Students Of Success

What is Universal Life Insurance and how do I get the best Universal Life Insurance Quote?

Universal Life Insurance or “UL” as it is commonly referred to in the insurance industry is a relatively new concept. It is a permanent version of life insurance that is intended to be in force for as long as the client wants it to be in force. The determining factor in how long the policy lasts is the cash value, the amount of premium being paid, and the wording of the contract.

The cash value in a universal life insurance policy will build up on a guaranteed and a non-guaranteed basis. On the guaranteed side of the equasion, at inception the insurance company projects exactly what will happen to the cash value based upon known variables and minimally acceptable interest rates. If a policy has a guaranteed interest rate of, say, 4%, then the proposal for insurance will show what would happen to the cash value based upon 4%.

On the “non-guaranteed” side of the proposal for insurance (which becomes part of the policy), the cash value is shown in regards to the “current” interest rate that is being applied. This current interest rate fluctuates and is dictated by the insurance company through which you have the policy. The overall interest rate applied to new money coming into the policy as premium and the current cash values will never go any lower than the guaranteed interest rate but may go up to the current, assumed, non-guaranteed interest rate.

The amount of life insurance premium being paid into the universal life insurance policy is another factor in determining the longevity of the policy. UL is flexible in that you can put as much money into the policy as the MEC limit will allow (government regulates the amount of money you can put into a policy) and as little money as you want as long as you meet the company’s minimum premium requirements. If you only put the minimum premium into the policy, the contract will offer a death benefit for a shorter amount of time. If you pay the prescribed, sometimes referred to as “target premium” or “designated” premium, the policy should last until age 100. Putting more cash into a universal life policy than the target premium can come close to the “MEC” or Modified Endowment Contract premium. The effect on the UL policy that this will have is a potential increase in the cash values.

Secondary guarantees in modern universal life insurance policies add another layer of security to the universal life insurance policy. These secondary guarantees that are implemented by the insurance companies and included in the wording of the contract basically state that as long as the prescribed premium (usually target premium) is paid in a timely manner and there are no loans or withdrawls on the cash value of the policy, the policy will last as long as the insured is alive.

Carefully worded insurance policies, current and guaranteed cash value projections, and premiums being paid all have an impact on the longevity of a modern Universal Life Policy. Universal Life Insurance is a flexible contract that will allow as little as a minimum premium and as much as the governmental rules will allow. UL can be a good fit for anyone looking for a policy that would ensure long lasting, flexible coverage, with the potential for cash value and transferrability.

By: Ashley Brooks, CLTC

Ashley is the marketing Vice President for a quality Insurance Brokerage General Agency in South Carolina. Mr. Brooks has done an internship at Genworth, formerly known as GE Financial Assurance First Colony Life Insurance Company in Lynchburg Virginia. He is a member of his local chapter of SCAIFA (Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors), NAILBA, and Sub-Centers. His current projects include website marketing and insurance advertising via the internet.

Find out more about Mr. Brooks and get a Universal Life Insurance Quote at Universal Life Insurance.biz!

We are currently seeking Insurance Agents to grant highly competitive brokerage contracts to. If you are an insurance agent and you would like to work with an Insurance General Agent who cares about you and your clients, please contact us today!

Making a living in sales can be very rewarding, however, it can
also be tough at times. That is why it is very important to stay
on top of your game at all times.

Making a sale doesn’t happen by accident or by luck, the sale is
made because the person doing the selling has done a good job of
explaining and representing their products.

Here are a few activities that will help you and your co-workers
keep your sales skills sharp at all times.

Roll Playing

I know this sounds corny, but it really does work, and it puts
everyone in the office in a good mood, because of all the laughs
you will receive.

Make up a few fake, but realistic sales scenarios for you and a
fellow co-worker to act out. Take turns playing the customer and
the sales person. Repeat the scenario several times until you
become comfortable with it. If at all possible, find a third
person to observe and critique your mach sales sessions. If this
is not possible, than critique each other.

Current Events

During each of your sales presentations with a potential
customer, there should be some sort of small talk, or what you
would call a relax period, where you relax your customer by
discussing something other than your business and the product
you are about to sell.

The weather is the most obvious thing to talk about, but it is a
very boring subject and comes across fake, because everybody
brings up the weather when they don’t have anything else to talk
about.

Every day, in the morning, decide on a current event that you
will bring up when making small talk with your potential
customers; Such as a major news event or a major sporting event
that is happening.

This way you will be prepared and won’t run into any snags in
your conversation.

Shaking hands

Get into the habit of shaking hands. Every time you meet a
potential customer, shake their hand. Most of us are comfortable
with shaking hands, but for those of you who are not, here is a
tip to help you reach a comfort level.

Each day that you walk into your office, shake the hands of your
co-workers that are closest to you. Seriously, every morning, go
in, look them in the eye, greet them by name, and shake their
hand. They may look at you as though you are nuts at first, but
explain to them that it is simply an exercise. Trust me they
will get a kick out of it, and will respond with enthusiasm.

Remember, people don’t want to be treated as statistics, they
wanted to be treated as people, so treat them that way. Shake
their hand, look them in the eye, talk about things other than
business, and use their name as often as possible.

By keeping your sales skills sharp, you will ultimately be
keeping your sales up. Good luck!

Your expecting a baby soon and have begun designing your baby’s nursery. You want everything to be perfect but there are so many decisions to make. What type of theme are you trying to achieve? What colors scheme are you going to use? What Baby bedding design will you choose? While picking out your Baby Bedding there are some things that should be considered before making your purchase.
It is important to make sure that your baby bedding materials are flame resistant. It is also a good idea to find out what the thread count of your baby bedding is. The higher thread count in your baby bedding the higher the quality of the fabric and the softer it will feel to your baby. You would not want a scratchy fabric rubbing against your babies delicate skin. Your Crib Bedding should be as comfortable as it is interesting for your baby to look at. After all they will be spending quite a bit of time in their crib.
When you purchase your baby bedding you may notice it has a stiff feel to it. This is normal. Most Designer Baby Bedding manufacturers use products on the bedding to make it stays wrinkle-free and looking new. You may want to wash your new crib bedding set before using it for the first time. This will help soften it up and make your baby more comfortable.

Once you decide on your crib bedding design, you may want to shop around. Shopping around can save you a great deal of money as many online retailers offer discounts and bonus items with your baby bedding purchase. Many also offer free shipping with your purchase. It is also important to find a retailer that carries coordinating accessories for your baby bedding. You may also want to ask if the retailer offers any discount on their accessories with a crib bedding purchase.

You may only use your Baby Bedding for what seems like a short period of time but it is a very special time for both you and your baby. Years from now when your kids are grown and you take it out of that old cedar chest you will say, this was their first baby blanket and those fond memories of watching your baby laying their content, just staring at their Crib Bedding patterns or their musical mobile will surely bring you joy and maybe a tear or two.

Earl Morris: www.myspoiledbaby.com offers advice to new and expecting parents