A New Addition To Our Insurance Line-Up - Dental!

For the last few years we at Surf Financial Brokers have offered a dental/vision/hearing combo plan. And to be honest, we weren't too crazy about it because the dental portion of the plan had a network that just didn't work for most of our clients. 

We listened to your feedback and have taken on another dental and vision insurance carrier. However, instead of a "combo" product, the new plans are separate. We still offer the combo plan and if you need hearing coverage, it will be available.

One of the issues I have heard over the years is that dentists tend to go from one network to another, and rarely notify their patients ahead of time. There's nothing more frustrating than finding out after a cleaning or other service has been completed that your dentist no longer is in the network. With that in mind, we offer "out of network" plans that can work as well. 

We haven't done away with the old plans, and like our many of our other products, we will continue to offer a variety of carriers. That's the nice part about being a truly independent insurance agency. We don't work for a company, but instead the companies work for us.

The really good news is that you can get a quote directly from our site. And if you find the plan that you like and fits your budget, you can apply online. It's that easy!

Have a question? Book a short phone call from our site or drop us a note below in the comments. 

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life and disability insurance coverage. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog!

"Group Benefits" For The Self-Employed

I spend a portion of my time working in the "voluntary benefits" arena as an enroller, or "benefits counselor". In a nutshell, I enroll benefits for large groups, like schools, hospitals and municipalities, for example. Typically I sit with an employee in a one-on-one meeting and review their current benefits and check to see if they need any other insurance poducts. It's great to meet these folks and help them with insurance products like dental, vision, disability, accident and life insurance. 

The majority of my working time is spent working with individuals, however, many of which are self-employed. Realtors, sales professionals, small business owners and other "contract employees" or 1099's for instance, make up a lot of my clients. These great people are just as deserving of having decent insurance products, regardless of the size of their company. 

With this in mind, we invite all to visit our site and take a look at some of our voluntary products that can be purchased on an individual basis. There, one can get quotes for products such as life, cancer, hospital indemnity and accident insurance right from our site. And if you see coverage you like you can even start an application!

For some of our other products, like disability insurance and long term care insurance, one can book a short phone call to get a quote as accurate as possible.* We are independent agents and have access to many of the best policies. 

As independent insurance agents, we are also independent contractors, which means that we use our own products. Having a disability or cancer plan come out of our bank account instead of a paycheck doesn't change the fact that we need these important insurance plans. 

Please take the time to get a quote for yourself or your family. It probably won't cost as much as you think. 

*Quotes are not guarantees or offers of coverage and all policies are subject to underwriting. 

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life and disability insurance coverage. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog!

What Are You Buying Online? 2023

When I originally got into the insurance business the internet didn't exist. Agents would carry rate books with incredibly small print and have to calculate the premiums and fees by hand. Needless to say mistakes were a common occurrence, and I was one of the biggest culprits of quoting someone an incorrect price. 

At that time (back in the 1980's) we were taught a method of prospecting which involved networking and learning verbiage to ask for referrals. The networking part was not as bad as it would seem because I am comfortable talking to strangers. And I found out later that most of the people I was trying to connect with were not as comfortable as I was in that situation. On the other hand, though, the referral part was hard for me.

Let's face it, most people don't like to give referrals. When I have asked for referrals in the past I can sense the tension build and the wheels turn in my client's head. I understand the trepidation because I have been on that side of the situation as well. You give a friend's name and the next thing you know your friend calls you angrily. "Why did you give that insurance agent my name?"

Unfortunately, things haven't changed much since then. There are still companies out there trying to teach their new agents the old school ways. This is because they believe that insurance selling is built upon a relationship of trust. There's nothing wrong with that, but people in general, and younger people specifically, don't feel the need to have that relationship anymore. 

From an insurance agency standpoint, we still do some of the same "old school" things, but with the internet available, we can now market to a wider geographical area without having to be physically able to see and talk to our clients. Zoom and other tools have given agents access to people who need our products and services from multiple states.

This is evident by the increasing numbers of people who are buying financial products on the internet. Things like auto insurance, life insurance, investments and banking were handled in person by an agent or advisor, and they still are. However many people feel they no longer need, or want, to deal with someone for these types of services.

Personally speaking, I began purchasing my car insurance online years ago, as well as my small investment portfolio. By doing this, it keeps more money in my pocket and I don't have to wait for someone to return a phone call or be in their office. Convenience is the name of the game.

With that in mind, we have done our best to make available more products on our website that clients can look at when it is convenient for them. And if someone wants to speak to a real person, we have made our calendar available for a phone appointment accessible too. 

Check out our website and run a quote, and if you see a rate you like that fits into your budget, you can even start an application. We want to make things as convenient for our clients as possible. In the meantime, please stay healthy!

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life, disability, long term care, cancer, accident and other insurance coverages in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient, and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog!

The Basics Of Dental Insurance

One of the most popular benefits people want to discuss when enrolling for their benefits is their dental insurance. I have always felt that the reason they ask about dental coverage is because they know they will use it, even if it's just for the preventative benefits. And in the back of everyone's mind is the scenario of breaking a tooth while eating popcorn or a candy bar. 

Dental insurance, like health insurance, is typically supported by networks of doctors, who agree to fees for certain services. This can help dental patients with the fees for "basic" services such as fillings or extractions, or "major" services, like root canals or crowns.

There are plans available that will allow one to go out of the network for these services, which may mean paying more out of pocket, but they still cover the bulk of the costs. For those who live in rural areas where finding a doctor in a certain network can be difficult, this is a still a good option.

And there can be waiting periods, depending on the plan. I have seen some plans that only cover preventative (cleanings and x-rays) for the first year, while others may offer basic services. 

There is a good reason for this. Many people will tell me "I need a root canal, so I better get some dental insurance." The insurance carrier doesn't want to receive a couple of months of premiums (let's say $200 for the family) and have to pay out a $2000 claim right off the bat. Makes sense.

At Surf Financial Brokers, shopped around and looked at several plans that our clients would want. So now we offer a plan that includes vision and hearing coverage as well, and allows clients to receive services in or out of the network. If you are interested in such a plan, you can go to our website and run your own quote for you or your whole family. And if you see a plan you like, you can even start your own application. 

Dental coverage is an important way to avoid unforeseen situations that are painful, inconvenient and expensive. And our teeth are important for our quality of life, as well as part of a great smile.

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life, disability, long term care, cancer, accident and other insurance coverages in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient, and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog!

Now Is A Great Time To Reconsider Benefits For Your Employees

There has been a lot of talk on the news and social media about the labor shortage that we are having in our country of late. Despite what some outlets are saying, there are a variety of reasons why employers are having a hard time finding and keeping personnel.

One way employers can get the employees they want is to offer benefits. I have worked in the workplace benefits arena for years and have seen many small business owners brush off the idea of having to deal with payroll deductions and billing issues. But those same people are now starting to reconsider as they find staffing their businesses to be more difficult than ever.

We work with several companies that offer benefits and can coordinate existing benefits into the mix as well. And we can cover groups of any size, from 2 people to 2000! If you are a business owner or know of someone having staffing issues, let us help you find a good product mix that your employees will want.

Drop us a note or book a short phone call to discuss what you currently offer and how we can help. 

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life, disability, long term care, cancer, accident and other insurance coverages in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient, and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog!

Benefits For Business Owners (and Otherwise Self-Employed) 2023

At Surf Financial Brokers, we really do enjoy helping owners of small businesses, entrepreneurs, sales professionals and otherwise self-employed. This is because we are in the same boat as independent agents. The lack of group benefits can be troubling, but we are doing our best to help these great folks (who are the backbone of our economy) have access to quality dental and vision plans, cancer insurance and, of course, disability insurance. 

Being self-employed can be scary, but it can also be very rewarding. Paying for your own benefits is a small price to pay for the independence and freedom of owning your own business. 

We have put a few of these types of plans on our website for you to look at, run a quote, and even apply if you like what you see. If you need information for something that isn't there, drop us a note or book a short phone appointment to speak with us. We look forward to helping you out. 

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life, disability, long term care, cancer, accident and other insurance coverages in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient, and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog!

Is Your Agent Too Pushy?

Insurance agents have reputations as pushy salespeople similar to those who sell used cars. When I originally went into the business I was fully aware of this and was resistant to even get into the industry. To be honest, the first company I worked with was guilty of feeding into this stereotype. The reason for this was that instead of trying to be a consultant and helping the client structure a plan with a group of good policies we had to work with, we only had one product. And for the most part, we would only meet with the customer once.

We were trained to be aggressive and to get out of someone's home or business with a check in hand. As my coworker would say, "Your income is in their wallet and you need to do everything possible to get it out of there." We dubbed this "guerilla selling", since we would rush in, try to make a few bucks and get out. 

Unfortunately this left me with the impression that all insurance sales were like this. I was young and naïve. My 23 year old brain knew that I did not want to do this kind of sales for the rest of my career. So I got out of insurance and went into selling office supplies, then retail management. 

After a few years I decided to rejoin the insurance workforce, but this time things would be different. No high pressure selling for me. For the most part, things were much better than the first time around and I noticed that many of my coworkers were of the same mind as me. 

Sure, there were those agents here and there that insisted on being pushier than the rest of us. Those agents rarely stuck around for long because much of their sales did not stay on the books. One of the nice things about selling insurance is the residual commissions, but if someone cancels their policy too soon, those commissions go away. 

We had veteran agents who offered to mentor the newer reps. If we had a case we were working on, we could run it by them and get feedback. The most often asked question from them would be "Is this in the best interest of the client?" In other words, "Are you helping the client or yourself?" 

This gave me a much better perspective of what an insurance agent was supposed to be doing. That stereotype of a pushy insurance agent was fading from my mind. 

But why does that stereotype still persist? One answer may be the product itself. Let's face it, no one really wants to buy insurance. It is a product that we buy hoping to never use. Also, it's not tangible. You can hold your policy, but in essence, it's just a promise on a piece of paper. Unlike a car or a home or a video game, you can't enjoy it (unless you enjoy the peace of mind that comes with having it). 

I like to use the "saving up for" test when it comes to sales. Ask someone what the next big (or small) purchase is that they are saving up for. You will get answers like a down payment on a home or a new flat screen TV. No one saving up for Long Term Care insurance or a disability plan. 

And the fact that some insurance has to be mandated should tell you something. If a state government says you are required to have auto insurance, you can infer that if they didn't there would be a lot more uninsured motorists driving around. The same goes for mortgage companies requiring homeowners insurance.

Speaking for myself, I don't want to "high pressure" someone with something they obviously don't want but most like need. With that in mind I use what I call "good pressure" selling, which means that, like a family member who is looking out for their best interest, I'm going to do my best to help someone make the best decision, not just for my client, but for their family as well. 

If you think your agent is too pushy you don't have to do business with him or her. But be aware that most are looking out for you and your family. By asking questions and building a rapport we hope to earn your trust and dispel the idea of the pushy salesperson. 

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life and disability insurance coverage. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog! 

Do You Need Dental, Vision Or Hearing Insurance?

On occasion I work with enrollment companies helping people with their voluntary benefits. We have the usual line-up of products, with life insurance and disability plans available for the employees that we meet with. By far, the most requested products are the dental and vision plans. As a matter of fact, the employees will walk in to our one-on-one meetings and say something along the lines of "all I want is my dental and vision". 

There are those of us, myself included, who don't have access to group policies through an employer. For people who are small business owners, contract employees or otherwise self-employed, getting a good individual plan has been difficult. 

On an individual basis, dental plans are available but can be rather pricey. There are usually waiting periods as well, which can make the product unattractive to many people. With all of this in mind, I have been a bit resistant in including a dental plan in our line up of products. That is, until now. 

We have recently begun to offer a plan through one of our carriers, Manhattan Life, which solves many of the issues we have been concerned with. And even better, this plan not only covers dental, but vision and hearing too!

Another reason we have begun to offer these plans is because Medicare does not provide coverage for dental, hearing or vision and many of our clients have requested information for these services of late.  

Here are a few of the basic features*:

• No networks. You can go to any provider.
• A $100 deductible per year per person.
• The plan is available to people from ages 18-85. 
• You can include up to 3 children.
• You can choose your annual maximum benefit of either $1000 or $1500
• Guaranteed Issue (No health questions)
• Guaranteed Renewable. You can keep it as long as your like as long as you pay the premiums.
• No waiting period for preventative and basic dental services.
• Benefits for hearing exams and hearing aids.

(For a more detailed list of services, click here.) 

As mentioned above, not having a network means you can go to any provider. One thing to keep in mind though is that your doctor may or may not file your claim for you. The patient may have to pay the bill in full and submit the claim on their own. Because of this we recommend asking your doctor before receiving services so there are no surprises.  

One of the nice parts of this plan is that if one does not use the full maximum benefit for dental, they can use the balance for vision or hearing services. One of our partner agents was telling me how he only used a small portion of his benefits on the dental plan one year, so he used the balance to get new eyeglasses. That's maximizing your plan!

We have added a quoting tool to our website, but for your convenience you can run your own quote here.  If you like your quote you can even begin the application, which is easy to complete and only takes a few minutes.

Not everyone wants or needs dental insurance. But for those who do, we hope you take a few minutes to look at the plan and run your own quote. In the meantime, please stay healthy!

*Plans vary from state to state. Be sure to ask for a brochure for your state.

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life and disability insurance coverage. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog!

How Do The Self-Employed Get Benefits?

I am very comfortable working in the group benefits market. Helping people who work for large companies, school systems and municipalities has been part of my world for nearly 20 years now, and making sure they have the right benefits is a task I welcome.

At the same time, I focus the majority of my efforts toward those people who don't have a large corporate employer. As a 1099 contract employee, I realize that it is up to me to find my own affordable benefits that will help me and my family in the event I should get sick or hurt, or worse, die. That is why I enjoy helping other business owners, entrepreneurs, sales professionals and the otherwise self-employed get the coverages they need.

There are a few differences in the types of products available. Those large group products have less underwriting, and in some cases no underwriting. "Guaranteed issue" means that the insurance will cover a person with no questions (except tobacco usage). "Simplified issue" is another option, which means there may be just a few health questions. Those "knockout questions" will decide whether or not a policy gets issued. One "yes" can do you in.

But policies that are issued on a guaranteed or simplified issue basis typically take on more risk, and that risk is passed on to the employee of the group in the form of higher premiums. One of the tricks agents us when selling in the group insurance field is to quote the premium based on pay frequency. If you are paid weekly, $10 each week sounds a lot better than $45 each month. 

For the rest of us, having to find coverages that aren't deducted from our checks can be overwhelming and daunting. It doesn't have to be that way though. Use a couple of our tools and watch our product videos to see what is available and how these products work. 

Let's look at a few of these insurance products.

• Life insurance. We suggest that you take a look at affordable term life insurance while you're working, but maybe also get a small permanent policy for final expenses. For our younger clients we offer a term life insurance policy that will carry them out to age 65! And there is no medical exam* for policies under $250,000. 
• Individual Disability insurance. This should be called "paycheck insurance", because that is the purpose of this policy. When trying to determine how much coverage you should apply for, I suggest the "H.U.G." method by figuring out much monthly expenditures are for housing, utilities and groceries. (Note: individual disability policies generally don't cover maternity unless the doctor deems it necessary during the pregnancy.)
• Business Overhead Expense insurance. This is another version of the previously mentioned Disability insurance, but the benefits cover the bills of your business, not your personal bills. If you rent an office, have utility and payroll expenses, this plan gives you the time to think your options over if you get sick or hurt and are not able to work. You may recover, retire or sell the business, but you won't be rushed into a decision.
• Cancer insurance. I have found that when working with large groups of employees, cancer plans are popular through word of mouth. If one employee is diagnosed the other staff members realize how expensive the out-of-pocket costs are. We have a couple of different options for cancer insurance, one being a traditional reimbursement plan, as well as a lump-sump plan. Both can cover deductibles and co-pays and offer a wellness benefit. (One of our plans also covers several other diseases as well, like meningitis and tuberculosis.)
• Cancer, heart attack and stroke insurance. These plans give you the option to choose if you want coverage for one, two or three types of illnesses.
• Accident insurance. Coverage for any type of accident, from cutting your hand and needing a few stitches to serious automobile wrecks. As long as you get some medical attention these plans pay a benefit. Great for active people or if you have kids who play sports.  

If you are interested in learning more about these products, visit our Products and Quotes page from our website. There you can run your own quote for life and disability insurance, as well as watch some short videos about some of our other products. If you have any other questions, leave us a note on our contact form or book an appointment for us to give you a no-pressure call.  In the meantime, stay healthy!

*Medical records will be requested and may result in some clients needing an exam. 

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life and disability insurance coverage. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog! Thanks! 

Do I Need A Cancer, Heart Attack and Stroke Plan?

We all know someone who has had cancer, heart attack or stroke. And we all are aware that with any of these significant and serious health issues there can be a lot of bills that your major medical insurance  will not pay. Deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses will deplete your savings and can devastate your family financially.

Medical issues are one of the main reasons for bankruptcies in this country. Not only will cancer or a heart attack run up medical bills, but it also can keep you from work. As I have stated on many occasions, your number one asset isn't your home, car or investments, but your ability to earn a living. With a major loss of income comes more stress on you and your family. 

I shared the story in a recent post of a single father who had to take time off from work when his son was receiving cancer treatments. They were literally days away from having the power cut off from their home when they remembered they had a cancer plan, which helped out tremendously. 

Take a look at this short video and see how it works. 

Many companies offer good cancer plans, and many companies offer good plans that help for heart attacks and strokes, but not many let you combine them both. With our plan, you can choose either a plan for cancer or heart and stroke, or you can have both at once. That's flexibility that helps you.

And these plans don't pay the doctor or the hospital, but instead pay you directly. You can choose a lump sum benefit up to $75,000 that you can use at your discretion, whether to pay for your out-of-pocket bills or just your regular monthly bills due to your loss of income. 

These plans also come with a wide variety of optional riders as well. The cancer recurrence rider and building benefit riders are a valuable tool in making sure that your plan keeps up to date with the unknown down the road. You can even add a cancer rider for your children.

All of these features are available for heart attacks and strokes too. You can add these riders if you are concerned about recurring heart attacks and strokes, as well as coverage for your kids. 

But these plans also have some additional features that you probably wouldn't expect, like additional benefits for intensive care, and critical accidents. There is even an optional rider for dental and vision benefits. That's a lot for one affordable plan!

But what if you never use the plan after paying into for years? There's even an option for a return of premium rider which will refund your premiums, minus any claims paid. 

And we make it very easy for you to apply for this great coverage. You can pick out a time from our calendar to have us call you on the telephone. No need to worry about a salesperson coming to your home.  The application process is easy and with just a few questions. 

Don't become a statistic by letting a major illness ruin your family's finances. By making sure you have the right kind of coverage for serious health events like cancer, heart attacks and stroke, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your loved ones can feel secure while you (or another family member) is receiving treatments. And that is what insurance is all about. 

Not all plans are available in all states. We can let you know what is available in your area.

Chris Castanes is the president of Surf Financial Brokers, helping people find affordable life and disability insurance coverage. He's also is a professional speaker helping sales people be more productive and efficient and has spoken to professional and civic organizations throughout the Southeast. And please subscribe to this blog!

Dental, Vision and Hearing - All In One Plan!

In the past, we at Surf Financial have offered our clients dental and vision plans, but only on a group basis.  If someone wanted an individual dental and/vision plan, we just didn't have a plan to offer because we just didn't like what we were seeing in the marketplace.

Fortunately, we have found a plan for our South Carolina clients that offers dental, hearing and vision all in one plan.  And the best part is that there is no network.  In other words, you can use whichever provider you want.

And even better is that the plan is affordable.  And these plans* start as low as $25/month!  Coverage is available for yourself or your entire family.

For a quote give us a call at 843-283-3300 or contact us on the web at SurfFinancialBrokers.com

*For information regarding waiting periods, exclusions and limitations, give us a call.