Brad Snitzer

Location: St. Louis

Company: The Cornerstone Insurance Group

It’s cool to be a broker. In what should be required viewing for all agents and brokers, the movie “Cedar Rapids” got me thinking…. the scene: Tim Lippe (Helms) is explaining to Joan Ostrowski (Anne Heche) how he got into insurance. He speaks of being a child and losing his father in a tragic accident. He recalls how the agent fought to make sure he and his mother were taken care of. The agent becomes the hero. He fast forwards to present day, as he is fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming one of those “insurance heroes.” He recalls the Cedar River flood that caused billions of dollars in damage, and explains it was the agents in the trenches who worked tirelessly to get people’s lives back on track.  Joan then says, “Do you realize you just made it sound cool to be an insurance salesman?”

An insurance hero. One of the most important roles we have is to help people maximize their benefits. All too often, the consumer doesn’t grasp all the nuances of their policy. In a crisis, this is when the broker is invaluable. A few years ago, a client’s employee delivered a baby who had to go to the neonatal intensive care unit.  When all was said and done, her bills from the doctors and hospital totaled $50,000. The employee called me in a panic tearfully explaining she couldn’t afford to pay these bills. After reviewing the claims against her policy, I was ecstatic to let her know that she only owed $500. I was an insurance hero.

Brokers are instrumental. As businesses struggle to survive in these difficult economic times, brokers are instrumental in helping companies negotiate premiums and renewal increases. Most employers think they have no options and consider canceling their health insurance because of premium increases. It’s our job to develop a creative solution that saves their company money without having to compromise the level of benefits offered. As a result, the employer will remain competitive by attracting and retaining the best employees, and additionally have the resources to invest and grow their company. Every company deserves an insurance hero.

Our roles are changing. We’re needed more than ever. Companies won’t have the resources to devote to interpreting health care reform. And nearly 20 percent of it is paid for through penalties and fees. For employers, it’s going to be like reading a manual in a foreign language. Brokers will be tasked with decoding these manuals. Brokers, get ready to roll with the changes and show everyone it’s cool to be a broker. So the next time somebody asks you what you do for a living, hold your head up high and tell them: You help people get money to save their lives, save businesses millions and are still on the front line of health care reform.