Submitted by Armen Hareyan on May 7th, 2007
Ederly health insurance customers whether buying medicare, medicare advantage, pre-65 health insurance or just low cost health insurance for seniors are pray to abusive practice. This is not ne news, crooked and health insurance agents with low morals have been doing this por years. In fact these same agents do the same thing to individual health insurance consumers of any age. Wether it be a Family looking for family health insurance or a low income single mom looking for child only health insurance, an agent who is looking for the higest commission is always going to sell the item that makes them the most money.
Many companies or agencies have seen this as a long term problem, and made changes in their business model to thwart off this type of practice.
When selling to individuals, families and seniors some companies like Policy Store, do not pay a commission to their agents to keep from these types of tactics even being used.
"When an agents livleyhood is determined on how much he or she sells to the customer" you are preputuating hard-sell tactics" Founder Jeff CLine-PolicyStore.com ," But on the other hand if they are incentivised to find the perfect plan for the customer regaurdless of price, you will get a totally different outcome."
Finding the right product weather it be a car, a investment , Senior Supplement or Low Cost health insurance it is all way in the customers intrest to shop around. Get personal refferals from friends and family, use goverment information boards and do your research. "Buyer Beware" has always been and will always be. that is a fact in the free market we live in.
I have a senior mother who has had this type of thing pulled on her and she knows now to ask them to call me her son, or to meet with me with her. This seems to keep those who think they can prey on the eldery away and those who dont mind meeting with both of us seem to be a better fit.
I would also suggest the following tips to protect yourself from Hard-sell tactics:
1) Never buy the first person that talks to you, yo can go back and buy from them but ALWAYS talk to atleast THREE people or different companies.
2) Ask for references, and actuall call them.
3) Ask friends and family if they have heard of the company you plan on buying from.
4) NEVER MEET ALONE, always bring back up or a buddy to use as your voice of reason.
5) NEVER BUY ON THE FIRST CALL OR MEETING, if it is worth its salt the offer will be there tomorrow or next week!
6) If it has to be a HARD SELL it is probably the wrong plan or person or company.
7) Get everything in writing and let them know you will call them back if you are intrested.
8) Use your local and state goverment, many have websites, hotline and other avenues to help these abusive tactics from being used.
"My mother and I did find a great plan, and in-fact it comes with many extra benefits, like discounts on eyeglasses, hearing aids and dental care. I am very pleased with the plan as it has saved us tens of thousands of dollars we would of had to pay, had it not been for the senior supplement plan from an individual company we purchased. So in the long run, we had to spend time and do our homework but it has been for the best", say Minnie Cline who is a health insurance customer from Texas.
Jeffrey Cline is a health insurance agent. Please visit Jeff Cline for Low Cost Health Insurance Quotes.
Source:
Jeffrey Cline 