Join us for our first episode of the second season as we dive into the latest insights from the 2024 Medicarians Conference in Vegas. Our hosts, the Insurance Buddies, Jason McLellan, Andy Duster, Will Smallwood, and Richard Buffkin, share their thoughts on the new CMS regulations, the growing interest in ACA, and the emerging role of AI in the insurance industry.

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with 3 of our carrier rep partners; Kyle Ingraham from Health Alliance Plan - or HAP, Robin Kane-Mostyn from McLaren Medicare, and Rob Roberts from Priority Health! With all 3 of these carrier reps having once been independent agents themselves, we sat down to talk about the 5 Habits of TOP Successful Agents. 

What does it take to become an independent agent in today's world? And more importantly - what does it take to become a SUCCESSFUL AGENT in today's world? From mindset, to marketing; Kyle, Rob, & Robin tell us the facts about developing & maintaining an entrepreneurial balance in the insurance industry. We talk about how to find resources for training, education, marketing, and business development. They also give their top tips on how to become successful in the industry, including a habit or two to avoid doing!

Carrier Reps play an important role in the industry - because they help facilitate the growth of the agent, while also being the agent's advocate. As well as being the direct line of communication between the agent's client and the insurance carrier - meaning that they're constantly keeping their ears to the ground in terms of what agents and their members want from their plan!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Nick Mancuso from Retirable! Retirable describes the business as "... an experienced team of financial advisors and technologists, passionate about building a way to help you get more from your golden years — and we won't stop until everyone can confidently expect a better retirement." -Retirable.com 

Today we sat down with Nick to talk about the current state of the Financial market in 2023; and how recession impacts investment accounts. Some would say that the market is on a downward trend - but is it? Nick explains that what we're seeing in today's market is played up by media, and exaggerated. Although there have been market declines in the last year, 2023 has seen some interesting investment numbers due to the increase in Annuity investments. Index accounts are seeing the greatest returns of any investment account-types. Due to the cyclical nature of the market, index investments get all of the market growth, without any market decline. Annual resets allow for index accounts to grow with market increases; making index accounts like annuities and IULs to become more and more popular in today's financial world.

Is this the best way to help clients save for retirement?

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Donald Kirkendall from Kirkendall/AffordableOne Insurance! Don walks us through the importance of life insurance in today's world, and why it's MORE important for younger generations to think about life insurance now than ever before.

The cost of living has gone up...but so has the cost of DYING! Young people have less risk of passing away unexpectedly, therefore their monthly premiums will be much lower than for those who are in their later years of life. Many young people believe that life insurance is too costly, so they put it off - thinking they won't need it until they get older...but then the unthinkable happens.

Don explains for us all the different situations that young people in the Millennial (ages 25-42) and Gen Z (ages 7-24) can possibly be in; when it comes to needing life insurance. Situations ranging from being a single parent with children from multiple fathers, a child with family health risks, and a child who lost their mother during childbirth. It's these stories that make us realize that tomorrow is never promised. Don also shares with us a few tips on how you can start generating life insurance leads in these age brackets, and how to speak to these groups on the importance of these products for their family's sake.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat BACK down with Robert Intelisano, aka The Insurance Doctor! Rob walks us through some really important things that can help you sell more annuities! We talk about the features and benefits of annuities that help educate the client, while still making the most sense to them!

Robert is the Founder and President of Intelisano & Associates. Since 1999 he has worked with thousands of individuals, families, and businesses helping them to obtain the best and most cost-effective insurance protection for their specific needs.
 
Taking a holistic approach with every case, Rob does not promote products until he understands his client’s short and long-term goals and needs. Only then does Rob and his team of independent professional advisors design the best solution, and always with the goal of providing you with protection and peace of mind at the right premium.

Rob has earned the following designations:
• Earned Chartered Life Underwriter CLU in 1995
• Earned Certified Senior Advisor CSA in 2003

Rob shares some of the most important lessons he's learned since starting in the industry, including the importance of having a good mentor, and being honest and transparent with your clients.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Chris Schiefer; a life insurance specialist and IAD's partner from TruChoice Financial! Chris has been working in the insurance industry for almost 20 years and has been helping agents and brokers alike grow their book of business by educating them about different insurance products that can help them retain and grow generational wealth for their clients.

There are numerous ways that today's consumers can save for retirement. But how many ways are people saving for life after death? Today Chris helps us outline the benefits and caveats of different insurance, and non-insurance options for today's consumers to help them grow or maintain wealth. These options can also help generate generational wealth for the client's family. 

But how do we know which is best?

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Robert Intelisano, aka The Insurance Doctor! Rob walks us through some really important things that both you and your clients need to know about annuities; including some basic definitions and tax deferrals.

Robert is the Founder and President of Intelisano & Associates. Since 1999 he has worked with thousands of individuals, families, and businesses helping them to obtain the best and most cost-effective insurance protection for their specific needs.
 
Taking a holistic approach with every case, Rob does not promote products until he understands his client’s short and long-term goals and needs. Only then does Rob and his team of independent professional advisors design the best solution, and always with the goal of providing you with protection and peace of mind at the right premium.

Rob has earned the following designations:
• Earned Chartered Life Underwriter CLU in 1995
• Earned Certified Senior Advisor CSA in 2003

Rob shares some of the most important lessons he's learned since starting in the industry, including the importance of having a good mentor, and being honest and transparent with your clients.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Chris DeMars; an annuity specialist and IAD's partner from TruChoice Financial! Chris has been working in the insurance industry for almost 20 years and has been helping agents and brokers alike grow their book of business by educating them about different annuity, securities, & traditional savings options that consumers can use to save for retirement.

The cost of raising a child in the year 1990 has since more than tripled in today's world. While the cost of living; has shot up significantly in the last 3 years. What will the financial climate look like in the next 30 years, and how will we all have enough money to survive after the employer paychecks have stopped rolling in? What do we do if every day is a Saturday in retirement? There are numerous reasons as to why we all have to save for retirement, and there's just as many ways to save for that stage of life. 

But some options are better than others. There are so many risks associated with more traditional forms of retirement savings options, including withdrawal risk, longevity risk, tax risks, etc. Teach your clients how to save for a more financially sustainable future by planning for retirement using insurance products, as opposed to their bank.

How many times have we had to bail out the banks? How many times have we had to bail out the insurance company? 

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Ken Peterson from Benistar, where we talked about 10 ways that you can be a better communicator. Communication is extremely important in a sales environment, and how your client feels in a conversation with you will have a lot to do with whether they will close the sale...or go somewhere else!

In today's digital age, more and more people are craving that face-to-face interaction, as opposed to looking at a computer screen. Although you may still be conducting some meetings via Zoom or other similar platforms due to restrictions of physical distance; it's important to know how to be a good communicator in these situations. Consumers in today's world want to feel like they are truly being heard. And if you are proposing to be able to solve their problems with what you sell, you should be ready to actively listen in order to provide the emotional connection with a client that will make them feel heard. When your clients feel as though you're a great communicator, they'll want to refer you to their friends and family!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Shirley Lanier - Shirley has been in the industry for roughly a decade and started out her business in the D-SNP market of Medicare. Shirley explains to us the benefits of D-SNP Medicare products, as well as the differences that the PACE programs make to seniors; but that you can't have both!

The Medicare system can be extremely confusing, and if you're not careful or ask the right questions to your clients, you can end up a creek without a paddle! We talk about the barriers to D-SNP products, the limitations but also the benefits of the program for those people who are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. With such a large gap in today's wages amongst the working class - most seniors (especially in low-income areas around southeast Michigan) have more limited options for care, or even financial resources in order to stay healthy! What else do you want to know about D-SNP vs. the PACE Program?

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!