Ready To Sell = Licensed + Appointed + Certified
Once you have an up-to-date insurance license for each state you plan to sell in, product appointments and certifications through your carrier(s), you are ready to sell.
Licensed
Before you can think about selling Medicare and other health care products to the masses, you need to become an insurance agent. Each state may be slightly different in its standardized examinations and approval process, but all of them prepare you with the knowledge and understanding of the products you hope to sell, along with the processes to follow from booking an appointment to enrolling your first client in a Medicare plan.
Follow the procedures in your state to take the examination and hold an active Insurance License in your state. You will need an active license in each state where you market Medicare Advantage and Part D Prescription Drug Plan products. That means if you are only licensed in Illinois and Indiana, you cannot sell a product to a client who lives in Ohio.
Appointed
You cannot simply act as a middle man for the Medicare beneficiary. First you must go through the process of contracting with the applicable insurance carrier. The carrier will appoint you to sell the products (i.e., Medicare Advantage, Part D Prescription Drug Plan) you are interested in selling. Without contracting with the carrier and being appointed to sell the product, you would not be able to offer that product to your clients.
Certified
Your carrier will assign you specific prerequisite modules or America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) equivalents for you to complete. You will also need to complete individual product modules for each product you are appointed to sell. Once you successfully complete these modules, you will be certified.
Confirm You Are Ready To Sell
Before you attempt to sell any products, you will want to make sure you meet each of these requirements. Confirm that your state insurance licenses are up-to-date, and complete any requirements to maintain that status. Check with your carrier or carriers that you are appointed to sell the products in each state where you hold an active license, and make sure these appointments are complete and accurate.
Ahead of any sales appointments, review the product certifications you carry. It’s a good idea to certify for all available products, to have the most offerings for your clients.
Are you ready to sell? If you have questions about your ready status, contact our team or your carrier.
