Why Don't Agents Sell Critical Illness Insurance

When I founded the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance back in 1998, it was commonly believed that only insurance agents who specialized in the field would be successful.  A decade later, more than 80 percent of all LTCi sales are made by incidental agents and brokers who sell a policy or two every so often.

Now as we start building a new trade organization, the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance (AACII), I face a dilemma.  Why haven't sales of CI products been more robust?  Critical illness insurance was first introduced in the U.S. in 1996.

So, I am using this blog as one way to reach out to insurance agents and brokers.  Both those who have sold CI ... and those who haven't.  Your replies to a few questions (below) would be most appreciated.  It will help me build the industry and your sales.

A major initiative for AACII will be providing agents and brokers with the information and marketing / sales tools they need to find more prospects.  By the way, for an initial period of time these will all be available free of charge via the Association's website.  You can sign-up to receive E-alerts as the website adds features.

The questions.

If you have not sold a critical illness insurance policy, why not?

If you have sold CII, what marketing or sales tool would make it easier for you to sell it more often?

What one question about CI insurance do you want answered (we'll have lots of information on the website).

Please feel free to send me an E-mail to: mailto:jslome@aacii.org and all comments are welcome.

Thank you.  I believe there is enormous potential for the sale of critical illness insurance in the United States.  And, the American Association for Critical Illness insurance will play a vital role in making that happen.