Most advisors know group LTCi exists, but few know how to spot a viable case, start the conversation, or keep it moving when life gets in the way. Learn from a specialist who has made it his practice.

In this episode of the Buddy Study Podcast, Gretchen Berry sits down with Dale Berry, a long-term care specialist who spent decades focused on individual planning before making a deliberate move into group cases. Dale shares the mindset, process, and practical tactics that have helped him identify strong prospects, build trust with HR contacts and benefits brokers, and close group cases that sometimes take two to three years to develop.

This is a candid, practitioner-level conversation about what actually works in group LTCi, from the first qualifying call to the "final follow-up" email that consistently gets a response.

We explore:

• How Dale identifies a viable group prospect and what signals he looks for before committing time to a proposal
• Why a responsive, interested contact matters more than group size
• The opening conversation with HR directors and benefits brokers who have never offered LTCi
• How demographics, including gender composition, influence product fit and enrollment projections
• Why employer funding is critical to participation and long-term case success
• How to navigate a group that has stalled, and the subject-line strategy that reliably re-engages prospects
• Transitioning groups from legacy Unum plans to today's hybrid products
• The difference between serving as an account manager versus a consultant during enrollment
• How Dale structures referral partnerships, including a straightforward 50/50 split on joint cases

This episode is designed to help advisors:

• Recognize and qualify group LTCi opportunities within their existing book of business
• Build productive referral relationships with P&C agents, broker-dealers, and financial advisors
• Lead group case conversations with confidence, from first contact through close
• Understand how the specialist role and the handoff model can expand practice revenue without adding complexity

CHAPTER MARKERS

0:00 Welcome & Episode Overview

1:10 Dale's Background: From CNA to Group LTCi

2:39 Personal Story: Why This Work Matters

6:06 How to Identify a Viable Group Case

8:33 Opening the Conversation with HR and Benefits Brokers

10:02 Qualifying Questions Before Building a Proposal

11:11 Why Group Demographics, Especially Gender, Matter

13:14 CRM, Follow-Up Systems, and the Persistence Playbook

15:47 When a Case Gets Stuck: How to Re-Engage

18:38 Handling "Let's Revisit Next Year" Responses

21:27 Product Overview: Hybrid Plans and the Starter Plan Concept

23:30 Using the Buddy Calculator to Compare Plans and Carriers

31:05 Transitioning Groups Off Legacy Unum Plans

33:56 Best Markets Beyond School Districts

35:00 Employer Funding: Why It's the Key to Participation

40:43 The Specialist as Consultant During Enrollment

44:41 How Dale Structures Referral Splits: 50/50 Joint Cases

46:05 Dale's Closing Thoughts and How to Connect

📅 Join the Weekly Buddy Study Groups

This podcast is an extension of the Buddy Study Groups, a free educational community for financial professionals.

Weekly Calls:

Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT

Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844

Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT

Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672

No membership fee. Just education, collaboration, and better planning strategies.

🔎 About Buddy Study Podcast

The Buddy Study Podcast helps insurance professionals and financial planners master Long-Term Care Insurance through case studies, expert interviews, and carrier product updates. Our goal is to help advisors become more confident, efficient, and knowledgeable when helping clients plan for long-term care.