While the iron is hot.

I really don't have the time to blog right now, but if I don't do it now... I know that I'll forget what I wanted to write, and this is good stuff. So I'm going to do it anyway.

Read all about it!Just FYI, for those that don't know... I sell insurance. It has always been my goal to serve my clients in a way that always looks out for their best interest. "Work like you don't need the money" is how the saying goes. This week, I had two opportunities to do so. I felt really great about both situations, so I'm gonna' share.

Situation #1 - Clients call me to set up an appointment regarding Life Insurance. They had just purchased a new home and wanted to make sure that if one of them passed away, the other would be taken care of financially. As soon as they arrived, I realized that the rates they would pay if they bought an individual policy would be through the roof b/c the husband was 5'9", 300lbs. A heavy man (which affects your health obviously, and health is one determination of your Life Insurance rates). Anyhow, it would have been very easy to sell them a policy at a rate that was outrageous... and in doing so make a buck. Instead, I talked with them at great length about how insurance works and ultimately helped uncover a way for them to insure one another through a much less expensive route: through group coverage at work. You see, with group coverage, the rates are NOT individually determined. So for people with health problems it is just about always the best way to go (just as a side note here, for young and healthy people an individual policy is usually always the best way to go.). At the end of our appointment, I didn't make a single penny... but they left with a great education on insurance and instructions on how to protect their family at a reasonable cost. They were very appreciative. Very very appreciative. It felt great to see them react, almost with surprise, that I was telling them that I was not the best avenue for them to pursue. I've had many opportunities like this one, particularly when I help people with their financial investments (retirement planning, CollegeSavings, etc). Its just great to be able to share knowledge freely, without having to be driven by the AlmightyDollar, ya know?

Situation #2 - A client of mine calls in inquiring about a 'hypothetical' claim. She only has one policy with me, here Homeowners Policy. She goes on to say that a 'friend of hers' had their car smashed by a next door neighbor's tree and that the neighbor's insurance company is denying the claim because the tree falling was an 'act of god' which is excluded by the Homeowners Policy (when it comes to liability). To make matters worse, this 'friend of hers' had just let the insurance lapse on the auto insurance leaving a BRAND NEW 2006 car with about $5,000 worth of damage with no insurance coverage. OUCH. A bad situation to be sure. Obviously, she was talking about her OWN insurance problems here and I assured her that she could speak frankly with me. We continued talking. The greedy bastard inside of me was saying, "Hey... here is a great opportunity to sell her auto insurance! She is without coverage, needs some, and is definately not going to be too keen on going back to her old carrier." ... but I shut that monkey up. I ran through everything in my mind that I could think of. I put myself in her shoes. What would I do in a situation like that? Ah... I know. I'd point the finger. :) What I mean to say is, I would check and see if there was any loophole by which I could make a claim on any of my insurance policies, particularly the lapsed Auto Policy. I went on to explain to my Homeowners Insurance client that a lot of times there are legal requirements as to how an insurance company cancels a policy. There are certain time lines that MUST be strictly adhered to. For instance, a company can't cancel a policy without a certain number of day written notification. I advised the client to call her lapsed auto carrier and ask EXACTLY and PRECISELY when her coverage went out of force. Long story short, I got a call back three hours later from her with a marked change in her voice. She was really happy to have discovered that the auto policy that she was SURE had already lapsed at the time of the damage was actually still in force for twelve more hours! Yes, she had found coverage. Cool, huh? I didn't make a dollar on it. It took about an hour of my day. But man, it feels great to do the right thing don't it?

I always approach my business with this type of attitude. Its built on both a desire to do what is right AND a desire to build a solid business. My hope is that in the long run, it will come back to me. That is to say that I hope my decision to look out for my clients' best interests will ultimately pay me returns in the long by earning their trust and loyalty which will lead to them coming to me for their insurance needs.

Anyhow, enough on that.

The LAST thing I had to throw up here is just a crazy story about how my business works.... I have this client in San Francisco who I have never met. Never seen his business or talked with him more than two times. He bought Work Comp Insurance through me when we called him on a cold-call marketing campaign in 2004. I just got a fax from my Underwriters (representatives of the insurance carrier). They let me know that over the past two weeks this client of mine has contacted them directly and completed all the paperwork with them to start two new policies for two additional businesses that he owns. The kicker to the whole thing is that I automatically get named as the Broker on these new accounts even though I haven't done a lick of work. Estimated Annual Premium = $15k x 2 = $30k. My cut? 15%. Of course I also have policies that cancel and an overhead of about 60% so I dont' actually see all that money. But its just neat to get 'freebies' like that.

Oh, and after months of looking and negotiating, I have reached a verbal agreement with the property management people on a place I want to lease... (my current lease is up in March) AND... I interviewed somebody yesterday who I think will be a great addition to my team. Going to offer her a job today.

WoOt! One OTHER thing, looks like I hit my end of the year goals ... just barely by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin... but I made it. That means a good bonus for me later in the year and a free three day trip sometime this summer. Cool beans.

Miroslav is happy at work today. Kickin' butt. Takin' names.