City Of Fountains Insurance Agency

City Of Fountains Insurance Agency

Insurance

I help people find health insurance that works best for them.

About us

I'm an independent insurance agent who helps Missourians find affordable health insurance that fits their needs.

Website
https://g.co/kgs/7hZoc2c
Industry
Insurance
Company size
1 employee
Type
Self-Employed
Founded
2024
Specialties
Health Insurance

Updates

  • You shouldn't ask for referrals until the customer has used the product/service for a while. The reason why referrals are more effective than bought leads, is that people are more likely to trust someone that their friend/relative trusts. So the problem with getting referrals too soon, is that the friend/relative doesn't actually trust you yet, or their trust isn't based on much experience. The referral won't necessarily know that. They're just going to trust you because they THINK their friend/relative trusts you.

  • Insurance agents, and everyone in sales, should focus more on educating than they do on selling. Your goal should be to help people find the insurance that's the best for them, even if they end up getting that insurance from someone else. It's the moral thing to do, and they might even come back to you in the future, and/or recommend you to their friends and family.

  • What is a deductible? A deductible is the amount you have to pay for health care before insurance kicks in. It's important to have health insurance regardless of the deductible, because it will protect you incase of catastrophic medical bills, and it will save you money when you go to in-network providers. If you can afford more than just the cheapest plans, you should seriously consider spending a bit more, if it significantly lowers your deductible and max out-of-pocket expenses. The lower the deductible, the more likely you are to actually use the insurance you're paying a lot of money for. And the lower your deductible and max out-of-pocket expenses, the less you have to worry about a hospital visit financially crippling you. Keep in mind though, there will likely be diminishing returns (in terms of value/efficiency) after the deductible gets to a reasonable number, so keep that in mind if you're thinking about buying a platinum plan or similar.

  • Shop before you buy. Don't just buy the first health insurance plan someone tries to sell you. Do your own research, and compare plans on the health insurance marketplace. Keep in mind agents are trying to make a living, and are often pressured into meeting quotas. So make sure you're buying what's best for you, rather than what's best for the agent/agency.

  • Are HSA’s worth it? Here are some things to consider. 1. Depending on the one you get, HSA’s can be a valuable tax shelter, similar to a 401k or Roth IRA. (You aren't taxed on contributions, or eligible withdrawals). 2. However, if you’re in a low tax bracket, the benefits won’t be as high, since you'll be avoiding less taxes. (And you probably are in a lower tax bracket if you're buying a plan that includes an HSA, since they're only available in High Deductible Health Plans). 3. You’re basically trading liquidity for tax breaks. (So if you're struggling to make ends meet, you'll want to keep that in mind). 4. You can withdraw from an HSA for anything after age 65, but you will pay income tax if it’s not for an eligible medical expense. (So there's a limit to how much you should keep in one).

  • Insurance agents should focus more on quality rather than quantity. If you build a strong network, the sales will come naturally. So focus on providing good customer service, and being open and honest at all times. While clever sales tactics can lead to a lot of sales, they might not build as strong of a network. Would you rather buy from someone who cold called you because your friend gave them your number, or from someone you called, because your friend talked about how great they were?

  • If you keep getting calls from the same insurance agency, even after you've blocked a number, here are some possible reasons why: 1. Your contact information got passed on to another agent after the previous one gave up on you. 2. The agent that you blocked used another number, likely Google Voice, to get a 2nd chance at you after you blocked their normal number. Multiple agents that were training me at my former agency advised me to set one up. I recommend using Google Call Screening, or whatever your phone supports. It gives you a transcript, so you don't have to answer the phone, and you can quickly see whether you're interested in talking to the person or not. I have mine set to "maximum protection", so it screens any unknown number.