A New Opening Line

Welcome to Life Insurance Awareness month!

When the general public hears “life insurance” they immediately think about the benefits that occur once they’ve passed away, or Death Benefits. What most people, not immersed in the industry, often don't know about - or discuss - are Living Benefits.

Both need to be discussed, but it may be worth looking at how you approach the conversation with your prospects. Death Benefits can make people uncomfortable. They still need to be discussed, but even when you approach the conversation using language such as “making sure your family is financially secure, if something happens to you,” the conversation can be difficult. It’s a subject that many want to avoid, and denial can be a strong motivator to delay the conversation.

What if there was a way to approach the conversation in a way that engaged your prospect? Living Benefits that are part of many life insurance policies can be a pleasant surprise to prospects that don’t know much about the industry. Many times, Living Benefits are elements of the policy the average person is made aware of further into the conversation, but what if they were the lead-in to the conversation?

What if you asked your prospects to sit down with you and discuss how Living Benefits could impact their financial future? Chances are not many would know what Living Benefits are or how they might help them as they age. The twist in how you position the benefits can create a conversation. It engages the client into being curious and even asking questions.

The problem with leading with Death Benefits is that prospects often already have their own preconceived notions about what that means. It’s easier to say “no” or even “I have that covered.” When you start the conversation with something that they don’t know much about (e.g. Living Benefits) you’re more likely to catch their attention.

The best part is that Living Benefits often have enticing features that can be used as an opening line for the conversation. For instance, some policies can provide tax-free savings, supplemental income, or even long-term care benefits. All of these features can be used as a way of engaging prospects in a conversation about Life Insurance that they might have said no to if they thought it was just about Death Benefits.

Opening lines might be:

• "I’d like to sit down with you and discuss how Living Benefits could impact your financial future."
• “Has anyone talked to you about how you can create tax-free income for retirement with life insurance?”

The opportunity lies in creating an opening line that engages your prospect in learning more about what Life Insurance can do for them. So this Life Insurance Awareness month we challenge your team to think about the line you use to open a conversation with prospects. What are the benefits that would surprise them? Those elements are often the start of a great conversation.