How to Prepare for AEP

September 21, 2021 | AEP, Insurance, Lead Generation

The annual enrollment period (AEP) season is coming up, and you know what that means — a lot of hustling and bustling to ensure your clients are prepared for and enrolled in Medicare. This time of the year can be fascinating. It can also be stressful for agents who haven’t had time to prepare. Preparing for AEP is essential for any insurance agent or broker selling Medicare because this is the time of year when many — if not most — enrollees select a plan.

There are many ways to prepare for the AEP season, and you must evaluate everything that needs to be done so that you’re not behind or unfamiliar with the information you need. Luckily, Lead Concepts has you covered.

In this article, we’re going to take a deep dive into how you can prepare for AEP so that you can make sure you end it successfully. These tips include:

• Ensure you meet all certification requirements
• Check that you order all the necessary supplies
• Doing what you can to generate leads and
• Take care of yourself

Before we begin, it’s important to state that these tips and tricks apply to those with their insurance license. The license is required to complete the following steps.

Otherwise, let’s get into it.

Ensure You Meet All Certification Requirements

It’s no secret that to sell Medicare, you have to meet a baseline of requirements. These include carrier certifications and compliance training, to name a couple.

You can ensure that you’re carrier-certified by taking the annual AHIP test. This yearly test costs around $175 and is a crucial way to prove that you understand Medicare to the degree that you can represent the carrier. The AHIP test is updated annually around mid-June, giving you plenty of time to take it before the next AEP season.

But remember: each carrier’s test is different from one another, so make sure that you selected the airlines you want to work with and are checking in to ensure you are up to date with your certifications. You can do this by contacting them to review what you have completed and asking if anything else needs to be done. You will want to do this as early as possible because this is not something you want to hold off on until October, assuming you have not completed everything.

Check That You Order All Necessary Supplies

If you’re unsure what we mean by “ordering necessary supplies,” let us explain. This part typically comes after passing the AHIP, when you’re officially certified. When selling the carrier’s Medicare plans, your carrier may send you pre-enrollment packages with everything you need.

One “supply” you may also need is Errors and Omissions Insurance. Although this isn’t necessarily required to sell Medicare to your clients, it could help you in the long run if you make an error. This insurance is just like a professional liability insurance plan, which is made to help protect you and your company from the complete costs of any claims or lawsuits filed against you while you are selling Medicare. The “errors” listed in this policy include misrepresentation, violation of fair dealing in good faith, inaccurate advice, and more.

It’s essential to ensure all of your supplies are ordered and that you stay updated with your carrier information. Take the time to get to know the carrier you’re working for. Not only will this allow you to become more knowledgeable about their products, but your in-depth observations of the company will show when you talk with clients.

Do What You Can To Generate Leads

Look, we get it. AEP is a busy time of the year for many people, especially for insurance agents. However, it’s still vital that you continue generating leads to keep business flowing after the AEP season. There are a few quick ways to generate leads, including sending mass emails that detail your services, sharing your information on social media, attending conferences, hosting events for prospective clients, and more.

However, another way to generate leads before and during the AEP season is to work with Lead Concepts. Lead Concepts is a dominant force in the lead generation market. We specialize in generating leads for insurance agents through direct mail marketing and are always looking up innovative ways in which you can receive more. Our leads are unique and exclusive to you, meaning your competition won’t receive the same leads you are.

You’ve got a lot on your plate during this time of year, and we want to ensure we are helping in any way we can. Don’t hesitate to contact our world-class lead experts today to learn how we can assist you during AEP.

Take Care Of Yourself

This may not seem like the most pressing way to prepare for the AEP season, but trust us, it’s just as important as the other steps. Take care of yourself regardless of your career. With AEP being a fast-paced and busy time for insurance agents, it’s essential to take the time to check on yourself.

You can do little things to ensure you take care of yourself. Little things like going to bed at a reasonable hour and taking a few minutes daily to breathe and refocus. You can also focus on eating right and being careful not to overload yourself with work and tasks.

And if you’re still not convinced, take a moment to put yourself in your client’s shoes. Many Americans aren’t entirely sure about Medicare and how it can help them. Thus, this is your opportunity to be that helpful resource. Customer retention is critical as an insurance agent. You must take care of yourself to ensure you’re giving every client your best efforts. If you’re tired and not at the top of your selling game, you won’t make your clients feel they made the right choice in working with you. You don’t want to burn yourself out during this time for obvious reasons. So, take every opportunity to slow down during this fast-paced time.

Summary

You work hard as an insurance agent to bring great deals and coverage to all clients you encounter. This is true whether during the AEP season or the regular calendar year. So now, it’s time to focus on everything you know and do what is necessary to prepare for the annual enrollment. There are many ways you can prepare for AEP as an insurance agent. These ways can include:

• Ensure you meet all certification requirements
• Check that you order all necessary supplies
• Doing what you can to generate leads and
• Take care of yourself

Preparing yourself for the AEP season is one of the best moves you can make. Falling behind during this time is easy, but digging yourself out is a difficult hole. Lead Concepts hopes that your AEP season goes smoothly. We cannot wait to help you in any way we can.

Visit our blogs for more tips and tricks about AEP. To get started with our top-tier lead experts today, visit our website or call us at 800-283-0187.