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Michael Cohen on Expanding Your Insurance Book of Business

Jul 13, 2021

Michael Cohen is the Owner and President of the second-generation, family-owned and operated insurance wholesaler, The DBL Center. A one-stop back office support center for brokers & agents, the DBL Center specializes in temporary disability insurance and employee benefit plans with a special focus on  temporary disability benefits in New Jersey and the Hawaiian Islands, as well as New York Disability. As President of DBL, Michael leverages his wealth of connections to provide white-glove service to insurance agent partners. Under his leadership, the company is currently serving 4,000 insurance agents in 15 states and managing $125 million in premiums.

 

Michael joins me today to discuss how disability and paid family policies impact businesses across states. He shares his background and experience in writing and performing stand-up comedy and the history of The DBL Center. He explains how advisors and agents can initiate a partnership with The DBL Center and describes how to use warm leads to discuss insurance products in a sales conversation with new clients. He also highlights the life lessons he learned from his father, the original founder of The DBL Center, and underscores the best way for advisors to scale their books of business.

 

“Too many advisors whale-hunt and go after the same thing. The best way to expand an advisor’s book of business is on something mandated by law.” - Michael Cohen

 

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

 

  • Michael’s background, his stand-up career, and how he took over the family business
  • The importance of disability and life insurance
  • The DBL Center’s insurance niche, its history, and how Michael’s father began selling niche life insurance
  • The short-term disability law, how it applies to business owners, and states affected by it
  • Details on paid family leave and how it’s slowly becoming a federal issue across the United States
  • How insurance brokers and advisors can begin partnering with The DBL Center
  • How to talk about other insurance products and services with a new client
  • How The DBL Center helps companies save money through their service
  • Whether a majority of states will adopt policies similar to the Short-Term Disability Law
  • The Don Rickles of the insurance business and the power of using comedy as a door-opener to business

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

 

Our Favorite Quotes:

 

  • “For someone struggling to convert a client, it’s good to establish the relationship, build trust, and follow through on promises that were made on the front-end.” - David DeCelle
  • “Persistence is what matters, especially after COVID. The goal is to keep every piece of business that brokers have intact.” - Michael Cohen
  • “When advisors work with a business owner, the lifetime value of that client is higher than most individuals. It’s a great door-opener to share your other products or services.” - David DeCelle
  • “Nickel, dimes, and quarters make dollars. It’s not what you earn but what you keep.” - Michael Cohen

 

Connect with Michael Cohen:

 

 

 

About the Model FA Podcast

 

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes  to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams. 

 

Did you like this conversation? Then leave us a rating and a review in whatever podcast player you use. We would love your feedback, and your ratings help us reach more advisors with ideas for growing their practices, attracting great clients, and achieving a better quality of life. While you are there, feel free to share your ideas about future podcast guests or topics you’d love to see covered. 

 

Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

 

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