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PODCAST

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast

TheInsuranceProBlog.com

The Insurance Pro Blog Podcast releases new episodes each week that support professional life insurance agents and financial planners who seek to better understand how cash value life insurance, in particular, might work for the benefit of their clients.

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All Episodes

30:21

Term vs Whole Life: Wrong Question

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/08/10

You've probably heard the debate about whether term or whole life insurance is "better" and wondered which side is right. In this episode, we explain why you're asking the wrong question entirely. Comparing these two types of insurance based on premium alone will lead you to the wrong conclusion every time. We'll show you why term and whole life insurance are designed for completely different purposes. Term insurance efficiently protects against lost wages if you die prematurely. It's temporary,

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30:54

Life Insurance is Popular Now

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/08/03

You'll discover why life insurance is experiencing remarkable growth in 2025, with industry-wide sales up 8% year over year. We break down the latest statistics from LIMRA showing which types of life insurance are leading the charge, including indexed universal life at 11% growth and variable universal life with an impressive 41% increase. You'll learn how the pandemic accelerated long-overdue modernization in the insurance industry, making it easier than ever to purchase coverage remotely. We

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31:27

Are Volatility Controlled Indices Worth It?

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/07/27

Are volatility controlled indices (VCIs) just another insurance industry gimmick, or do they actually benefit you as a policyholder? In this episode, we break down these increasingly popular index options found in indexed universal life insurance and indexed annuities. You'll discover what VCIs are, why insurance companies love them, and whether they're worth your consideration. We explain how VCIs work by automatically shifting between stocks and bonds based on market volatility. When volatility

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36:09

2025 Whole Life Insurance Company Review

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/07/20

Looking for the right whole life insurance company in 2025? We break down the major players in the participating whole life insurance market and discuss what makes each one unique. You'll learn which companies excel at cash accumulation and which ones focus more on providing affordable permanent death benefits. We cover over a dozen companies including Guardian, MassMutual, Northwestern Mutual, New York Life, Penn Mutual, and more. You'll discover why some companies are easier to work with than

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30:34

Whole Life Insurance Design Options

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/07/13

You face a critical decision when designing whole life insurance: optimizing for death benefit or maximizing cash value accumulation. These two objectives sit on opposite ends of the spectrum, and trying to balance them often means you don't accomplish either goal effectively. We break down the fundamental trade-offs you need to understand before purchasing a policy. If you want permanent death benefit at the lowest possible cost, you'll sacrifice cash value growth in the early years. If you're

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33:43

Life Insurance MEC Myths Debunked

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/07/06

You've probably heard about Modified Endowment Contracts (MECs) and wondered what all the fuss is about. Many people fear creating a MEC with their life insurance policy, but they don't really understand what it means or how it happens. In this episode, we break down the history behind MECs and why they were created in the first place. You'll learn how universal life insurance in the 1970s and 80s led to tax shelter abuses that prompted Congress to establish new rules. We explain exactly what

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29:16

Bad Years Don't Destroy IUL

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/06/29

You've probably heard criticism about index universal life insurance and its overly optimistic projections. We tackle this head-on by examining what really happens when your IUL policy doesn't perform as expected in those crucial early years. We break down three realistic scenarios using actual numbers and assumptions. You'll see how a policy performs under our base case projection, what happens during 15 consecutive bad years at the start, and how things play out when good years come first,

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34:05

Unlocking Generational Wealth-Whole Life Insurance...

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/06/22

Are you tired of hearing the same old debate about term versus whole life insurance? In this episode, we cut through the noise and reveal why whole life insurance might be the wealth preservation tool you've been overlooking. We explore how successful business owners and high earners use life insurance to protect their assets from market volatility and create guaranteed growth. You'll discover why comparing term and whole life insurance on cost alone is like comparing a Honda to a

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49:08

Infinite Banking: Strategy or Sales Gimmick?

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/06/15

In this episode, we dive deep into infinite banking to answer the burning question: is it a legitimate financial strategy or just a clever way to sell whole life insurance? You'll discover what infinite banking actually is, how it works, and why it's become such a polarizing topic in the financial world. We break down the good aspects of infinite banking, including how whole life insurance can serve as a safe wealth-building tool with unique liquidity features. You'll learn why business owners often

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33:06

Retirees Need Annuities

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/06/08

Modern retirement is facing a critical challenge. While baby boomers have largely avoided financial disaster, their success relies heavily on pensions – a benefit that's rapidly disappearing. You'll discover why the next generation of retirees faces a fundamentally different landscape. We dive into the stark numbers behind retirement funding. Pension plans hold $17 trillion compared to just $9 trillion in 401(k)s, despite covering far fewer people. You'll understand why this massive gap exists and

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39:25

Life Insurance as Your Secret Retirement Risk...

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/06/01

Planning for retirement involves more than just saving money in a 401(k). Your retirement "portfolio" includes all the assets that will support you when you stop working - from investment accounts to real estate to part-time income. But these assets face serious risks that could derail your retirement plans. In this episode, we explain how life insurance acts as a powerful shield against seven major threats to your retirement security, providing guaranteed protection when other investments might

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29:40

Overfunding Policies for Wealth Building

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/05/18

Life insurers are asset managers with a primary focus on growing your relatively small premium dollars into a significant death benefit. They invest prudently to protect themselves from loss when it's time to pay claims. Over many years, this conservative approach to growing assets can work to your advantage. When you put an "overfunded" policy in force, you capitalize on the insurance company's incentive to grow value from the dollars it collects. Since losing money would hurt their financial

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32:27

Double Your Retirement Income

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/05/11

Ever wonder if Americans truly believe stocks are the best way to save for retirement? In this episode, we examine surprising survey data that challenges common investment industry assumptions. We explore where Americans prefer to put their long-term savings and why many avoid the stock market altogether. We examine why financial freedom isn't necessarily about account balances but rather about generating sufficient passive income. Looking at both traditional investment approaches and income-focused

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34:58

Income vs. Account Balance Retirement

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/05/04

Do you believe stocks are the best investment for retirement? Our data might surprise you. Recent surveys show only 27% of Americans prefer stocks for long-term savings, with real estate and cash following closely at 24% and 21%, respectively. We explore why many Americans avoid the stock market, citing volatility, intimidation, and beliefs that the system is rigged. These attitudes challenge the financial industry's stance that market investing is essential for retirement success. We discuss a

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27:57

Indexed Universal Life and Its Reset Magic During...

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/04/27

Wonder how your IUL policy behaves during market volatility? In this episode, we unpack how Indexed Universal Life insurance performs in today's unpredictable market conditions. You'll discover why IUL isn't actually buying market exposure and how it creates a unique value proposition during economic downturns. Learn about the annual reset feature that prevents you from having to recover losses before moving forward. This reset magic means your policy can take advantage of market rebounds without

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28:09

Guaranteed Income in Uncertain Times

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/04/20

In this episode of the Insurance Pro Blog Podcast, hosts Brandon Roberts and Brantley Whitley dive into the resilience of the life insurance industry during periods of market volatility and geopolitical tension. You'll learn why life insurance companies remain stable even when other financial sectors struggle, and how they've weathered previous economic storms like the dot-com bubble, the 2008 collapse, and the COVID pandemic. We explore the different categories of annuities available and explain

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31:35

Life Insurance: The Ultimate Market Buffer

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/04/13

Life Insurance: The Ultimate Market Buffer When market volatility strikes, your retirement plans can take an unexpected hit. In this episode, we discuss how life insurance serves as a non-correlated asset during uncertain economic times. We explore why diversification outside traditional market investments matters, especially for those approaching retirement. We break down the real psychology behind panic selling and why data alone often fails to prevent emotional financial decisions. We examine how

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33:43

Bad Ideas with Life Insurance

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/04/06

In this episode, we dive into problematic life insurance schemes that have led to lawsuits. We examine how premium financing - originally designed for high net worth individuals seeking death benefits - was repurposed as a risky retirement strategy for people who didn't need it. You'll learn about a recent lawsuit involving complex tax schemes paired with premium financing that left clients with massive loan balances, inadequate collateral, and IRS penalties. We break down the warning signs of these

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34:13

Whole Life's Unbeatable Tax Advantages

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/03/30

In this episode, you'll learn about the tax advantages of whole life insurance that make it a powerful financial tool. Discover how whole life insurance offers tax-deferred growth, tax-free access to cash value, and income tax-free death benefits without complex financial maneuvers. Explore how these features compare to other investment options like Roth IRAs and 401(k)s, and why combining these benefits in one product creates unique advantages for retirement planning. Learn about using whole life

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28:55

Tapping Your Policy for Retirement Income

Insurance Pro Blog Podcast ·

2025/03/23

In this episode, we tackle a common question: Can you really use life insurance cash value for retirement income? We explore how permanent life insurance policies can provide a stable income source that isn't subject to market volatility. You'll learn the practical differences between withdrawals and loans from your policy and why most retirees don't use a static withdrawal strategy. We discuss realistic withdrawal rates (around 5% for whole life and 6% for indexed universal life) and how this

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193 results

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