Brokers Will Discuss How They Remain Relevant

Health insurance brokers will continue to be relevant even as the health insurance landscape changes.

That’s the key message that the moderator of a panel discussion on practice management said he hopes attendees will take away from that breakout session at the National Association of Health Underwriters Convention in Albuquerque.

Wayne Sakamoto, president of Health Insurance Interactive, is moderating a breakout session on “Making It As a Successful Broker.” His panel includes four top-level producers who have qualified as Soaring Eagles, NAHU’s roster of top-producing health insurance agents.

They are:

-    David Contorno, president, Lake Norman Benefits
-    Linda Rose Koehler, insurance benefits producer, Herzog Insurance Agency
-    Suzy Alberts, insurance broker, Comprehensive Benefits
-    Mark Gaunya, co-owner and chief innovation officer, Borislow Insurance

Each panelist will discuss their perspective on practice management.

“I wanted to hear from them what’s really relevant to them in their practice as far as levels of engagement, persistency, working with clients, generating new business,” Sakamoto said. “It’s all about engagement with clients in the marketplace – and by marketplace I mean the general marketplace of clients.”

The majority of those on the panel are focused on the employer group market, Sakamoto said. But the panelists – like many health insurance agents – are diversifying.

“They are working in different markets, working in employee benefits, the Medicare space, the individual space," he said. "But most of their business is generated by employer group market – that’s their common denominator.”

One of the topics that Sakamoto said will be covered in the session is how the brokers use social media to generate business and how brokers reach millennial clients.

Another subject that will be addressed is dwindling commissions and how agents are offsetting those commissions.

“We want this session to be as interactive as possible,” Sakamoto said. “We want to give some insights on the future of health insurance agents, and we hope the message will be uplifting and positive.”

Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at Susan.Rupe@innfeedback.com.

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