If you’ve been in the insurance game for a while, you know that clients love to talk about health insurance and at times life insurance. However, bring up disability insurance (DI) or long-term care insurance (LTC) and you’re likely to receive blank stares or “I’ll think about it” brush-offs.
Not anymore. These two “hard-to-sell” products are finally having their moment.
If you’re not bringing them up, you’re leaving real money and client protection on the table.
What’s Driving the Demand?
Clients Are More Aware of the “What Ifs”
COVID cracked the illusion that bad stuff only happens to other people. Between long-term health effects, job losses, and caregiving struggles, clients have seen firsthand how fragile health and income can be.
Now, instead of tuning out, they’re leaning in and asking things like:
- “What if I can’t work?”
- “What happens if I need someone to take care of me when I’m older?”
And guess what? You now have the answer with disability and long-term care solutions that address these powerful questions.
Product Innovation = Easier Sales
Insurers are smarter now by innovating away from clunky, one-track policies to rolling out combo and hybrid solutions like:
- Life insurance with LTC riders
- Annuities with care benefits
- Disability policies that pay partial benefits for partial disability
- Return of premium options that ease the “use it or lose it” objection
This flexibility makes it easier to tailor coverage to someone’s situation, without the old-school hard sell.
The Aging Population = Huge Market
Baby boomers are aging out of the workforce, Gen X is living in their 50s, and Millennials are realizing their bodies won’t last forever. Millions of people are:
- Already needing care
- About to be responsible for someone who does
- Starting to realize they’ll need a plan themselves.
That’s your cue.
Disability Is an Income Issue, Not a Health Issue
Too many people think disability insurance is just for dangerous jobs. This belief is not true since most long-term disabilities come from cancer, strokes, and back issues, not accidents.
If you sell health or life insurance, disability needs to be part of the conversation, because income is the #1 asset most people have, and they’ve never protected it. Try this opener:
“If your paycheck stopped next month, how long could you cover your bills?” That question opens the door to a sale.
LTC Is About Dignity, Not Just Dollars
Nobody wants to end up in a nursing home they didn’t choose, depending on strangers to bathe them. That’s where LTC comes in to help clients:
- Stay in their home longer
- Hire professional caregivers
- Reduce financial and emotional stress on the family
- Stay in control of where and how they receive care.
It’s not about selling fear, but selling freedom, dignity, and peace of mind.
How to Start the Conversation
Don’t overcomplicate it, just try these simple, pressure-free openers:
- “Have you ever known someone who had to stop working unexpectedly? How did they manage?”
- “If you needed care down the line, do you know what your options would be, or who would help?”
- “How would you keep your income going if you were out for 6 months?”
Let them talk, listen, and show how these policies fit into the life they’re already building.
The Agent’s Opportunity
These policies are no longer “nice-to-have” add-ons, but core parts of a smart protection plan that you’re in the perfect position to lead. You don’t need to be an LTC specialist or a disability wizard.
Ask better questions, listen for gaps in coverage, and demonstrate how these products address them. More people are ready for these conversations than you think.
The only question is—will it be you having them? Chris Gaston, Agility’s Ancillary expert, is the best person to help you develop your personal approaches for use in these conversations.
Chris can recommend the best products and portfolio to you in a free brainstorming session. He leans on his personal experience in the ancillary sector to share his expertise with you.
Chris can also walk you through our Ancillary Products Contracting website to assess carrier partners and product options. Contact Agility Producer Support at (866) 590-9771 or email support@enrollinsurance.com to answer any other insurance questions.
Chris can also add you to our weekly free email list for more tips and other valuable information, delivered directly to your inbox!
