Guides that answer the hard questions.
Sixteen long-form guides, each with a short answer first and the sources we checked.
For agents
- How to join an IMO: the questions to ask before you signTo join an IMO, get licensed, apply, and sign a contract that links you to carriers. Before you sign, ask in writing about fees, release terms, lead costs, chargebacks, contract levels, and vesting. A good IMO answers plainly. A weak one dodges. This guide lists every question and Epic Life's answers.Read the guide
- Life insurance chargebacks explained: how they work and how to protect your cash flowA life insurance chargeback is commission a carrier takes back when a policy lapses or cancels before the agent has earned the full advance. Carriers pay advances up front and earn them out over a set period. Chargebacks vary by carrier and contract. You can reduce them with good fit, clean applications, and a cash reserve.Read the guide
- IMO vs FMO vs MGA: which structure fits an independent agent?IMO and FMO are marketing organizations that connect agents to many carriers. Industry usage treats them as close synonyms. An NMO is a larger national version. An MGA is an agent of an insurer that manages part of its business. A BGA or GA brokers for several carriers. Pick by support, terms, and fit.Read the guide
- Captive vs independent insurance agent: who owns your book?A captive agent sells for one insurer or its family. An independent agent can offer many carriers. Ownership of the client list and renewals depends on the contract, not the label. Many captive agreements give the insurer rights to the book. Independent agents often keep theirs. Read the agreement before you choose.Read the guide
- Inbound calls vs live transfers vs aged leads: how to compare cost per saleInbound calls come from people who dial you. Live transfers connect a pre-screened person to you by phone. Aged leads are older contact records you must reach yourself. Compare them by cost per sale, not price per lead. Whatever you buy, follow TCPA and Do Not Call rules in 47 CFR 64.1200.Read the guide
- How to get a multi-state life insurance license: resident first, then nonresidentGet a resident life insurance license in your home state first. Then apply for nonresident licenses in other states, usually online through NIPR. Reciprocity under the NAIC model lets most licensed agents skip the exam and pre-licensing course in other states, but each state still needs an application, a fee, and carrier appointments.Read the guide
- Building an insurance agency: how overrides and downlines work, and what is legalAn override is extra commission an agency or upline earns when agents beneath it sell policies. In a legitimate agency the money comes from carriers paying commission on real policies sold to real customers, not from fees recruits pay. The FTC treats pay driven by recruiting, not sales, as a pyramid scheme warning sign.Read the guide
- Your first 90 days as a telesales life insurance agent: a week-by-week rampPlan your first 90 days in three phases: get licensed and contracted, learn the sales process and carrier systems, then take live calls and build habits. Timing depends on your state and your carriers. No one can promise income. Focus on process, call review, and tracking your own numbers.Read the guide
For families
- How much does final expense insurance cost, and what sets the price?Final expense insurance cost depends mostly on your age, health, tobacco use, the coverage amount, and the policy type. A healthy 60-year-old pays far less per month than a 78-year-old with health problems. No honest guide can give one price. A licensed agent can compare real quotes from several carriers for you.Read the guide
- Guaranteed issue vs simplified issue: which fits your health and age?Simplified issue asks a few health questions and can pay the full benefit from day one. Guaranteed issue asks none and accepts nearly everyone, but usually pays only a limited benefit for the first two to three years. If you can truthfully pass the health questions, simplified issue is usually the better value.Read the guide
- Burial insurance vs life insurance vs pre-need funeral plans: what is the difference?Burial insurance is a small life insurance policy meant for funeral costs, and it pays your family cash. Regular life insurance pays cash too, usually in a larger amount. A pre-need plan is a contract with a funeral home to pay for specific services. Insurance gives more flexibility. A pre-need plan locks in a provider.Read the guide
- Can you still get life insurance over 70? Options that still workYes. Many people over 70 can still buy life insurance. Options include final expense whole life, simplified issue, guaranteed issue, and sometimes term or fully underwritten whole life if health is good. Your health decides which options open to you. Price rises with age, so compare several carriers.Read the guide
- Mortgage protection vs term life vs PMI: who does each one protect?Mortgage protection insurance and term life both pay if you die. PMI does not. PMI protects your lender if you stop paying the loan, not your family. Mortgage protection is a life insurance product tied to your mortgage. Term life is a flexible policy your family can use for any need, including the mortgage.Read the guide
- How do you file a life insurance claim after a loved one dies?To file a life insurance claim, find the policy, contact the insurer, complete its claim form, and send a certified copy of the death certificate. The insurer reviews the claim and pays the named beneficiary. Timing varies. Simple claims are often quicker, while claims within the first two years or with missing papers can take longer.Read the guide
- Indexed universal life (IUL) explained: caps, floors, costs, and risksIndexed universal life (IUL) is permanent life insurance with a cash value account that earns interest linked to a stock index, within limits. A cap limits the upside and a floor, often 0%, limits index losses. Charges still apply. Returns are not guaranteed, and IUL is not an investment in the market.Read the guide
- Fixed vs fixed index annuity: how do they work and who do they fit?A fixed annuity pays a stated interest rate set by the insurer. A fixed index annuity credits interest linked to a market index, with limits such as caps or participation rates, and usually a 0% floor. Both are insurance contracts, not FDIC-insured deposits, and most have surrender charges for early withdrawals.Read the guide
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