Agent Survival Guide | Empowering Insurance Agents to Survive Today and Thrive Tomorrow

In this episode of the Agent Survival Guide podcast, we teach agents five unique ways to help them find new clients in the insurance world. While most agents would think of your typical ways to find new sales, we’re teaching them how to make waves and stand out in the crowd.
 

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🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 

📧 Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!

💌 Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

 

Resources:
Affinity Partnerships for Insurance Agents

IntegrityCONNECT

IntegrityCONNECT Leads

Ritter Insurance Marketing Content Library

Ritter & ReminderMedia Partnership Offers Agents Insurance Marketing Solutions

ShopRitterIM

What to Know About SOAs in Medicare Health and Prescription Drug Plan Sales

 

References:
Custom ink. CustomInk. (n.d.). https://www.customink.com/

Forman-Katz, N. (2023, August 17). Key facts about the US radio industry and its listeners for National Radio Day. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/17/for-national-radio-day-key-facts-about-radio-listeners-and-the-radio-industry-in-the-us/

Joshi, V. (2024, August 22). Council post: The power of generosity: How giving back drives business growth. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/08/22/the-power-of-generosity-how-giving-back-drives-business-growth/

Lamar Advertising. (n.d.). Lamar Advertising. Billboard Advertising. https://lamar.com/en/products/billboards

Planenroll. PlanEnroll. (n.d.). https://www.planenroll.com/

Vistaprint. VistaPrint. (n.d.). https://www.vistaprint.com/signs-posters/yard-signs

 

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Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social 

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

Now that you’ve completed your FFM certification, what’s next? Continue your learning with our list of resources! Launch into ACA sales by increasing your knowledge of the marketplace. In this episode, we’ll teach you what you need to know about selling Affordable Care Act plans.
 

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Get Connected:
🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!

📧 Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!

💌 Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

 

Resources:
ACA 101: Selling Under-65 Health Insurance

Community Engagement & ACA Marketing Ideas for Agents

How to Become Certified for ACA Marketplace Sales with Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) Training

Ritter Insurance Marketing Events

Ritter Insurance Marketing Knight School

Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team

Simplify Marketplace Enrollments with HealthSherpa

The State of the ACA Market in 2026

What the Stay on 2025 ACA Final Rule Changes Means

 

References:
ACA quoting and enrollment platform - healthsherpa. HealthSherpa. (n.d.). https://www.healthsherpa.com/agents/features/agencies  

AHIP homepage. AHIP. (n.d.-a). https://www.ahip.org/  

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (n.d.). Homepage. cbpp.org. https://www.cbpp.org/  

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (n.d.-a). Home page - beyond the basics. Beyond the Basics. https://www.healthreformbeyondthebasics.org/  

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (n.d.-b). Special enrollment periods (SEP) reference chart - beyond the basics. Beyond the Basics. https://www.healthreformbeyondthebasics.org/sep-reference-chart/  

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (n.d.-c). Yearly income guidelines and thresholds - beyond the basics. Beyond the Basics. https://www.healthreformbeyondthebasics.org/reference-guide-yearly-thresholds/  

Health Insurance Exchanges and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) - ahip. AHIP. (n.d.-b). https://www.ahip.org/courses/health-insurance-exchanges-and-the-affordable-care-act-aca

Welcome to the Health Insurance Marketplace®. healthcare.gov. (n.d.). https://www.healthcare.gov/  

 

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Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance 

Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social  

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

The Friday Five for August 7, 2026:

ACA 2027 Certification Updates

CY2027 ACA Premium Rate Filings So Far

CMS 2027 Medicare Part D Bid Information

2027 Medicare Part B Cost Projections

2027 COLA Estimate

 

Get Connected:
🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!  

📧 Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!

💌 Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

 

ACA 2027 Certification Updates:
Ritter Insurance Marketing Certification Center (for all things certification!)

 

CY2027 ACA Premium Rate Filings So Far:
McGough, Matt, et al. “How Much and Why ACA Marketplace Premiums Are Going Up in 2027.” KFF.Org, KFF, 4 Aug. 2026, www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/how-much-and-why-aca-marketplace-premiums-are-going-up-in-2027/.

 

CMS 2027 Medicare Part D Bid Information:
“2026 Medicare Part D Bid Information and Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration Parameters.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 28 Jul. 2025, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-part-d-bid-information-and-part-d-premium-stabilization-demonstration-parameters.

Minemyer, Paige. “CMS ending Medicare Part D subsidy program.” Fiercehealthcare, Fierce Healthcare, 29 Jul. 2026, https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/cms-ending-medicare-part-d-subsidy-program.

“Medicare Part D 2027 National Average Monthly Bid Amount Information.” cms.org, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 28 Jul. 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-part-d-2027-national-average-monthly-bid-amount-information.

 

2027 Medicare Part B Cost Projections
“2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles” cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 14 Nov. 2025, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles.

“2026 Annual Report of the Boards of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplement Medical Insurance Trust Funds.” Cms.org, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 9 Jun. 2026, https://www.cms.gov/oact/tr/2026.

LeValley, Donna. “Medicare 2027 Projections: Here’s How Much Your Monthly Premiums Are Estimated to Rise.” Kiplinger.com, Kiplinger, https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/medicare/medicare-2027-how-much-premiums-are-set-to-rise, Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Blake, Suzanne. “Medicare Update: New Estimate of How Much Premiums Will Increase.” Newsweek.com, Newsweek, 28 Jul. 2026, https://www.newsweek.com/medicare-update-new-estimate-of-how-much-premiums-will-increase-12256344.

 

2027 COLA Estimate:
Shesgreen, Deidre. “Social Security COLA 2027: An Early Look at How Much Payments Could Increase” aarp.org, AARP, 14 Jul. 2026, https://www.aarp.org/social-security/cola-2027-increase-estimate/.

 

Resources:
Finding Opportunity Despite Medicare & ACA Market Challenges

Insurance Agents Can Generate More Leads with a Referral Marketing Strategy

Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Updates, CMS Appeals & CE Credits

Real Sales Expectations for Insurance Agents

Turning Life Changes into Sales Opportunities ft. Bobby Nerem & Danica Stover

 

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Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance    

Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

If you're thinking about becoming an insurance agent, you may be thinking about what can come along with the career change? What are some of the perks you might discover, and what downsides could sneak up on you? in this episode of The Agent Survival Guide Podcast, we help you weigh the good of becoming an insurance agent against the bad.
  

Read the text version
  

Get Connected:
🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!  

📧 Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!

💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

 

Resources:
5 Perks of Being a Part-Time Insurance Agent

5 Reasons Why Ritter Should Be Your FMO Insurance Agency

2027 Maximum Broker Commissions for Medicare Advantage & Medicare Part D

Diversify Your Insurance Portfolio & Reap Real Rewards

Get Access to Exclusive Leads When You Become a PlanEnroll Network Agent

Get Your ACA Insurance Sales Contracts Here — Recommendations for 2026

How Insurance FMOs Work

How Much Can Agents Make Selling Under-65 Insurance?

How Much Can Insurance Agents Make Selling Medicare?

How Professional Organizations Make You a Better Agent

Interview: Relationship Marketing Strategies for Insurance Agents

The Advantages of Being a Field vs. Call Center Insurance Agent

Why Trust Is an Insurance Agent's Most Important Non-Renewable Resource

Your Step-By-Step Guide to Getting Started in Insurance Sales

 

References:
Cubanski, J. (2025, October 7). A current snapshot of the medicare part D prescription drug benefit | KFF. KFF. https://www.kff.org/medicare/a-current-snapshot-of-the-medicare-part-d-prescription-drug-benefit/

Marketplace 2025 open enrollment period report: National snapshot | CMS. CMS.gov. (2025, January 17). https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2025-open-enrollment-period-report-national-snapshot-2

Marketplace 2026 open enrollment period report: National snapshot | CMS. CMS.gov. (2026, January 12). https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/marketplace-2026-open-enrollment-period-report-national-snapshot-0

Rosanes, M. (2024, January 22). Want to build a career selling insurance? here are the pros and Cons | Insurance Business. Insurance Business. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/guides/want-to-build-a-career-selling-insurance-here-are-the-pros-and-cons-473774.aspx

 

Follow Us on Social!
Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance     

Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social 

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

Heard any of these myths about selling ACA plans? We’re debunking the rumors and delivering facts on ACA insurance sales. Listen as we set the record straight here on the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
 

Read the text version
 

Get Connected:
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 

📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!

💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

 

Resources:
6 Reasons Insurance Agencies Selling Medicare Products Should Sell ACA

8 Reasons Why Insurance Agents Should Sell ACA Plans

ACA 101: Selling Under-65 Health Insurance

FAQs About ACA Certification and Training

FAQs About Selling On-Exchange & Off-Exchange Under-65 Plans

How Much Can Agents Make Selling Under-65 Insurance?

How to Become Certified for ACA Marketplace Sales with Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) Training

Meet Your Sales Team

Ritter Insurance Marketing Blog

Simplify Marketplace Enrollments with HealthSherpa

 

References:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2024, December 11). General Resources | CMS. CMS.gov. https://www.cms.gov/marketplace/agents-brokers/general-resources

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). FAQs for Marketplace Agents and Brokers. CMS.gov. https://www.agentbrokerfaq.cms.gov/s/

Health Insurance Marketplace. (n.d.-a). Immigrants. healthcare.gov. https://www.healthcare.gov/immigrants/immigration-status/

Health Insurance Marketplace. (n.d.-b). Medicare and the Marketplace. healthcare.gov. https://www.healthcare.gov/medicare/medicare-and-the-marketplace/

Health Insurance Marketplace. (n.d.-c). The Marketplace in your state. healthcare.gov. https://www.healthcare.gov/marketplace-in-your-state/

Health Insurance Marketplace. (n.d.-d). Welcome to the Health Insurance Marketplace® | healthcare.gov. healthcare.gov. https://www.healthcare.gov/

Home | The Senate Democratic Caucus. (n.d.). https://www.democrats.senate.gov/

IRS. (2025, November 5). Eligibility for the Premium Tax Credit. irs.gov. https://www.irs.gov/affordable-care-act/individuals-and-families/eligibility-for-the-premium-tax-credit

 

Follow Us on Social! 
Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance     

Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social 

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.