Conventional wisdom is that the process of selling life insurance involves only the interaction between producer and client; it is only the client who needs to be “sold” in making the transaction. This is not correct. Who is the other “decision maker” in the sales process? It is the carrier’s underwriter. Why? The answer lies in their job descriptions.

The underwriter’s job is to determine whether or not the case makes financial sense and whether or not the premium is in sync with the applicant’s health status, i.e. they determine whether or not the carrier is able to make an offer, and if so, at what rating (price). So the producer needs to “sell” the underwriter the idea that the contract will be profitable for the carrier.  A forward thinking and experienced producer understands that he or she should interact with the underwriter as business partner and not as an adversary. So how is this done?

 My point? Building sound relationships with both your client and the carrier’s underwriter evaluating your client’s case and providing the underwriter with tangible reasons to prove that a case is worthy of consideration are critical to the success of your placing your cases.

How do you define the role between you and your carrier’s underwriter? What do you do to make this happen?