Competitive Insurance Premiums? Sell Insurance Without Life Insurance Competition

Agents fearing competitive insurance premiums are making excuses. See how to sell insurance without the worry of life insurance competition. Discover why insurance premiums are not a competitive factor in life insurance selling. Agents constantly see ads on television for competitive insurance premiums on car insurance, and asking viewers to call for a quote. Likewise, TV attempts to sell insurance direct to the consumer with cheap life insurance competition quotes. Real Life is not TV land! There are always people trying to pay the lowest insurance premiums even if claims bite them in the rear later in life. These are not millions of prospects, soon to become customers. The lot is loaded with tire kickers. Your life insurance company does not help your mind process either. Every life insurance company brags how competitive their rates are when comparing premiums to the competition. They are trying to brainwash you and mess with your already strained brain. Truly, they do not prepare you for proper strategies to sell insurance to life prospects. The best prospects are the ones you personally develop. These prospects are looking to protect themselves and their family provided the coverage and insurance premiums seem fair. Your contacting them brought out the urge to take action.Compare this with all the life agents who think they can sell insurance to someone asking for a quote. The worst lead is a person requesting a cheap life insurance quote. That “intelligent” person is thinking that buying insurance is like buying a gallon of milk. The lower the rate, the better the product seems. In the long run, do you think annual renewable term or five year term is a better deal than a cash value plan? An internet lead company may sell this same lead to a dozen or more agents. You then throw your sell into the crowd of agent that will do anything to make a sale. Expect to lose out to the life insurance competition almost every time.The biggest mistake a life insurance agent can do is mentioning the competition to the client. Analyze this: Does a prospective client buy insurance because of trusting in a certain company name, or from trusting you. Over 90% of the time, the correct answer is you. There would not be 600 life insurance companies if there was not a viable market. The best financially rate companies, with 100 years of background do not dominate the market. If you never mention the competition, it is highly unlikely that your client will. Why give recognition and awareness of other companies to your client. It provides a dangerous chance to thereby consider these other companies.The agents with proper personal and selling skills can sell insurance with no life insurance competition. They go into a presentation already confident that a sale with be easily made. The motivational skills, knowledge, and confidence engulf the prospect. The prospect wants to buy. I could represent “Fly By Night Insurance Company of Iran,” and the client would buy if the benefits were right. Competitive insurance premiums are also not a problem. I could have a competitor that makes all his sales at half the premiums (also half the commissions) and it would not matter. If you notice a possible premium problem, head it off before it ever comes up. Simply give your prospect a choice of a basic or deluxe plan with two different premiums.In insurance sales, remember this:  Other Life insurance companies are not competitors. Moreover, other insurance agents are not the competition.  Your only competitive roadblocks are yourself. You have the power, confidence, willpower, and product knowledge to sell insurance. Now prove me right.

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Bipolar Disorder and Social Security Disability

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder characterized by highs and lows; one who has the condition can experience the lows of depression to the highs of mania. Such mood shifts may only occur only a few times a year, but in some cases, they can happen as often as several times per day. In some cases, bipolar disorder even causes symptoms of depression and mania at the same time. Due to the symptoms experienced by those with bipolar disorder, people with the condition often find themselves unable to work/maintain employment. This being the case, they may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits based on Bipolar Disorder. Here, bipolar disability will be discussed in more detail in etiology as well as in relation to applying and qualifying for Social Security Disability benefits.About Bipolar DisorderSeveral factors seem to be involved in causing and triggering bipolar episodes. Some of these factors involve the following:Biological differences. Physical changes within the brain;
Neurotransmitters. An imbalance in naturally occurring brain chemicals;
Hormones. Imbalanced hormones may be involved in causing or triggering bipolar disorder.
Inherited traits. Bipolar disorder is more common in people who have a blood relative with the condition.
Environment. Stress, abuse, significant loss or other traumatic experiences.The exact symptoms of bipolar disorder vary from person to person. For some people, depression causes the most problems; for other people manic symptoms are the main concern. Symptoms of depression and symptoms of mania or hypomania may also occur together, which is known as a mixed episode. Signs and symptoms of the manic or hypomanic phase of bipolar disorder can include the following:Euphoria
Extreme optimism
Inflated self-esteem
Poor judgment
Rapid speech; racing thoughts
Aggressive and/or risky behavior
Agitation or irritation
Increased physical activity
Increased drive to perform or achieve goals
Increased sex drive
Decreased need for sleep
Inability to concentrate
Frequent absences from work or school
Delusions or a break from reality (psychosis)
Poor performance at work or schoolSigns and symptoms of the depressive phase of bipolar disorder can include:Sadness
Hopelessness
Suicidal thoughts or behavior
Anxiety
Guilt
Sleep problems
Low or increased appetite
Fatigue
Loss of interest in daily activities
Problems concentrating
Irritability
Chronic pain without a known cause
Frequent absences from work or school
Poor performance at work or schoolBipolar disorder requires lifelong treatment, even during periods when you feel better. The primary treatments for bipolar disorder include medications; individual, group or family psychological counseling (psychotherapy); or education and support groups. A variety of medications are used to treat bipolar disorder, including Lithium, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antipsychotics, Symbyax, and Benzodiazepines.Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits Based on Bipolar DisorderSocial Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a federal program designed to pay monetary benefits to qualified applicants who have worked long enough and paid their social security taxes. Based on medical evidence, work history, and education history, the Social Security Administration determines whether or not applicants qualify for benefits and how much each applicant can receive. The Social Security Administration (SSA) sets forth specific criteria when qualifying applicants for benefits. With regard to bipolar disorder specifically, the medical evidence must be consistent with SSA’s classification within the following criteria:12.04 Affective disorders: Characterized by a disturbance of mood, accompanied by a full or partial manic or depressive syndrome. Mood refers to a prolonged emotion that colors the whole psychic life; it generally involves either depression or elation.The required level of severity for these disorders is met when the requirements in both A and B are satisfied, or when the requirements in C are satisfied.A. Medically documented persistence, either continuous or intermittent, of one of the following:1. Depressive syndrome characterized by at least four of the following:a. Anhedonia or pervasive loss of interest in almost all activities; orb. Appetite disturbance with change in weight; orc. Sleep disturbance; ord. Psychomotor agitation or retardation; ore. Decreased energy; orf. Feelings of guilt or worthlessness; org. Difficulty concentrating or thinking; orh. Thoughts of suicide; ori. Hallucinations, delusions, or paranoid thinking; or2. Manic syndrome characterized by at least three of the following:a. Hyperactivity; orb. Pressure of speech; orc. Flight of ideas; ord. Inflated self-esteem; ore. Decreased need for sleep; orf. Easy distractibility; org. Involvement in activities that have a high probability of painful consequences which are not recognized; orh. Hallucinations, delusions or paranoid thinking; or3. Bipolar syndrome with a history of episodic periods manifested by the full symptomatic picture of both manic and depressive syndromes (and currently characterized by either or both syndromes);ANDB. Resulting in at least two of the following:1. Marked restriction of activities of daily living; or2. Marked difficulties in maintaining social functioning; or3. Marked difficulties in maintaining concentration, persistence, or pace; or4. Repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration;ORC. Medically documented history of a chronic affective disorder of at least 2 years’ duration that has caused more than a minimal limitation of ability to do basic work activities, with symptoms or signs currently attenuated by medication or psychosocial support, and one of the following:1. Repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration; or2. A residual disease process that has resulted in such marginal adjustment that even a minimal increase in mental demands or change in the environment would be predicted to cause the individual to decompensate; or3. Current history of 1 or more years’ inability to function outside a highly supportive living arrangement, with an indication of continued need for such an arrangement.Keep in mind that the depression symptoms which meet the criteria for receipt of benefits may develop as a result of the disease process and/or the medications prescribed and used, or the residual effects of procedures used to treat the disease.The medical evidence supporting one’s argument that he or she may meet these criteria, and therefore qualify for disability benefits, is crucial to obtaining a favorable finding. Physicians are considered experts in their field of practice, and their diagnosis, treatment and prognosis concerning a person’s condition are key to determining if someone who suffers with bipolar disorder qualifies for Social Security Disability benefits.

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Fundamentals of Startup Business Loans

You have come up with a great business idea that you are convinced will make you rich. Moreover, you have always wanted to start a business of your own. The only thing that is stopping you from setting up your own enterprise is the lack of funds. You have heard and now find for yourself that startup business loans are not easy to obtain. If you are looking for ways to raise the capital, you need to establish your business; the first thing to do is to be aware of a few fundamentals.One way of obtaining funds for your startup is to look for venture capitalists or angels. They are willing to risk their money in return for a stake in your business. However, this does not appeal to many entrepreneurs who do not want their business decisions questioned or share their future profits. If you belong to this group, then you need to look at small business loans.Most bankers are wary of lending to small business startups as a lot of startups fail after a few years. So bankers consider offering startup business loans as a form of personal loan. This effectively means that your personal credit history has to be good for you to qualify for a startup business loan.In case your credit history is not perfect or even decent, you can consider obtaining equipment that you need for your business on a lease. The finance company holds a lien on the equipment, making it a secured loan in their books. This also considerably lowers the interest rates, making repayment easier. However, this is not ideal for an service industry company as in this industry, there is little that can be rented leased.In case you need a bad credit startup loan, you have to simply work harder at convincing the creditor of the soundness of your business idea as well as your willingness to work hard to make your business a success. To this end, you need to put down your business plan on paper and provide details such as the balance sheet for the last three years or the potential earnings on the opening day.You can also approach the Small Business Administration for help in obtaining credit business loans. They will guide you through the entire process of obtaining a loan for your startup.Be aware that there are special loans available for minorities and women entrepreneurs. In case you qualify, your loan application will be given special consideration. For this you need to first get your business classified under this head. Once that is done, your loan requirements will be taken care of quickly.As a startup does not have a credit history, startup business loans are granted on the basis of the project viability and the credit history of the entrepreneur. You can obtain a loan much more easily if the creditor is impressed with your business idea and feels that it will be profitable. Potential creditors also judge the enthusiasm of the entrepreneur applying for a loan before making a decision on granting the loan.

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