If you are interested in growing your agency or starting one? Our Agency Owner Spotlight series is for you. In this third installment of our agency spotlights, we meet Tom Mays and Travis Branch from Local Insurance Advisors. Very much like our previous owner episodes, Tom and Travis have a very unique story. LIA is based in Oklahoma but has agents all across the country. Their journey to success is unique because of their backgrounds. You will learn what drives them and what their philosophy is...
Nov 28, 2023•10 min
The Brokerage Inc. could not do what we do without our agents and agency partners. They are not only the lifeblood of The Brokerage Inc., but they are also our partners and friends. We enjoy seeing our partners thrive and grow successful businesses. In this episode of The Broker Link, we continue showcasing some of our partners. In this Agency Owner Spotlight, we talk with Raul Gonzalez, the Founder and Owner of Texas Medicare Solutions, or TMS in the San Antonio area. Raul's journey to success ...
Nov 21, 2023•10 min
The agents and agency partners are the lifeblood of The Brokerage Inc. Their successes are our successes and we love seeing our partners thrive and grow successful businesses. As we wrap up another amazing podcast season, we are showcasing some of our partners and how they grew their businesses. In this Agency Owner Spotlight, we talk with Martha Camarillo, the Principal at MLC Insurance Group in the DFW area. Her journey to success is a unique one and she dives into her background and how she g...
Nov 14, 2023•10 min
If you are looking for a little bit more motivation for AEP or OEP, this episode of The Broker Link will get you there. During our 2024 Kickoff events across Texas, The Brokerage Inc. was honored and fortunate to have Dan Clark as our keynote speaker. Dan is one of the top ten motivational speakers in the world. He is also a NYT Best Selling author, Award-winning songwriter, Mentor to high-profile athletes and celebrities, an Entrepreneur, and so much more! But what sets Dan apart from other spe...
Nov 07, 2023•52 min
There are a growing number of providers coming into the Texas market, making this level of care a great partnership for agents. Provider based care goes beyond just the doctor, patient, and the care they receive. So how can you partner with these providers? In this episode of The Broker Link, we revisit a panel discussion during our DFW Kickoff event. The Brokerage Inc. Executive Vice President, Josh Slattery talks with representatives from Wellmed, Centerwell and Dedicated. If you want to learn...
Oct 31, 2023•20 min
Now that AEP is in full swing, it's time to think about other ways to help your clients. During our 2024 Kickoff event, we hosted a panel discussion on cross-selling tips from some of our top vendors. They included The Canadian Medstore, Retirable and Manhattan Life. We also heard from our own life department on how to sell life insurance to your book of business. In this episode of The Broker Link, The Brokerage Inc. President, Mike Smith discusses ways to help your clients and also grow your b...
Oct 24, 2023•27 min
Have you started selling ACA plans? This may be the perfect time to start selling health insurance. And even with AEP underway, it's not too late to get started. In this episode of The Broker Link, we revisit our 2024 Kickoff Events with a panel discussion on ACA Trends for 2024. The Brokerage Inc. President, Mike Smith, discusses what to expect in the Affordable Care Act in 2024. His panelists include representatives from Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cigna. If you want to learn more about ...
Oct 17, 2023•17 min
There are a lot of new incentives in Medicare Supplements ahead of AEP 2024! And you can find out all about them in this episode of The Broker Link. We listen back at our Medicare Supplement panel in San Antonio, Texas during our AEP Kickoff event. The Brokerage Inc. President, Mike Smith talks with representatives from AARP (UnitedHealthcare), Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana and Wellabe. Some of the topics they discuss include: Rate Stability The restructuring of Part D Trainings C...
Oct 10, 2023•33 min
Do you feel like you understand all of the new compliance rules? Are you ready for AEP? We continue our Let's Talk Compliance series with our final episode on sales and a final rule overview. The Brokerage Inc.'s Compliance Director, Diana McElroy, and Training Specialist, Ivonne Acuna dive deep into what you need to know about selling this AEP season. In this episode, we will cover: How much time between a sales and education event Where did you get your leads Rules around the scope of appointm...
Oct 03, 2023•24 min
What can you expect in Medicare Advantage for 2024? The plans are out and carrier representatives are talking about them. The Brokerage Inc.'s 2024 Kickoff events have wrapped up with record number of agents, agency partners, vendors, and carrier partners attending. And with that, great information to help you sell in 2024. In this episode of The Broker Link, we begin a series of panel discussion recaps from our event in DFW. In this MAPD discussion we hear from our partners at Aetna, Blue Cross...
Sep 27, 2023•34 min
As insurance agents prepare for the upcoming AEP, coming up with a marketing plan or strategy is equally as important as selling. In this episode of The Broker Link, Cynthia Rosales goes into great detail about setting up a sales event for potential clients. Cynthia is a Regional Sales Director at The Brokerage Inc. She is also an expert on this topic, setting up many sales events for agents. This episode will help you plan a sales event with great examples of where to go, how to attract clients...
Sep 11, 2023•37 min
Have you registered for The Brokerage Inc. Kickoff event yet? We will begin a series of rollout events starting next week, September 12th in San Antonio and continue onto DFW, Corpus Christi and Houston. This is our annual Brokerage Kickoff event and it will give you everything you will need for 2024 AEP. This mini episode of The Broker Link gives you a short synopsis of what you can expect at this year's event. As with every year, we will have updates from all your favorite carrier reps, a legi...
Sep 05, 2023•6 min
As agents prepare for the start of the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), it's important to learn as much as you can about ancillary products you can cross-sell during your client meetings. In this episode of The Broker Link, we peek inside a webinar with UnitedHealthcare Sales Director Jorge Baste who talks about a few new products in their dental and hospital plans. The UHC The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company, formerly known as Surbridge, has some plans that agents will get excited about. If yo...
Aug 29, 2023•37 min
We continue our Let's Talk Compliance series with an overview of events and what rules you need to follow if you are planning an event. The Brokerage Inc.'s Compliance Director, Diana McElroy, and Training Specialist, Ivonne Acuna dive deep into what you need to know about planning a Medicare event. Some of the questions they will answer include: When can you use the word Medicare? Can you do a giveaway? What types of snacks can you serve? When can you serve a meal? Can you host a series of even...
Aug 22, 2023•49 min
Have you seen the new 2024 ACA rate plans yet? The new Affordable Care Act rate plans are now available for you to review... and there is some good news. In this episode of The Broker Link, The Brokerage Inc. President, Mike Smith gives us an overview of the new 2024 plans. He will discuss what agents can expect in 2024. He will address the rate changes, carrier info and what you need to know about the plans for the new year. This is a replay of a live webinar so there will be some references to...
Aug 15, 2023•38 min
Are your insurance clients asking you for financial advice? There are times when we want to help our clients beyond their insurance needs. Now there is a partner you can share with your clients. They are Retirable, a service providing your clients financial wellness benefits while growing your client relationships, retention and revenue. In this episode of The Broker Link, Gillan speaks with Tyler End, the Founder and CEO of Retirable. They talk about how this service works and how you can help ...
Aug 09, 2023•18 min
Have you ever heard of "keep in touch" marketing? It's exactly what you think it would be, keeping in touch with your clients with a simple email or phone call to see how they are doing. Some agents will take it a little bit farther and send advice, tips, cross-selling information, etc. In this episode of The Broker Link, The Brokerage Inc. Marketing Director, Gillan Boyer offers advice on how to stay in touch with your book of business. This doesn't have to be complicated. He has great suggesti...
Aug 01, 2023•18 min
Most insurance agents appear to spend most of their time trying to figure out all of the rules and regulations of compliance. But compliance doesn't have to be that complicated, especially if you follow all of the rules CMS has set up. In this episode of The Broker Link, The Brokerage Inc. Compliance Director, Diana McElroy, and Training Specialist Ivonne Acuna talk about all of marketing & communications guidelines agents need to follow to be compliant. They will also address other topics l...
Jul 25, 2023•35 min
The buzz word for 2023 appears to be "AI" or Artificial Intelligence. But is it something we really have to worry about in the insurance industry? In this episode of The Broker Link, Gillan Boyer, Director of Marketing for The Brokerage Inc., shares his insight into AI and how agents can take advantage of it in their business. Will it ever replace agents? It's unlikely but Gillan shares his opinion on how it might help agents. For more information about The Brokerage Inc., visit www.thebrokerage...
Jul 18, 2023•32 min
Insurance agents, have you ever tried grassroots marketing when recruiting new clients? There are countless things you can do to get the attention of potential clients. On this episode of The Broker Link, Evette Rodney from The Brokerage Inc. Houston office, discusses different strategies agents can use to recruit new clients and start a relationship with new leads. Evette is an expert on grassroots marketing and provider marketing and she offers great ideas. For more information about grassroot...
Jul 11, 2023•30 min
Are you a little intimidated by all the compliance for insurance agents? CMS is making changes annually to help better protect agents and their clients. But are you having a hard time keeping up with the changes? In this episode of The Broker Link Podcast, The Brokerage Inc. Compliance Officer Diana McElroy and Training Specialist Ivonne Acuna discuss the basics of compliance and how to understand it. Insurance Compliance doesn't have to be the boogeyman. It can be followed if you have the tools...
Jul 04, 2023•19 min
Are you aware of the new regulations coming to the ACA in 2024? These changes are related to the notice of benefits and payment parameters from CMS regarding healthcare.gov and marketplace plans. In this episode of The Broker Link, The Brokerage Inc. President, Mike Smith discusses how CMS is trying to fix the issues involving the "agent of record" changes taking place without clients knowing. To learn more about these new regulations, visit www.thebrokerageinc.com and log into the agent portal....
Jun 27, 2023•22 min
Agents, are you getting countless questions about Social Security from your insurance clients? You are not alone. The topic of Social Security is an important one and most people have questions about how it will work and if it will be available when we retire. In this episode of The Broker Link, brought to you by our friends at Protective Life, Social Security Consultant, Jody Harris will answer all of those most asked questions. Jody worked for the Social Security Administration for 34 years an...
Jun 20, 2023•59 min
The certification season is upon us, are you ready? Each year at this time, Medicare agents have to catch up on their certifications if they want to continue selling Medicare insurance through specific carriers. This year, there is more than just the AHIP certification to consider. You may also certify under NABIP. In this episode of The Broker Link, Gillan sits down with one of The Brokerage Inc.'s Regional Sales Directors, Nick Cindric, about the process of getting certified. And if you want a...
Jun 13, 2023•18 min
Are you thinking about selling Medicare? Or are you an agent looking for ideas on how to grow your business? In this episode of The Broker Link Podcast, we go back to the basics of how to get started in Medicare sales. One of The Brokerage Inc.'s Regional Sales Directors, David Ireland walks us through the process of selling Medicare. You will also learn: How to get certified How do you get paid The best marketing strategies Where to start selling And a lot more. If you want to learn more about ...
Jun 06, 2023•48 min
What do you or your clients know about life settlements? Life settlements are all the buzz these days in the life insurance industry. It's essentially a legal sale of an existing life insurance policy to a third-party investor. The sale is for more than its cash surrender value but less than its net death benefit. It's becoming very popular with folks over 75 who have had a change in their health condition. In this episode of The Broker Link, Ryan Thompson, founder of PolicyMarket, discusses all...
May 30, 2023•35 min
It's that time of year again when people hit the roads to take to the skies for their annual vacation. It's also a great time of year for agents to see if their clients need travel insurance. Adding travel insurance to your portfolio is a great way to increase your cross-selling opportunities. In this episode of The Broker Link, Ronda Logan, the Director of Business Development with IMG walks agents through the different products they offer including the iTravel insured program, short-term polic...
May 23, 2023•50 min
Are you using social media to its full potential? Social media can be really effective to grow your brand, improve your local reach and convert leads if used correctly. In this episode of The Broker Link, Gillan runs through the state of social media marketing for 2023 from the perspective of marketing your business. What platforms should you be on? How often should you post? These are just some of the questions he will answer during this episode. This is a great podcast to listen to if you want...
May 16, 2023•27 min
Agents, do you have diabetic clients in need of help affording supplies for their medications? Advanced Diabetes Supply or ADS offers specialized, personal home delivery to diabetes patients. They carry all brands of Continuous Glucose Monitoring supplies, insulin pumps, and pump supplies, as well as other brands of diabetes supplies and accessories. In this episode of The Broker Link, we listen to a presentation by Tom Calder of ADS about how agents can help their Medicare clients with this per...
May 09, 2023•18 min
Are you aware of the Medicaid redetermination (or unwinding) process? Since COVID, annual Medicaid redetermination was put on hold, meaning people stayed on Medicaid even if they didn't qualify. So in February, states began their Medicaid redetermination process with dis-enrollment to start on April 1st of this year. Several million people will become uninsured because of this and a quarter of those people are expected to qualify for an ACA plan. This could be a great opportunity for agents in t...
May 02, 2023•27 min
