Should I do a complete financial plan before making product recommendations?

While “Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice” is generally true, it isn’t in this case.

The people change in a market but the problems stay the same. Just the numbers are different. So, if you have an idea of who your prospect is, you already know what their needs might be. You just have to work out the details.

But, time is of the essence for life, disability, critical illness and long term care insurance. Prospects might think that you have to be dead not to be able to buy life insurance. But we know differently. Money pays for insurance but only good health buys it. Everyone walks the line of insurability and no one knows when we’ll cross over.

Professional advisors recognize this critical difference and act immediately in the prospects best interest. This is “Professional Urgency”.

When referred to a prospect with no life insurance and obvious needs – young children and a stay at home mom – do you spend weeks working out a full financial plan and risk the young family’s welfare? Or, do you put an insurer on the risk today for a reasonable amount of coverage just in case? True professionals understand the nature of this unique product and do their best to protect the family quickly. Write the term now and figure out the best plan and amount later. What good is it to determine an $875,000 need the day after the chest pains start?

Here’s something else. A financial advisor spoke recently about being unable to deliver a death claim because the premium for a policy he wrote went NSF. He lamented how he had his assistant call the man twice but the replacement cheque never came. Now, a grieving widow and three young children had nothing. He wondered if maybe he should have picked up the cheque himself...

What! He had his assistant call “twice”?! “Maybe” he should have gone to pick up the cheque? Yes, he should have called himself to impress the urgency upon the client. Yes, he should have gone straight to the office and got the cheque.

Rated cases are the same. Get out there and bind the offer. Save the family. Discuss its merit later.

This is professional urgency. It’s more important than a financial plan.

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