It seems that Canadians would prefer almost any alternative to talking about insurance, according to a recent survey commissioned by TD Insurance. More than 60% of respondents declared they would rather shovel snow, do laundry, go to the dentist or wait in an airport security line than talk about insurance coverage.
You have a role to play in making the insurance conversation as painless as possible, according to Dean Owen, an advisor at Cherry Financial Services in Saskatoon. Otherwise, your clients risk being underinsured.
Owen offers four ways to get the insurance conversation flowing:
1. Talk about priorities
Owen often starts the conversation by asking clients to describe the three things that are most important to them. Often clients are unsure of where to begin, so Owen helps them by describing his own priorities.
Owen tells clients a little about his own life —about his wife and three kids, and how he wants to make sure they’re protected should something ever happen to him. He brings up his plan to save for his children’s university education. And Owen mentions that because he is self-employed, he thinks about what will happen if he becomes ill or disabled.
Owen’s candour helps clients open up.
2. Anticipate their needs
Insurance isn’t always easily understood, yet clients don’t always want to ask questions or even grasp the questions they should be asking. Information you’ve learned from your “know your client” process can help you understand what their needs are.
Is there uncertainty over how a family business will be divided up should something happen to the parents? Are your clients a part of a blended family? These types of issues will have an impact on clients’ insurance needs.
3. Cover the basics professionally
While you may have become somewhat personal in opening up the discussion, Owen says, take on a professional but friendly tone when discussing your clients’ needs. Remember that you might be treading on sensitive ground when you’re talking about a family’s finances, overall living situation and what would happen in the event of death.
4. Get serious
While Owen advises against getting too negative with clients, sometimes a tragic possibility needs to be broached in order for clients to understand the risk of not having any insurance.
Owen sometimes tells clients that the one thing he never wants to see in an obituary is: “In lieu of donations or flowers, please donate to this account set up for Suzie or Billy’s trust fund.”
Says Owen: “That, to me, screams there was no insurance or not enough insurance in place.”