Secrets to Submitting Life Nov. 26th, 2019
Instead of “thoughts” this week, I’m going to go with some “tips” on how you can successfully submit a life insurance application. Following these tips will help to lessen your frustration with getting your life case approved, issued and placed.
Stay up on your Licensing
If you are unsure you are licensed with a carrier, or it’s been more than a year since you wrote a case with that carrier, give us a call. We can check to make sure and if you need to be licensed, we can get that done in a matter of a few minutes with our licensing program that houses all of your information.
Always have the right forms on hand
Our website houses all of our carriers and their applications that are available to you 24/7. If you would rather us send you a PDF of the application, please just let us know and we can email it to you. Please let us know if there will be a replacement, if it is a business case, an aviation risk, owned by a trust, the STATE, etc. and we will make sure to get you all of the appropriate forms.
Be prepared for the \"Other Insurance & Replacement\" Question
Other insurance and replacement question – Every carrier will ask a question about whether the insured has other in-force coverage. Please be mindful of this question and make sure to answer it completely. They also will always ask if there will be a replacement, and they will often ask the replacement question both on the application and the agent\’s report….make sure the answer matches.
Remember the Replacement Forms
This is a big one! All carriers will require a replacement form if the client is replacing coverage, but please remember that some carriers will require a replacement form to be completed if the insured has any existing in-force coverage, REGARDLESS if they are replacing. Also, ALWAYS make sure to date the replacement form the same date as the original application.
Stay Mindful
Be mindful of additional forms when you are writing a business case, a case that is owned by a trust, or the insured engages in any extracurricular activities. Employer Owned Life Insurance disclosures, business supplements, trust certification forms, aviation questionnaires……these are just examples of the “extra” forms that may be needed on a particular case.
Get Signatures
Please be diligent on every page of the application packet to where it asks for signatures and dates…..for both the insured AND the agent. Carriers like to confuse us by using interchanging titles. For example, one application packet will use \”signature of owner” on some forms and \”signature of
applicant” on other forms……they are the SAME. The applicant is the owner. The insured is the insured. When you are writing a business case and it asks for the “owner” or “applicant” signature, make sure that the signing officer of the business signs his/her name AND they put their title behind their signature.
Be Meticulous about Medications
On medical supplements/Part II’s of the application, please take care in completing any part of the application that asks medical questions. Make sure to indicate the applicant\’s primary physician’s name and address in addition to giving details to any “yes” answers. Often times, we can determine on the front end if medical records will need to be ordered, and ordering them on the day we get the application can greatly reduce the overall underwriting time.
And, as always, Communication is Key
Communication – Communication is KEY to any life insurance application. Take your time in completing the application paperwork and making sure that you answer all of the questions and that you are getting the proper signatures/dates. Make sure to let the client know what to expect in regards to the para-med exam. Let them know the approximate time frame it might take to get a decision. Let them know that the carrier has a right to order medical records to fully assess the risk if need be. Remind them that the quote you provided on the front end is only tentative and the final rate is subject to a formal review of the application and all medical requirements.
Following these tips will help both you and the client in getting their life insurance application through the underwriting process much faster and with fewer headaches. As always, please give me a call on any case you are working on and let me help you with the process.
Thank you!