Read-only script — please read it here on this page. This script is not available to download or print.
Stage 1: Opening & Introduction
Note / What to do: If the call is from an AI or a bot, open the call like this:
Thank you so much for holding on the line. My name is Simon, I am a product specialist, and I will be happy to assist you with Final Expense quotes. How are you doing today?
Note / What to do: If the call is from a fronter or a verifier:
Final Expense Department, this is Simon Joseph. How are you today?
Stage 2: Who We Are & What We Do
Note / What to do: Tell the prospect a little bit about who you are, what you do, and how you can help them:
Now, let me tell you a little bit about who we are and what we do. Basically, we are an independent insurance brokerage affiliated with the top 40 A-rated insurance companies, and we are licensed nationwide, helping about 10,000 families a year for their whole life insurance.
May I ask how old you are as of today?
And in order to pull up the rates from your local area, can I have your ZIP code?
Stage 3: The Pitch & 3 Promises
Note / What to do: Present your product now, because presentation matters a lot. Explain the product and make sure the customer understands it well:
These new state-regulated plans are designed to cover 100% of the cost of burials, funerals, cremations, and any other final expenses, and we have made it very easy for you. Basically, I promise you 3 things here:
1. I will make sure you get a policy within your affordable budget.
2. There will be no physical exams or medical exams.
3. You will have no one come to your doorstep to discuss anything. I will do everything on this one phone call.
Sounds fair?
Stage 4: What Should the Coverage Do?
Note / What to do: This is the need-building part of the call, so work on it tightly:
A lot of folks I speak with would like to get this coverage for either burial, cremation, or to leave some money for their loved ones, so that they don’t have to worry about anything. So, what would you like this coverage to do for you? Would you like it for burial, cremation, or to leave some money?
Note / What to do: We don’t replace insurance policies. We can consider adding extra coverage on top of the customer’s existing policy, if they have one (for example, if they have a $5,000 policy and need $10,000 in total, we can add a $5,000 policy). If they already have enough coverage, we should not sell them a new policy. If they have a policy that is less than 1 year old, we should not replace it at all, because it would be a loss for the customer (for example, if they have a $10,000 policy and they have been paying for it for the last 1 year).
Stage 5: Employment & Income
Are you currently employed, self-employed, or retired?
Note / What to do: If “retired”, ask: “Are you on Social Security income or disability income?” If “disability”, ask: “What is the nature of your disability?”
Note / What to do: Make no mistakes during the underwriting at all. Take your time, and let your prospect know that it is important to be honest and transparent with you regarding their health:
Now I am going to ask you some medical questions, and we expect your honesty — that is going to save you a lot of time, and it will also help us to get you the best possible rates. So:
Stage 6: Health Questions — Part 1
Have you ever been diagnosed or treated for Alzheimer’s, dementia, congestive heart failure, an organ transplant, kidney failure or dialysis, liver failure, or are you currently on hospice care, bedridden, paralyzed, or have you had an amputation due to a disease?
Are you currently hospitalized or in a nursing facility? Due to a disease, are you confined to a wheelchair?
Have you been prescribed, by a doctor or a member of the medical profession, any upcoming surgeries, or are you currently on a waiting list for an organ transplant, or are you currently on oxygen?
Are you currently on oxygen?
Do you currently have cancer, or have you been diagnosed with cancer in the last 2 years?
Stage 7: Health Questions — Part 2
Note / What to do: If the customer is in good health:
It’s truly wonderful to hear that you’re in good health! That’s such a blessing, and I hope it continues for many years to come. Now, let me ask you a few more questions to make sure we get you the best possible coverage.
Note / What to do: Now find out whether the client qualifies for Level, Graded or Modified — if all the above questions are answered “No”, then the client qualifies for Level; otherwise, find out the best plan for them:
In the last 5 years, have you had any heart attacks, cancers, Alzheimer’s, dementia, congestive heart failure, or any other major health condition?
In the last 1 year, have you had a stay in the hospital for more than 5 days?
Are you currently able to perform daily activities such as bathing, dressing or toileting?
In the last 2 years, have you been prescribed, treated or diagnosed with cancer, a tumor, HIV, AIDS, or any other serious condition?
Have you ever had any kidney, lung, brain, heart, circulatory system or liver disorder?
In the last 3 years, have you been diagnosed and treated for leukemia, sickle cell anemia, a brain disorder, or any other serious condition?
In the last 2 years, have you had any stents, a pacemaker, a defibrillator, a valve replacement, a stroke, or any other heart-related procedure?
Do you have any health condition, or take any prescribed medication on a regular basis, that I should know about?
Do you have any complications from diabetes? (Neuropathy, amputation due to diabetes, retinopathy, diabetic coma, insulin shock, or kidney disease due to diabetes?)
Have you consumed any tobacco or nicotine products in the last 12 months?
Stage 8: Presenting the 3 Options
Alright, that’s pretty much all the questions I needed to ask. Within a few seconds, I should be able to pull up the best options for you. And if you are approved, I will be able to give you a policy number today.
Note / What to do: Now pull out the prices and give 1 quote at a time. Ask them if it is enough, or if they could stretch a little more for a higher coverage amount. Do not give all 3 quotes at once:
Please stay on the line while I am pulling up the prices for you. I’ll pull up three different options for you, so you can choose the one that fits your budget the best.
For $5k worth of coverage, the monthly premium will be just $______.
And for $7k worth of coverage, the monthly premium will be only $______.
While $10k worth of coverage is coming up at just $______.
Which of these options sounds best for you?
Stage 9: Plan Recap & Carrier Credibility
Note / What to do: After they select the plan, let them know:
Now let me tell you more about this. First, it’s going to be a whole life insurance policy. A whole life insurance policy lasts for your whole life, as long as you pay your premiums, and it will never expire. This means that when you pass away, the policy will still be active, and your family will be able to use the money to pay for your funeral and burial expenses. And let me also tell you about the carrier. The carrier for this policy is ______. This is a very good, financially stable company that has been in the market for a long time and has been doing business for ______ years. This company is also rated A or A+ by the Better Business Bureau and has a very high rating, so you can trust it with your money. And the best thing about this plan is that it will never increase in price, no matter what happens. You will have peace of mind, knowing that your family will be taken care of when the time comes. Now coverage amount $______. Plan will be (Level, Modified, Graded, Guaranteed Issue), and monthly premium $______. OK?
Stage 10: First Payment Date
Note / What to do: Now you should always select a draft date according to when they receive their salary or Social Security income, so that the payment is never missed:
So, the process is very simple. I will go ahead and fetch my documents and fill up an application, the only thing I will be needing from you is some information, and then we will set up a date for the first payment. So, when do you get your Social Security or your salary, on the 1st, the 3rd, or on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday of the month?
Note / What to do: While choosing the date, please make sure the following days or dates are NOT chosen: 1) the 29th, 30th or 31st of any month, 2) the 1st of any month, if it falls on a weekend, 3) any date on which the customer does not receive their income, 4) the 15th, unless they receive income on the 15th:
Stage 11: Recorded Line — Application Details
Note / What to do: Just for the sake of quality assurance, the insurance agency wants us to record the call, so I will be recording this part of the call. Please speak clearly and slowly:
So, Sir/Ma’am, my name is Simon Joseph, my agent ID is 8035, and I am completing your application for ______ (insurance company) final expense whole life insurance policy. The plan you have chosen is ______ (plan name), the coverage amount is $______ and the monthly premium is $______.
Please spell your first, middle and last name for me, the way it’s written on your legal documents.
What address do you want us to mail the policy to?
Your date of birth on your legal documents?
What state were you born in?
Are your mailing address and physical address the same, or would you like to put a different address for the mailing address?
Note / What to do: If the address is in PO Box format, please collect the physical address.
Is this the only phone number you have, or do you have a different phone number as well that you would like to add?
Do you use email, where you can get an instant email as soon as you are approved?
What is the name of your primary doctor?
Note / What to do: Say this warmly: “Wow, I can see he/she got very positive reviews on Google — he/she must be a good doctor.”
Who will be the person receiving a check of $______ in case of your death from the insurance company?
And would you like to add a second beneficiary as well?
Note / What to do: For the SSN, date of birth, name spellings, routing number, account number and bank name: don’t spoon-feed the customers. Let them tell you the information themselves, and then read it back to confirm:
What is your Social? Please state it one digit at a time. (It must be 9 digits. Read it back in the same order, one digit at a time, and then ask: “Is that correct?”)
Stage 12: Pen & Paper — Write This Down
I want you to grab a pen and a piece of paper, please. I would like to provide you with some important information for you to write down, so you will have it for future reference.
Note / What to do: Make them write down the following:
1. Insurance company name
2. Plan name
3. Coverage amount
4. Monthly premiums
5. Call-back number
6. Your agent extension ID
7. Office hours (9 to 5, Monday to Friday)
Now, I would like to do more customer service here — that’s how we serve more than 10,000 families a year.
For your payments: as we mentioned, the first payment draft date will be ______. What will be the future payment draft dates?
The insurance company withdraws funds out of your bank account on the following dates, so you never miss your payments — even if you are sick or hospitalized, or even if you are in a state of emergency where you could miss your payments by mistake. It should not be missed, to avoid a lapse on your policy.
Stage 13: The Transfer
Whom do you bank with?
That’s a great bank. We have a lot of customers who are banking with ______ bank. How long have you been banking with them, and what is it that you like the most about them? Do you have a checking account or a savings account with them?
Now, as I told you, we have a lot of people banking with this bank, so I have got your routing number with me — a routing number is just a branch code. Can you grab your checkbook and confirm it for me, if it’s correct?
What is your account number?
Where are you reading these numbers from?
Note / What to do: If from a checkbook: then request your client to read the set of numbers written on the bottom-left corner of the check — that is their routing number. The middle set of numbers is their account number. The right-most set of numbers is the check number (which is not required).
Note / What to do: If the bank statement is available: in the top-right corner of the bank statement are the account numbers. They can be written in the following ways, i.e., account number 01234567891023344 / account number *******3344. If the account number is written on their statement like this — account number *******3344 — then you will have to ask the client for the full account number. If they can provide it, it’s good; otherwise, you will be calling the bank with them on the line, on a 3-way call, and asking them to request the bank account number and routing number from the bank.
Alright, we are done with this. I am going to now transfer you to the licensed insurance agency. They will be completing your insurance application. They will handle ALL insurance matters with the carrier, from this point forward. It was my pleasure assisting you up to this point. I will share the information you have provided with the agent now and connect you. Please stay on hold for a few moments.