GAME ON: The Fourth Quarter Has Begun
Now that Q4 is in “full swing” and we have just a little over 10 weeks to get cases done for year-end for our AgencyONE 100 advisors, we would like to emphasize two very important aspects of the underwriting process.
- Field Underwriting: It is more important than ever for you to be well-versed in field underwriting. With opportunities for Accelerated Underwriting decisions with drop tickets, you need to be aware upfront of any possible underwriting hurdles your clients might have.
- Client Education: Drop tickets are great tools that can simplify your case workload by eliminating the need to complete forms. However, they can also reduce opportunities for client education. It is vital that you prepare your clients for what to expect during the underwriting process. Whether it involves prepping for the online underwriting experience, the telephone interview, or the insurance exam, setting proper expectations, and helping clients prepare are critical steps – even when using accelerated underwriting options.
This week’s ONE Idea will focus on these two areas and how they help AgencyONE position your clients’ cases for the best possible underwriting consideration.
Field Underwriting
Securing the pertinent and necessary facts early in the case evaluation process saves time. Your advance prep work also improves the chances for a successful outcome. Armed with all the necessary information upfront, AgencyONE can help minimize requests for additional underwriting requirements from the carriers and eliminate the “back and forth” that invariably causes delays and negatively affects your client’s experience.
AgencyONE knows you want to provide a seamless and uncomplicated experience for your clients. Educating your clients on what to expect engages them and results in a much smoother process for everyone.
Informal Inquiry
AgencyONE maintains an updated Informal Inquiry to ensure we get the information needed from your clients to pair them with the right insurance solution and carrier. Our Informal Inquiry is specific, organized, and easy to understand (you can find a copy of the Informal Inquiry on your AgencyONE website’s personal Dashboard under “For Client Use” or contact AgencyONE for a copy).
Your client’s Informal Inquiry is very important, and its accuracy is crucial so a wet signature, on the most up-to-date Informal Inquiry, is required (some carriers and medical facilities will only accept a wet-signed copy so it is best to get that up front.) This document is necessary for us to obtain Electronic Health Records (EHR) and prescription checks, as required. Remember, we are happy to brand our Informal Inquiry for our AgencyONE 100 advisors – just provide us with your company name, contact info and high-resolution logo.
Client Preparation & Engagement is CRUCIAL
If your clients are prepared for what to expect, the entire process will go more smoothly and AgencyONE will be positioned to properly advocate on their behalf – should something unexpected occur during the underwriting process.
Once your client has thoroughly completed our Informal Inquiry and signed the HIPAA, call the AgencyONE underwriting hotline at 301.803.7550. Your client may be eligible to go immediately to a formal application, drop ticket, e-app or perhaps Instant Issue! Remember, as we get further into Q4, AgencyONE and our carrier partners will move to processing formal applications only.
Underwriting VIDEOS
AgencyONE has created a set of easy-to-follow underwriting videos designed to help you and your clients better understand the process. You can review and share them with your clients using the links below.
Interview Prep – This video emphasizes the importance of and how to prepare for the insurance interview.
Medical Exam Prep – This video thoroughly prepares your clients for the medical exam and how the underwriters will evaluate their performance.
Senior Supplement Prep – This video helps your older clients (those 70+) prepare for the questions and tasks on the senior supplement exam.
AgencyONE designed these videos to be client-facing, ensuring they are easy for your clients to understand. Watching the videos, listening to the explanations, and reviewing the accompanying printed materials in the Informal Package will help prepare your clients. Research shows that clients are more likely to engage with video content than with printed materials alone – so be sure to encourage your clients to take advantage of these resources.
APS Records & Copy Service Delays
Your client’s medical records from their Doctor’s Patient Portal system are easily accessible by your clients and so are the lab results from the carrier insurance exam.
The last page of the AgencyONE Informal Inquiry – “Accessing Your Lab Results” – includes a step-by-step explanation on how clients can access their own carrier exam results. This information is critical to AgencyONE’s underwriters and may help to cut down on APS record requirements and the copy service delays, both of which can affect the time it takes to process your client’s case.
Research shows that individuals who have access to their own medical records, including lab results, are more likely to take an active role in their health decisions and follow-through, leading to better outcomes. When clients understand that strong lab results can directly impact their premiums, it becomes a personal incentive to perform well. Financial savings are a powerful motivator and when clients see how their actions affect both their health and their wallet, they are far more likely to stay engaged.
Your guidance and encouragement are key to your client’s motivation. By tapping into your client’s competitive spirit, you can help them set clear goals and understand what they need to accomplish at each stage of the underwriting. When clients know what is expected and feel supported along the way, they remain more responsive, invested, and eager to move the process forward – resulting in smoother underwriting and better outcomes for everyone involved.
Case Study
AgencyONE’s underwriting department received a case for a 67-year-old female with limited information about her medical history and no clear record of which providers she had seen. The only physician listed in her file was noted as deceased. To move the case forward efficiently, we leveraged an Electronic Health Records (EHR) retrieval service.
Within 24 hours, we received summary records detailing this client’s medical history and identifying additional providers involved in her care. Accessing these records electronically not only saved weeks of delay typically associated with traditional copy services but also delivered accurate, organized, and complete information that allowed our underwriting team to develop a good understanding of the client’s treatment history.
The EHR data proved instrumental in directing the case appropriately and positioning it for a faster, more informed underwriting decision — demonstrating how digital health record retrieval can save time, improve accuracy, and enhance client outcomes.
By encouraging your clients to take a proactive role in the underwriting process – from preparing for their insurance exam to obtaining their medical records – you empower them to play an active part in achieving the best possible outcome. This not only helps AgencyONE present your clients cases in the strongest light, but also clearly sets you apart from competing advisors by demonstrating a higher level of care, preparation, and professionalism.
Contact the AgencyONE Underwriting team at 301.803.7500 for
more information or to discuss a case.
