In order to be successful as a health insurance agent, you have to position yourself as a trusted advisor.
To do that, you need to understand your clients and the questions they have—and be able to answer those questions effectively.
Although you might know the open enrollment period inside and out, your clients probably do not. At the same time, many of them might not know when they need to start thinking about Medicare.
The more health insurance questions you’re able to answer, the easier it will be to win new business and retain your existing clients. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the more common insurance questions you need to know how to answer.
Top Health Insurance Questions Clients Ask
Although clients and prospects will likely have more questions than these, this should get you started in the right direction. By keeping up with training, staying up to date on industry trends, and reading all the relevant materials you can, you will be in a great spot to answer every question that comes your way.
1. What is the application and enrollment process like?
Imagine a client has never signed up for insurance on their own before. Maybe they’ve always had insurance through their jobs, and the HR department took care of it for them.
The application and enrollment process isn’t ever a walk in the park, but with the right digital tools in place, it becomes much easier.
2. What are insurance premiums, copays, deductibles, and coinsurance?
Premiums. Coinsurance. Copays. Deductibles. There are a lot of words in the lexicon of health insurance, and it can be difficult for clients to figure out what means what. The better you’re able to define key terms for clients, the easier it will be to close deals.
3. What types of preventative care and coverage are included in this plan?
No two health insurance plans are the same. As such, clients will want to know what is covered and what isn’t when it comes to their insurance needs.
Transmitting all of this information on your own can be difficult. By investing in health insurance quoting and enrollment tools--- you can empower clients to find this information on their own.
4. What is ancillary insurance?
As an insurance agent, you no doubt know all there is to know about ancillary insurance. But chances are your clients don’t know all of the insurance options that are available to them—including critical illness, indemnity, life, disability, short-term health, dental, and more.
If you’re asked about ancillary insurance options, here are some tips for cross-selling.
5. What is in-network and what is out-of-network?
Your clients also might not know the difference between in-network and out-of-network providers. To make sure they get the best insurance for their unique circumstances, you need to be able to make sure their preferred doctors are in their network.
Once again, software can help make this process easier for you.
6. What do I need to know about Medicare?
Aging into Medicare is a major milestone. After decades of using regular health insurance, clients have to rapidly adapt to a government-sponsored program.
The best insurance agents are able to walk their clients through this arduous process, telling them everything they need to know about Medicare and what they can expect moving forward.
7. What are OEP, AEP, and SEP?
Your clients need to know when they’re able to enroll, plus how and why they may be eligible to change their plans. The Open Enrollment Period (OEP), Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), and the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) are great times to update your clients on their insurance needs.
Check out our resources to help you excel in these ideal times throughout the year.
Ready to increase Medicare sales?
By now, you have a better idea of some ways you can increase Medicare sales. But your work isn’t done quite yet.
Before you pick up the phone, you need to know what you’re going to say. Check out our Phone Prospecting Checklist for Insurance Agents to set yourself up for success and make sure you’re prepared and organized before you make your first call of the upcoming season. Good luck!
