April 2008

Table of Contents

Editor Column: Kate Kinkade

2008 To Be a Busy Healthcare Reform Year in California
by Alan Katz  
• With the demise of comprehensive healthcare reform and the arrival of a horrendous budget deficit, California lawmakers are busy looking for ways to fix what they perceive to be the state’s broken healthcare system on the cheap.
How the Secondary Market for Annuities Can Build Your Business
by John Zepeda
• Liquidity can contribute to the financial success of clients and prospects. It helps professionals provide solutions, develop new revenue streams, strengthen client relationships, and stake out a leadership position in an emerging and important market.
Outsourcing COBRA Administration: Saving Money in an Uncertain Economy
by Michael Close
• In an uncertain economy, employers’ belt-tightening may include reductions in workforce, which come with corresponding COBRA obligations.
Military Leave Invokes Three Amigos:  COBRA, USERRA, and FMLA
by Rich Glass, JD
• There are enough employee protections among COBRA, USERRA, and FMLA to motivate employers to manage military leaves in a compliant fashion.
War Stories from a Disability Claims Consultant
by Arthur Fries
• I’ve provided advice on some 600 disability claims. Some could bring tears to your eyes and others laughter that would bring tears.
Guaranteed Standard Issue -- the Fast Track to Success
by John Andraos
• Multi-life disability income insurance is becoming part of the sales arsenal for many representatives who were focusing only on the individual market.
Disability Insurance Delivers a Three-Way Win
by Paul Wickline  
• Amid belt tightening, more employers are able to provide benefits through education and enrollment of products like voluntary disability.
Helping Employers Understand What Disability Benefits Can Offer
by Rick Shube
• This spring is a perfect time to encourage your employer customers to launch an employee awareness campaign about disability insurance.
International Health Insurance: Moving into the Mainstream
by Brendan Sharkey
• Savvy agents and brokers have taken note of how the relentless pace of globalization is expanding the horizons of health insurance products.
Annuity Alternative Sets Sail!
by Curtis Cole  
• Life settlement investments offer product diversification and commissions from existing and future clients.
NAIFA & AALU Response to STOLI Threatens Advisors & Industry
by Daniel Harris, Esq.
• Producers should oppose anti-consumer and anti-agent provisions in the NAIC Model that are being promoted by the ACLI.
Good Reasons for Agents to Cash in On the Life Settlements Boom
by Mark B. Leeds, MBA
• Independent brokers can cash in on the life settlements with the right information and incentives.
Small-Face Life Settlements Will Help Brokers and Agents in 2008
by Michael D. Quinn
• Small-face policies comprise the vast majority of life insurance policies in the United States
Life Settlement Awareness Month
by Larry Simon
• Financial professional’s lack of life settlement education is keeping them from entering the market.

Life Settlement News
What About the Taxes?
Variables Can Skew Investment Performance

Avoiding PPO Sales Slip-Ups
Being forewarned is forearmed with Our Annual PPO Survey Part II
• by Leila Morris
Why Pay More for Living Benefits When You Can Manage Risk with a Low-Cost VA?
by Ted Kerr
• The flat-insurance fee is a landmark in the evolution of variable annuities and it will redefine the annuity industry.
Variable Annuities – Have a Look
by Del Campbell
• New versions of annuities are starting to fill the vacuum left by the many defined benefit plans.
Annuities Can Pilot Retirement Plans
by Thomas Scott
•  Variable annuities with guaranteed income benefits can be a valuable part of contingency planning.
Creative Ways to Pay for LTC insurance Premiums
by Tom Riekse, Jr.  
• Practical tips to help overcome the “it’s too expensive” premium objections raised by LTC insurance prospects.
Retirement and the Role of Indexed Universal Life
by Bruce Wing
• IUL products are attractive to many policyholders because they provide an opportunity for higher interest earnings due to changes in an underlying index.