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

Building a relationship with a client is just like any other relationship—it needs to start with a strong foundation. In this episode of the ASG Podcast, we’re going to be showing you what behaviors a client will appreciate in an agent
 

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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!

📢 Submit a shoutout to be read in a future episode  

🎙️ Be a Guest on the ASG Podcast  

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

 

Resources:
Are You Offering Multiple LTC Insurance Options?

Boost Business Selling Hospital Indemnity Insurance

Handling Difficult Clients: Tips for Agents

How Field Agents Can Differentiate from Call Centers

How to Prevent Insurance Agent Negligence

How to Retain Insurance Customers

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Do's and Don'ts

Ritter AEP Reflection Sheet

Ritter Follow-Up One Sheet

Ritter Follow-Up Guide

The Complete Guide to Client Loyalty and Retention

 

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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.

Arthur Barlow, CEO and President of Compass Insurance Advisors and Founder of the ACA Health Summit joins Sarah to talk about ACA open enrollment changes for 2027. From CMS efforts to fight fraud in the ACA market to the new identity proofing requirements and high-risk applications, this interview is a must-listen for agents preparing for the ACA Open Enrollment Period.
 

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!

📢 Submit a shoutout to be read in a future episode

🎙️ Be a Guest on the ASG Podcast

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

 

Resources:
2027 ACA & Medicare Cost Projections

5 Myths About Selling ACA Health Insurance Plans

Compass Insurance Advisors

MyChart Medicare Kit Scam

New CMS Identity Proofing & Agent Authorization Rules

Register for the ACA Health Summit – Use Code ASG40 to get 40% off your ticket price!

Turning Life Changes into Sales Opportunities

 

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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 

Opinions expressed by interview guests are their own and not representative of Ritter Insurance Marketing or Integrity. The Agent Survival Guide Podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

So you want to start selling Medicare Advantage plans, but you aren’t sure what kind of clients to look for? No problem. In our newest episode, we break down some of the characteristics of what one of your ideal clients may look like.  

 

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:
How to Help Medicare Clients in Poor Health Choose the Right Coverage

Medicare Advantage Trial Rights Explained for Agents

Organization Tips and Tricks for the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period

Stay Busy Outside of AEP With Special Enrollment Periods

The Beginner's Guide to C-SNPs

The Benefits of Selling Medicare Special Needs Plans

Why People Are Choosing Part C Over Original Medicare

 

References:
Backman, M. (2025, December 1). This is the average social security benefit for 2026. is it enough?. 24/7 Wall St. https://247wallst.com/investing/2025/12/01/this-is-the-average-social-security-benefit-for-2026-is-it-enough/  

Fuglesten Biniek, J., Freed, M., Ochieng, N., & Neuman, T. (2026, February 23). Medicare advantage enrollment grew by about 1 million people, mainly due to special needs plans. KFF. https://www.kff.org/medicare/medicare-advantage-enrollment-grew-by-about-1-million-people-mainly-due-to-special-needs-plans/  

Munnell, A. H., & Margolis, H. S. (2026, February 23). The government is trying to rein in Medicare advantage costs. will it work?. Center for Retirement Research. https://crr.bc.edu/the-government-is-trying-to-rein-in-medicare-advantage-costs-will-it-work/  

National Council on Aging. (2025, December 1). Top 10 chronic conditions affecting older adults. The Top 10 Most Common Chronic Diseases for Older Adults. https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older-adults/  

National Council on Aging. (2025, September 9). New poverty numbers show more older adults face economic struggle. How Rising Poverty Rates Will Affect Older Adults. https://www.ncoa.org/article/poverty-among-older-adults-keeps-growing/  

Social Security Administration. (2025, October 24). 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (cola) fact sheet. Social Security. https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/cola/factsheets/2026.html  

 

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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.

Whether you’re starting your own insurance agency or have been at it for awhile, it’s important to make sure you’re not getting in your own way. On this episode of the Agent Survival Guide, we’ll share some key tips that can put you and your agency on the path to success.
 

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:
Best Practices for Training Downline Agents

Digital Marketing for Insurance Agents: Our Top Tips to Boost Business

Everything You Get With Your Ritter Registration

How to Recruit Insurance Agents to Your Downline

IntegrityCONNECT

What Insurance License Do You Need? A Guide for Agents

PlanEnroll

 

References:
“The 5 Best Trademark Services in the USA.” Emanus, 13 Sept. 2025, emanus.com/best-trademark-services-usa/.

O’Reilly, Dennis. “10 Best Accounting Software – Forbes Advisor.” 10 Best Accounting Software, 19 May 2026, www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/best-accounting-software/.

Ryan, Emma. “Best 5 Website Builders for 2026: My Tried & Tested Picks.” Website Builder Expert, 5 May 2026, www.websitebuilderexpert.com/website-builders/.

Luthi, Ben. “Can You Use a Personal Credit Card to Start a Business? | Credit Cards | U.S. News.” Can You Use a Personal Credit Card to Start a Business?, 26 May 2022, money.usnews.com/credit-cards/articles/can-you-use-a-personal-credit-card-to-start-a-business.

“Choose a Business Structure.” U.S. Small Business Administration, www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/choose-business-structure. Accessed 15 June 2026.

“Employer Identification Number.” Internal Revenue Service, www.irs.gov/businesses/employer-identification-number. Accessed 15 June 2026.

“Get an Employer Identification Number.” Internal Revenue Service, www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number. Accessed 15 June 2026.

“How to Start an Insurance Agency: A Step-by-Step Guide.” Brightway, 23 June 2025, www.brightway.com/news/starting-an-insurance-agency-guide.

“Insurance Licensing Directory.” AgencyEquity, www.agencyequity.com/listing-categories/insurance-licensing-directory. Accessed 15 June 2026.

“Register Your Business.” U.S. Small Business Administration, www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/register-your-business. Accessed 15 June 2026.

“Ritter Agents - Schedule a Demo.” AgentMethods, www.agentmethods.com/ritter-agents/. Accessed 15 June 2026.

“Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility.” The Web Credibility Project: Guidelines - Stanford University, credibility.stanford.edu/guidelines/index.html. Accessed 15 June 2026.

“Streamlined Insurance Licensing & Compliance Monitoring.” NIPR, nipr.com/. Accessed 15 June 2026.

Gupta, Mayank. “Top Startup Business Consultant Firms for 2026 Success.” CaseBasix, 19 Jan. 2026, www.casebasix.com/pages/top-startup-business-consultant-firms.

Upwork | Hire Top Freelance Talent with Confidence, www.upwork.com/. Accessed 15 June 2026.

USPTO Office of Public Affairs (OPA). United States Patent and Trademark Office, 12 May 2026, www.uspto.gov/.

“What Is a Trademark?” United States Patent and Trademark Office, 30 Nov. 2023, www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/what-trademark.

“Write Your Business Plan.” U.S. Small Business Administration, www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/write-your-business-plan. Accessed 15 June 2026.

 

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.

The Friday Five for August 28, 2026:

Still time to register for Ritter Insurance Marketing Summits

Medicare & ACA certification update for August 28, 2026

There’s more to gastrointestinal distress recovery than BRAT

Ritter & Integrity Solutions for Industry Disruption in 2027

IntegrityCONNECT Now Quotes Medicare Supplement

 

Ways to Connect:
🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the show

📧 Connect with a member of the Ritter Team

📢 Submit a shoutout to be read in a future episode

🎙️ Be a Guest on the ASG Podcast

💌 Questions? Feedback? Topic suggestions? Email us! ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com

 

Still time to register for Ritter Insurance Marketing Summits!
 

Medicare & ACA certification update for August 28, 2026:
2027 Medicare Advantage & Part D Certification

Certification Center on Ritter Docs

 

There’s more to gastrointestinal distress recovery than BRAT:
Corliss, Julie. “Is the BRAT diet the best choice for an upset stomach?” health.harvard.edu, Harvard Health Publishing, 18 Nov. 2025, https://www.health.harvard.edu/digestive-health/is-the-brat-diet-the-best-choice-for-an-upset-stomach.

Kubala, Jillian. “What Is the BRAT Diet for a Stomach Virus or Diarrhea.” Health.Com, Health, 5 June 2026, www.health.com/brat-diet-7253461.

The BRAT diet is no longer recommended after a stomach bug. Ucihealth.org, UCI Health, 13 Aug. 2026, https://www.ucihealth.org/about-us/news/2026/08/brat-diet.

“An Alarming New Study About Brain Injuries in Football, and How States are Paying Millions for Rain.” The Headlines, The New York Times, https://open.spotify.com/episode/10d178oQsbFVWGDAgHRRVc.

 

Ritter & Integrity Solutions for Industry Disruption in 2027:
Culli, Lindsey. “1 in 10 Medicare Advantage Enrollees Face Forced Disenrollment in 2026.” publichealth.jhu.edu, Johns Hopkins University, 18 Feb. 2026, https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2026/1-in-10-medicare-advantage-enrollees-face-forced-disenrollment-in-2026.

5 Tips to Make the Most of AEP

Minemyer, Paige. “A look inside the expanded partnership between SCAN and Costco.” fiercehealthcare.com, Fierce Healthcare, 21 Aug. 2026, https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/look-inside-expanded-partnership-between-scan-and-costco.

Get Access to IntegrityCONNECT

Request a Portfolio Review from Ritter Insurance Marketing

Hall, Jessica. “Soon you can buy Medicare Advantage plans at Costco. What you need to know.” marketwatch.com, MarketWatch, 21 Aug. 2026, https://www.marketwatch.com/story/soon-you-can-buy-medicare-advantage-plans-at-costco-what-you-need-to-know-34e03242.  

 

Resources:
2027 ACA & Medicare Cost Projections

5 More Ways to Generate Medicare Leads

Escaping the Procrastination Station | Monday Motivation

How to Stay Top of Mind & Build Trust That Drives Growth ft. Bjorn Piltingsrud and Andrew Saksa

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

 

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.