It was wonderful seeing so many of you at the Medicare Connections Conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Watching agents connect, collaborate, and share ideas was truly inspiring. One thing we want you to take away from the conference is that everyone at URL is here to support your long-term success. We're in your corner every year.
For those who don’t know me, I’m Matt Alina, the Final Expense Manager at URL. I oversee our final expense sales and marketing efforts. It was great meeting so many of you at the conference. But I left with a concern: are we really doing everything we can for our clients?
Too often, Medicare agents treat their client interactions as one-time transactions. When you do that, you open the door for someone else to step in and take that client away from you. I call them poachers. So I’ll ask the question again: Can you afford to lose 30% of your Medicare clients?
The answer, of course, is no. But here's the problem. There are countless companies actively trying to get in front of your clients. They may start with something like life insurance, annuities, long-term care, or final expense—but nothing stops them from circling back to take over your Medicare relationship as well.
We recently conducted a study at URL using data from agents who were purchasing final expense leads. These were agents already writing Medicare business with us. We discovered that 30% of the final expense leads that came in were people who were already working with one of our Medicare agents. These clients needed help with final expense, but their Medicare agent never offered it—so another agent stepped in.
Final expense is in high demand because it addresses some of the most pressing concerns your clients have. Just turn on the TV and you’ll see ads all day targeting seniors about final expense planning. Why? Because many seniors worry about the financial burden they'll leave behind. They're thinking about the cost of a funeral, whether they want to be cremated or buried, and how their family will afford it. Some of them have credit card debt, car loans, or even mortgages. Many are living on Social Security, and that income stops when they pass away.
A final expense policy provides a death benefit that avoids taxes and probate. The money goes directly and immediately to the beneficiary. These policies are usually simple to apply for—no medical records, no exams. Just a few health questions and in many cases, you get an underwriting decision at the point of sale. If approved, coverage starts right away, and you get paid quickly too. These are not teaser-rate plans like the ones advertised on TV, where the price goes up every five years or coverage ends at age 80 or 85. These are lifetime policies. As long as your client pays the premium, the rate is locked in and the benefit is guaranteed.
Now, what does losing 30% of your clients actually look like financially?
Let’s say you have 100 clients. If you earn an average of $350 per client in renewals, you’re making about $35,000 in annual income. A 30% loss means you lose $10,500. If you have 250 clients, you’re making around $87,500. A 30% loss there is over $26,000. With 500 clients, that’s $175,000 in renewal income, and a 30% loss equals more than $52,000. If you have 1,000 clients, you’re earning $350,000. A 30% loss is $105,000. Agencies with over 5,000 clients are looking at $1.75 million in annual income, and a 30% loss means losing over $525,000. That’s a massive hit.
You work hard to get certified, pass AHIP, and contract with top carriers to serve your clients well. So why would you let someone else step in and take over just because you didn’t offer a simple product like final expense?
Some agents worry about managing both Medicare and final expense. But final expense isn’t complicated. It doesn't change frequently, isn’t tightly regulated like Medicare, and is easy to learn. You don’t need to be an expert to offer it. At URL, we provide the training, tools, and compliant marketing materials you need to succeed.
We even have a free intake form you can use during Medicare appointments. It allows your client to check off areas where they’d like more information, such as life insurance, annuities, long-term care, or other needs. You don’t have to discuss those products during the Medicare appointment, but you can follow up later. It’s a simple way to open the door to future conversations—and it’s fully compliant.
Many agents are using final expense appointments to get back in front of clients for Medicare reviews. They say, “My calendar’s filling up for the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period. Would you like me to add you to my calendar so I can help review your Medicare options?” This is a powerful and compliant way to cross-sell and retain clients.
We also provide pre-written client letters you can personalize and send out. These letters thank your clients for their trust and explain why it’s important to sit down and review their final expense needs. If you don’t know how to tell that story, don’t worry—we have stories and examples you can use that will help your clients understand why they need this coverage.
If you’re thinking, “I don’t have the time,” that’s okay too. Through our Orion Referral Program, you can refer the client to us. We’ll help them make an informed decision, write the application, and split the commission with you. Best of all, the client stays yours. You get paid, and your client is protected.
Let’s look at what happens when you do offer final expense. Most Medicare agents who actively cross-sell see about a 20% conversion rate.
If you have 100 clients, you could add about $16,000 in income. With 250 clients, that number grows to $40,000. With 500 clients, you’re looking at $80,000 or more in additional income. The more clients you have, the more revenue you can generate—and the more likely you are to retain those clients for life.
By offering final expense, you strengthen your client relationships. They’re more likely to stay with you and refer others. They’ll say, “I’ve got someone who helps me with Medicare and life insurance—you should call them.” That’s the kind of trust you want.
If you only offer Medicare and nothing else, you’re leaving yourself open to declining retention and shrinking income. We've seen what happened with the Affordable Care Act. Government regulation disrupted agent commissions, and there’s talk that CMS may look for other areas to cut costs. If that happens in Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplements, wouldn’t you rather have other revenue streams to fall back on?
Cross-selling lets you meet more of your client’s needs. Medical expenses? You’ve already handled that with Medicare. Worried about outliving their money? Let’s talk about annuities. Carrying too much debt? Let’s consider life insurance. Don’t have a plan at all? You can help them build one.
Now, what are the steps to begin?
Start by sending out a compliant letter to your clients, a few at a time. After that, follow up with a phone call to schedule a brief appointment. During that meeting, tell client-focused stories that illustrate the value of final expense coverage. Show them how it applies to their specific situation. Then ask for referrals and continue the process. This approach helps grow your business, increases client retention, and adds a new revenue stream.
We hold Final Expense Sales Training sessions on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. In those sessions, we walk you through everything from how to sell, what to say, how to position yourself as a trusted resource, and how to get paid quickly. Final expense is a fast, effective way to grow your business, especially as the holidays approach and expenses start to pile up.
At URL, our commitment is to give you the training and tools to succeed in this growing segment of the insurance industry. We’ll connect you with top companies, products, and compensation through your partnership with us.
If you’re ready to get started, email me at
If you're not interested in getting licensed or selling it yourself, the Orion Referral Program is still a great option. You retain the client, we handle the work, and you still get paid.
We’ve thought of everything so you don’t have to. I appreciate your time and hope this has helped you think more strategically about how to protect your book of business and grow your revenue.
Again, email me at
Take care.