It's fairly common knowledge in the insurance industry that individual disability income insurance can be a tough sell. Individuals can often view it as an unnecessary purchase—there's only the possibility that a disability could happen to them, so why spend the money? The mere potential for a disability often is not enough justification for individuals to take action.

This consumer mentality isn't the only roadblock; the sales and closing process comes with its own challenges. It takes a lot of persistence from a broker to get a full commitment from a customer, and patience is required to see the policy through the underwriting and approval process.

The key to overcoming the above issues and achieving sales success—both in solidifying a partnership with a customer and making the actual sale happen—lies in a broker's approach:

• Don't sell the policy. Educate. Customers don't want to be sold to; they want knowledge and education so they can make the right decision for themselves. Part of the educational process is supplying individuals with truths and facts that are relevant to them. In addition, you can provide a real-life example of how a disability has financially impacted someone.
• Really know the customer, products and carriers. When selling IDI insurance policies, offering one product as a universal solution isn't going to cut it. Get to know your customer—personally. What are his or her goals, needs, wants? Based on your relationships with carriers and knowledge of their products, take this information and seek the appropriate fit. Always provide a catered solution.
• Communicate the fundamentals of disability. There are a variety of disabling injuries and illnesses that can cause different levels of disability and impact the steady flow of income most individuals rely on for everyday living. Not everyone knows what these are, nor do they understand them. It's important to simplify common disability insurance terms so individuals can understand how IDI policies work and how IDI insurance can help them in their time of need. If you can break down the major disability categories—total permanent, total long term, total partial, partial progressive and short term—into easy-to-understand terms, that can go a long way to making IDI insurance real and personal for individuals.

Let's expand on one of the above points—the importance of knowing your customers and available products. In such a competitive marketplace, brokers that invest their time in getting to know their customers on a personal level come out the strongest. When you find out what customers truly need, you can deliver results by having a deep knowledge of the carriers and the products they offer to find the right fit.