Find The Freedom with Insurance
TOPICS this blog issue covers:
Money - making some - become an Agent/Partner
Q & A - on a variety of topics (about the state of affairs & voluntary benefits)
Businesses - going out of business
People - don’t want to work at work
Productivity TIP - the Big Domino
Positivity Quotes - to end the year on a positive
Want to become an insurance agent?
Leitz Insurance Agency will provide resources to help you become an agent. Wondering how much it costs to become fully licensed?
Here are some common expenses - some get covered by us, and some costs associated with other expenses are provided as budgeting forecasting items:
The schooling - $199 and we will pay the cost for selected candidates
The licensing exams - 2 exams - Life and Health & Accident - $47 per test
The Licenses $170 NJ - to check your state ---> https://nipr.com/licensing-center/apply
The Provider/Partners - Just getting into the industry? Top contracts to have are: - Colonial Life - our top supplemental insurance carrier for business
- World Financial Group - on the Individual side will give you access to a suite of products and services ($125 set up fee)
5. E & O Insurance will be required when you start receiving commissions, $40 per month.
If you have already passed your exams and are interested in starting an insurance agency, here’s an idea of those startup costs. All costs here are approximate costs in NJ (can vary by state):
We can help you with the business entity name and to understand the steps for business LLC registration. Depending on what state you're applying in, you may need the authorization of your business name from the department of banking and insurance before filing. You can then submit an application with your filing fee. In NJ, the business name filing fee is approx. $203 (and there is a recurring renewal fee of $125).;
A Business License/Permit with prospective states starting at $200-400 a year per state (varies per state);
Business Insurance: Errors and Omissions Insurance for the agency, starting at $700 per year depending on how many lines and producers. Do make sure you name yourself on the E & O policy, as well as your LLC. Depending on what lines you are selling, some carriers require a commercial address. General Liability will be needed on the commercial address and should be taken into consideration when establishing your business's location.
Other things to get help with include (but are not limited to): how to hire & onboard employees or independent contractors; set up automation tools like CRM, email & social media processes; domains & website platforms; business management tools; integrated systems, payroll, HR platforms, tax preparation through Quickbooks or other software, virus protection/malware, etc.
VERY IMPORTANT - You will need to get a secondary phone system. Do not use your cellphone! I have a few companies I can recommend based on how many users there will be. Most web-based systems and communication companies have an app you can download onto your cell phone so you can operate remotely.
Leitz Insurance Agency is looking to fill these positions:
FT B2B Sales & Business Development Professionals
Financial Services Partners
And anyone wishing to earn some extra income on a part-time basis
SOME QUESTIONS WE ASKED of Google, ANSWERED:
Q. Do people fear going to work due to the pandemic? A. Many workers who have the luxury of working remotely would like to keep doing so. More than 6 in 10 professionals who responded to a recent LinkedIn survey said they wanted to continue working from home in some capacity after their workplace reopened, and a quarter preferred that option permanently.
“Their main reason? They don’t feel safe going back to work yet,” Caroline Fairchild, an editor-at-large at LinkedIn News, wrote in a blog post. “Some 57% of workers in our survey cited safety as a top concern.”
Q. What qualifies as an essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic? A. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, essential workers are those who conduct a range of operations and services that are typically essential to continue critical infrastructure operations. Critical infrastructure is a large, umbrella term encompassing sectors from energy to defense to agriculture. < ----A little vague in my opinion
Q. Businesses going out of business due to the pandemic?
A. 2020 Bankrupt retail chain stores list is growing... <https://www.aarp.org/money/credit-loans-debt/info-2020/bankrupt-retail-chain-store-list-is-growing.html> Brooks Brothers | Founded: 1818 | Filed for bankruptcy: July 8th “The brand that for generations defined the American way of dressing for success — especially the American male executive way — faced strong headwinds as people increasingly dressed down for the office and then, with the pandemic, stopped going entirely. When it entered Chapter 11, the country’s oldest ready-to-wear clothing retailer had already opted not to reopen 20 percent of its roughly 250 U.S. stores that went dormant in March, and it’s expected to close its three U.S. factories.”
Q. Statistics about the voluntary worksite, in general, is DOWN due to the pandemic...
A. Pandemic forces employers to cut pay... <https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/compensation/pages/pandemic-forces-employers-to-cut-pay.aspx>
“Companies are trimming salaries and wages, revisiting incentive plans…
---- Ask about our NEW partner company
Q. How are employers changing benefits due to COVID-19?
A. The answer might surprise you... <https://hrexecutive.com/what-covid-means-for-voluntary-benefits-might-surprise-you/>
“HR leaders will want to make sure they have a thoughtful, well-communicated plan when it comes to sharing benefits offerings with employees. Employees need more education and information when it comes to benefits. ...12% of employers surveyed by the consulting firm have enhanced voluntary benefits in the wake of COVID
...Just 1% say they’ve reduced voluntary plans, although the vast majority haven’t made any changes.”
----- Education is #1
Q. What about money itself due to the pandemic? A. It's not all negative... <https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/01/heres-how-pandemic-has-impacted-the-financial-lives-of-average-americans.html>
“While millions are still unemployed and many have seen their emergency savings run dry, it isn’t all necessarily negative. Many are saving more and spending less.”
----- This is the perfect time to put a strong financial plan into place for your family
Obviously, the world is not anywhere close to what we consider normal right now. If you want to find the bad news, all you have to do is ask for it. However, the same goes for the good news. Perspective is everything and life does go on either way. I have worked harder than I ever have in years previous, in both my young insurance agency business and for my carrier partners. 2020 has been a year of true definition for me. My focus is on supporting and providing valuable resources to my customers, partner agents, and business colleagues. This is all in support of doing my tiny part in keeping the economy moving forward, regardless of those claiming that doomsday has arrived. Where there's a will there's a way!
My son is my “why”.
I see signs everywhere of people helping each other. It is very uplifting and I share in the feelings of gratitude and joy when I am able to witness a moment of love shared between two humans simply trying to be good to each other. The world needs more good. That is why I am in the business of insurance and benefits. Helping others prepare for a disaster is a tough business, but helping people live a life with peace of mind, now that is a mission for me! The more people on our mission the better! This is my business “why”.
FIND YOUR PATH IN INSURANCE Leitz Insurance Agency is making the conversation and the process easy!
In 2021, I will step up my game! I am going to teach 100 licensed insurance agents how to implement unique products into their current business model to increase their revenue 3 fold!
To those who join my team of licensed insurance agents and business development professionals, I will share my industry expertise and partnerships while teaching you how to build an income providing unique products to employees, business owners, and individuals … and superseding all of that... some valuable business skills I've learned.
PRODUCTIVITY TIP
And then there’s this very intriguing piece of writing I found. In the article “What’s your big domino?” I found the top 4 questions to assist with identifying “the things that are important, and the things that are not.” I learned about the 80/20 rule in other training and readings and this is a good refresher even for myself especially as I plan for a more productive first quarter. Read the full article here: <https://radreads.co/big-domino/>
I would like to leave you with some inspirational quotes that I have shared in my social posts over this year. I hope they inspire you to reach farther, and not to give in to the negativity in your life. In those famous words by Walt Disney, “Dreams really do come true!”
“The will to succeed is important, but what’s more important is the will to prepare.” Bobby Knight
Be sure to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm!
The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.
Dreams don’t work unless you do.
You kinda owe it to yourself to do all the things you’ve dreamed.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain
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Leitz Insurance Agency’s goals and mission have been:
To offer the best in traditional and non-traditional insurance and employee benefits products, along with
To mentor business owners, agents, and brokers in the area of voluntary employee benefits.
To simplify the administration of benefits, reduce costs, and empower consumers.
Expanding our services to include such items as pre-tax consumer benefits, utilizing simple online enrollment portals, and the use of mobile and other advanced technology.
Bringing voluntary benefits into clear focus at the business and consumer level.
Ariel Leitz, owner and a benefits advisor/coordinator at the executive managerial level since 2016, recognized a gap in the voluntary benefits industry. What she has created is a new type of agency - the concierge insurance services business model.
The Leitz approach offers full benefit solutions utilizing a concierge process with business owners, including other brokers and insurance agents. Leitz breathed life into Leitz Insurance Agency’s online presence in 2019 and is rapidly becoming the top agency in her niche. While healthcare and retirement savings remain a staple of benefit packages, voluntary benefits are growing increasingly more important to both employers and employees.
This year, in 2020, HR professionals have faced unparalleled challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There is no denying that voluntary benefits selection is a complex process requiring careful consideration. Leitz is on the front line along with her team of professionals and all are ready to provide guidance and support with timely education, admin tools, and relevant communication.
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