FE Agents be Careful with Dignity Planning

[Newby]

Several insurance final expense insurance companies are starting to promote that we use a web site called www.dignityplanning.com to help families plan their funerals when buying life insurance.

The web site is very nicely done and easy to use. BUT if you send your clients correct information through it, it will go to a local funeral home which is owned by SCI (Service Corporation International.)

SCI has the MOST aggressive insurance agents in the funeral industry and will take that info as a lead. They will most likely contact you family and explain the difference between the final expense policy you sold them and a guaranteed funeral plan with inflation protection.

You will NOT be able to keep your policy on the books if they send out a good SCI funeral planner to your family's home.

I thought this may be the case when I first saw the website but I confirmed it this week with an old friend of mine who is a sales manager with SCI/Dignity.

So far I have seen the site from American National Life/Standard Life and Oxford sent a survey asking agents their thoughts on it.

My thoughts are: it's a nice concept but I wouldn't send my client info to SCI in a million years.

 

[glrocky]

I thought it might be too good to be true. Might we not omit the contact information or make it ours, then submit it?

I'd welcome having them contact me. It would probably make my day!

 

[Newby]

I thought it might be too good to be true. Might we not omit the contact information or make it ours, then submit it?

I'd welcome having them contact me. It would probably make my day!

That's probably best. If they can sell you...they're pretty good.

 

[Firedog]

Newby, Thanks for the info. If it weren't for this forum and guys like you we would never know this until it's too late!

 

[honestagent]

Newby, thanks so very much for the post. Standard just talked with me about that earlier this week.

My question to you is: Do you think Standard knows about the 'hidden' lead source and they're using us as pawns - like a behind the scenes kickback?

I really appreciate your post and looking forward to your reply. Tx. again!

 

[Newby]

Newby, thanks so very much for the post. Standard just talked with me about that earlier this week.

My question to you is: Do you think Standard knows about the 'hidden' lead source and they're using us as pawns - like a behind the scenes kickback?

I really appreciate your post and looking forward to your reply. Tx. again!

No I don't think the insurance carriers know anything about that. Why would they want to set thenselves up to be replaced. The product SCI writes is through Assurant.

I think any follow-ups by the sales agents (if any) will be "unofficial."

But do you trust sending your sales data for the FE policies you sold last week to one of your most aggressive competitors? Especially when their sales agents can offer a price guarantee and you can't? I know I don't.

 

[policy doctor]

Hard to believe that insurance carriers are that " Naive!" No I prefer to hand out those funeral planning booklets the cos so freely provide.

But our own carriers harvest leads off our backs by soliciting consumer for other products, or referrals. Ever get a lead from them, because I rarely have.

 

[honestagent]

And I'm happy to hand out those funeral planning booklets by the carriers and have to those buying clients.

I was just throwing this out there. I wasn't sure - hence the question.

If you know anything about Med Adv., look how they structured the independents to bring the bz. when this first launched a few years back and look at the aftermath now - from the infastructure right down to the indy agent. Not good.


Without the indys, there is no way on their own they would have brought in those enrollments relying solely on advertisements and some captive forces. No way!
And now that Med Adv. is well branded, who cares for the agent? That's right.

While I am in agreement with you Newbie, Policy Doctor also raises some good moot points too.

Thank you again for the post.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Great post Newby... Thanks for giving us the heads-up. Hope your doing well.

 

[Newby]

Great post Newby... Thanks for giving us the heads-up. Hope your doing well.

Doing great. Spending more time on the Medicare stuff than I had planned to but it's a good thing.

If that Northern Indiana freeze brings you down south this winter, let me know and we'll do lunch again. I'll treat you to Mutt & Merts.