July 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Editor Column: Kate Kinkade

Making Sense of It All
LAAHU Sales Conference Hosts Legislative Panel on National Healthcare Reform
by Steven Crane
• Always witty, entertaining and humorous, Alan Katz was the host of a legislative panel made up of Herb Schultz, senior healthcare advisor to California Governor Schwarzenegger, Dr. Richard Corlin, Past President of LACMA, CMA and AMA and Arnold Schaffer, Chairman of the Board for the California Hospital Association at LAAHU’s “Agents of Change” Sales Conference on May 19 at the Pasadena Convention Center.

Position Your Annuity Practice to Stand Out From the Pack
by W. Andrew Unkefer
• Many annuity advisors make the mistake of trying to compare or compete with other financial products like bank CDs, money markets, mutual funds, hedge funds, etc.

COBRA News update
by Leila Morris
• Read about the latest updates on COBRA at the state and federal levels.

Up, Up and Away with Dental Sales
Get Carried Away With Our Annual Dental Survey
by Leila Morris
We’ve asked the top dental providers in California to answer crucial questions to better help you, the agent, understand their benefits, features, and services. Look for Part II in the August issue. Read the responses and sell accordingly.

Counseling Your Clients in the Current Economy
by Gina Stassi
• While the current economy has stripped jobs and therefore health insurance benefits, there are still 30 million insured Californians. And more than ever, they need your advice on how to use their benefits cost-effectively.

Bringing New Light to Choosing and Using Disability Coverage
by Rick Shube
• With economic turmoil taking a toll on finances, how well do people understand their financial risks and insurance coverage? When it comes to disability insurance plans, not so well.

Brokers Should Look to Carriers for Enrollment Support
by Elena C. Wu
• In this economy, businesses want and need administrative help now more than ever. Enrollment support is one area that can make a big impact.

The Flexibility of CAUL for Small Business Strategies
by Dick Kait, JD, LLM, CLU, ChFC, and Victor H. Gentner
Current assumption universal life is a dynamic product solution for the small business market.

A Closer Look at Variable Universal Life Insurance: Doing What is Important, Not What is Popular
by Paul A. LaPiana, CFP
• Clients may be tempted to avoid any variable products in times of market volatility including variable universal life insurance products. While this may be a popular way of thinking, it may not be the best strategy and your clients may be missing out on some opportunities.

Making Variable Universal Life Work In This Economy – The New Combo Products
by Shawn Britt, CLU
• Modern times call for modern solutions and life insurance is no exception. To address today’s concerns, life insurance has become a very multi-functional product. In these uncertain market times, guaranteed death benefits have become a major subject of discussion for clients.

How to Sell Disability Income Insurance
by Larry Schneider
• Over the past 35 years of selling disability insurance exclusively, I have learned that I do my best when I stay with the habits I employed when I first started.

Meeting of Asian American Agents Generates Enthusiasm in a Challenging Market
by Leila Morris
• A quiet town outside of San Francisco was the setting for a robust meeting of the 2009 Asian American Insurance and Financial Professional Assn. (AAIFPA).