Insurance sales are notoriously difficult. There’s so much packed in every pitch, from qualifying to bundling. How can you simplify the process so your reps can start selling?
In a recent episode of Reimagining the Contact Center, Rob Liano (telesales trainer, coach, and consultant who’s helped many insurance companies sell more insurance) outlined the steps reps can use to sell more insurance. Here are his 7 steps for success (including a couple pro tips):
Preface the Sale and Build Rapport
Explain why you are calling and begin building a relationship. Don’t try to make a sale, try to gain a customer instead.
- Pro Tip: Start with a connection. “I was assigned to your account, and I look forward to assisting you.” It makes the potential customer feel like they are supposed to be talking to you.
Customer’s Needs Analysis
Qualify the sale and budget by asking if the customer has insurance coverage already.
- If their answer is “Yes”: “What do you like about it/dislike about it?” Provide packages that solve for the things they dislike.
- If their answer is “No”: “When are you looking to start?” This qualifies them and their purchase timeframe.
Customer’s Needs Confirmation
Summarize the customer’s needs and what they are looking for to ensure you aren’t missing anything. If you can clearly communicate their needs back to them, this demonstrates that you were listening to them and took their interests seriously.
Customer’s Needs Exploration
Determine what else the customer may need in order to bundle additional packages. Customers are more likely to stick around when they have several products from you vs. just one.
Customer’s Needs Solution
Summarize the package and demonstrate the value. You demonstrate your value by asking the right questions and being the subject matter expert. You demonstrate the insurance company’s value by clearly stating who they are and what they offer. You demonstrate the package’s value by what the customer will be receiving.
- Pro Tip: Use the term “here’s what you are getting” vs. “here’s what’s in the package.” It’s more definitive.
Price Introduction
Provide the final package price. Always offer the best solution to them even if it’s over budget so they know you are providing them with what you would provide your mother.
Button It Up
Don’t just say “Thank you for your time. Have a great day.” You just asked them a lot of personal questions. Ensure you walk them through what will happen after they get off the phone. Provide them with your contact information at the end so they can contact you with any questions.
Don’t Miss The Latest Updates in Insurance Sales
On October 22, Rob will join insurance sales leaders to discuss the successes and failures they’re seeing in the insurance sales industry. The entire event will be conversation focused — no powerpoint slides or boring content. Learn more and sign up here.
Maria Edington
Maria Edington is the Vice President of Marketing at Balto, where she works closely with contact center leaders to improve how teams function day-to-day and plan for what’s ahead. Over the past five years, she’s led initiatives focused on performance, quality, compliance, and the practical use of AI across the contact center floor. Her experience spans complex, high-volume industries including Medicare, P&C insurance, financial services, collections, home improvement, and banking—sectors where conversations are tightly regulated, high-stakes, and often the last mile of the customer experience. Maria has contributed to research on Medicare Advantage trends, MedPAC policy, and eBroker financial performance, and regularly works with operators navigating shifting compliance requirements and productivity demands. With a background in engineering, Maria brings a systems-level mindset to how contact centers work—and how they can work better. Her focus: helping contact centers modernize—adopting smarter tools, better habits, and a stronger foundation for what’s ahead.
