives.  I appreciate every client and every work environment I am allowed to service. I strive to provide each working American I come in contact a chance to better themselves and their families in terms of money decisions and the peace of mind that comes from knowing they have done things to get their affairs in order for the "just in case".

I thought I'd let my friends Brooks and Dunn bring this topic some music...

Are you a business? Do you want your employees to have somebody to help them protect their families through your business?  I can help.
Are you a working American?  There are plenty of questions to consider. I'm here to help.
Step into my office...let's talk business.

http://www.generamsay.com/

If the Situation Was Critical - How Would You Cope?

I love stories that help me help people make informed decisions about insurance and why it's important.  Unfortunately, most of those stories are the bad news stories of people in their time of need.  I met a woman today who relayed her story to me about a critical illness that occurred to her not two years ago.
One of the products that has always kind of baffled me in terms of need has been a critical illness insurance plan. Most of the time, these plans pay a lump sum benefit if you should be diagnosed with having had a heart attack, stroke, renal failure, blindness, paralysis, etc.  All that is well and good, but the question I always has was how would this money they receive (sometimes in upwards of $50K) help?  Today I found that out.
As this very nice woman told me her tale of illness, the first thing that struck me was that once she was diagnosed with having had a heart attack, her doctor recommended she take a year off of work to get better and hopefully heal.  A YEAR?  Exactly how did this doctor think someone who was working full time go into a year long state of disability with no income?  That's not really the doctor's issue now, is it?  Fortunately she had a working spouse who was paid well enough that the bills could be met and she could take her needed time of rest.  Fortunately she did heal.  Today she can have all the EKG tests she wants and there seems to be no signs of ever having had an issue.  That's great for her, but what about the other people this could happen to?
The reality is most lengthy health issues happen just like this.  Unfortunately, most people can't just take time off like this woman was able to do.  They have to do something or risk the stress of going bankrupt or losing all they have.  THAT is why critical illness insurance is there.  If this lady was not in the minority, she would have needed money and she would have needed enough to at least get her through a year.  How far would $50K go for keeping your bills paid for a year?  I think I'd be OK in that situation and one thing I would not be stressing over is money.
So, the next time someone talks to you about critical illness insurance, remember this story and ask yourself how long you think you could go without income if the doctor told you you needed to take a year off to get better.