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

Sarah J. Rueppel | Ritter Insurance Marketing | Insurance Agent Tips, Tools & Training
  • 4.6 (44)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Bringing insurance agents tips and strategies for making sales, staying compliant, marketing yourself, getting leads, and more! Think of the Agent Survival Guide as your go-to resource for insight, information, and the inspiration needed to take the next step on your journey. Whether you’re just getting started or a seasoned pro, the ASG Podcast has got you covered. Empowering insurance agents selling Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, ACA, Long and Short-Term Care, Life, Annuities, and Final Expense.

  1. 10h ago

    2027 MA and Part D Max Commissions

    The Friday Five for June 5, 2026: Certification Reminder Pod Rec: Before Breakfast TRICARE Resources for Agents Clover Health Star Ratings 2027 MA and Part D Max Commissions   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.   Pod(cast) Rec(commendation): Before Breakfast: Before Breakfast Podcast Before Breakfast: Track your media   TRICARE Resources for Agents: “TRICARE Plan Comparison Tool.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://www.tricare.mil/compareplans, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Dental Options Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/dental_options, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Pharmacy Program Overview Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/pharmacy_overview, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Plans Overview Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/plans, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Qualifying Life Events Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/qle, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Young Adult Program Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/young_adult, Accessed 3 June 2026.   Clover Health Star Ratings: Casolo, Elizabeth. “Clover beats CMS in Medicare Advantage star ratings lawsuit.” Beckerspayer.com, Becker’s Payer Issues, 29 May 2026, https://www.beckerspayer.com/legal/clover-beats-cms-in-medicare-advantage-star-ratings-lawsuit/. “Court tells CMS to redo Clover’s Star Rating. Here’s why it should be on your radar.” Risehealth.org, Rise Health, 29 May 2026, https://www.risehealth.org/insights-articles/article/court-tells-cms-to-redo-clovers-star-rating-heres-why-it-should-be-on-your-radar/. “Clover Insurance v. HHS: S.D. of Georgia Holds 20 Star Ratings Measures Unlawful.” Crowell.com, Crowell, 29 May 2026, https://www.crowell.com/en/insights/client-alerts/clover-insurance-v-hhs-sd-of-georgia-holds-20-star-ratings-measures-unlawful.  WEBINAR: The Star Ratings Shakeup: Court Challenges CMS Measure Authority   2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Maximum Commissions: 2027 Maximum Broker Commissions for Medicare Advantage & Medicare Part D Mulcahy, Gerard. “Contract Year 2027 Agent and Broker Compensation Rates, Referral/Finder’s Fees, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements.” cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 1 June 2026, https://www.ritterim.com/documents/cms-memos/memo-agent-broker-compensation-and-training-and-testing-requirements-cy2027.pdf.   Resources: 5 Takeaways from the 2027 CMS Marketplace Final Rule for Insurance Agents CMS Update on BALANCE Model & Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Introducing the Integrity Health Plan   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.

    12 min

  2. 3d ago

    What is AHIP Certification and How Do I Get It?

    Learn more about AHIP requirements, how certification works for insurance agents, and more! Don't stress - we've got plenty of tips to help you survive certification and the start of AEP prep season.   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: AHIP Test Tips and Tricks for Medicare Certification 5 Things About the CMS 2027 MA and Part D Final Rule Ritter Insurance Marketing Certification Center   References: "AHIP Medicare + Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Training." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/courses/medicare-fraud-waste-and-abuse-training, Accessed 5 May 2026. "Corporate Partnerships." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/corporate-partnerships, Accessed 5 May 2026. "Issues AHIP Monitors." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/issues, Accessed 5 May 2026. "Online Course Catalogue." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/courses, Accessed 5 May 2026. "Our Member Organizations." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/members, Accessed 5 May 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.

    9 min

  3. 4d ago

    6 Steps to Scale Your Insurance Business to an Agency

    Ready to grow your insurance business? Great! Not sure where to start? Listen for our road map! We outline 6 steps to take when you want to make the jump from agent to agency.   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: 17 Ways to Generate Medicare Leads (That You Probably Haven't Tried Yet!) Community-Based Marketing for Insurance Agents Developing an Agency — Your Guide to Getting Started How To Better Market Your Insurance Business How to Grow Your Insurance Business by 45% Learn More About IntegrityCONNECT Insurance Agents Can Generate More Leads with a Referral Marketing Strategy IntegrityCONNECT & PlanEnroll FAQs IntegrityCONNECT Leads FAQs   References: "28 Best Insurance KPIs and Metrics Examples for 2025 Reporting." insightsoftware.com, Insight Software, https://insightsoftware.com/blog/best-insurance-kpis-and-metrics/, Accessed 4 May 2026. Twin, Alexandra. “How to Create a Compelling Value Proposition, With Examples.” Edited by Jefreda R. Brown and Timothy Li, Investopedia.Com, Investopedia, 28 Apr. 2026, www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valueproposition.asp.   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.

    19 min

  4. May 29

    5 Takeaways from the 2027 CMS Marketplace Final Rule for Insurance Agents

    The 2027 Marketplace Final Rule from CMS is here! Join Sarah as she pulls out takeaways for insurance agents selling ACA plans.   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: 2027 ACA Final Rule Makes Strides to Reduce Premiums Drug Story Podcast with Thomas Goetz Drug Story: Ivermectin on 99% Invisible How to Grow Your Insurance Business by 45% Introducing the Integrity Health Plan Mounjaro means something? Ffrom TBOY he Best One Yet On ivermectin and parasites (and other things) on Drug Story The Complete Guide on How to Sell Prescription Drug Plans   References: “CMS Final Rules Lowers Costs, Cracks Down on Fraud, and Expands State Control.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 15 May 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-final-rule-lowers-costs-cracks-down-fraud-expands-state-control. Minemyer, Paige. “CMS pulls back limits on non-standard ACA plans in final rule.” Fiercehealthcare.com, Fierce Healthcare, 15 May 2026, https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/cms-pulls-back-limits-non-standard-aca-plans-final-rule. “HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027 Final Rule.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 15 May 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/hhs-notice-benefit-payment-parameters-2027-final-rule. “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program.” Federalregister.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 20 May 2026, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/20/2026-10050/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-hhs-notice-of-benefit-and-payment-parameters-for-2027-and. Accessed 26 May 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.

    14 min

  5. May 27

    3 Additional Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales

    Ready to close sales with confidence? Sharpen your sales skills with three more closing techniques for insurance agents.   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: 4 Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales 4 Tips for Making a Better Insurance Sales Pitch How Insurance Agents Can Avoid Isolation & Build Stronger Connections ft. Dawn Myers   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.

    12 min

  6. May 26

    4 Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales

    In this episode of the Agent Survival Guide, we’ll walk through four effective strategies that you can use to help close an insurance sale. We’ll teach you which technique is most effective in certain scenarios and the traits you should strive for to make any close more successful.   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: 10 Essential Tools for Beginner Insurance Agents Getting Started Selling Medicare Supplements Empower Your Prospects to Act Before Turning 65 Medicare Advantage Trial Rights Explained for Agents   References: Abbott, Tom. “The Assumptive Close: A Powerful Tool for Increasing Sales.” SOCO Sales Training, 15 Apr. 2026, www.socoselling.com/the-assumptive-close/. Copley Ph.D., Laura “How to (Re-)Build Trust in a Relationship.” PositivePsychology.Com, 8 Nov. 2025, positivepsychology.com/build-trust/. “How to Be Confident.” Tony Robbins.com, www.tonyrobbins.com/building-confidence/how-to-be-confident. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026. How to Understand Body Language and Facial Expressions, www.verywellmind.com/understand-body-language-and-facial-expressions-4147228. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026. “Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment.” Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, www.ncoa.org/article/whats-the-difference-between-medicares-open-enrollment-period-and-medicare-advantage-open-enrollment/. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026. “Researcher Investigates How Our Snap Judgments Affect Society.” FABBS, 25 Jan. 2024, fabbs.org/news/2023/09/researcher-investigates-how-our-snap-judgments-affect-society/. “What Is the Puppy Dog Close?” HubSpot Blog, blog.hubspot.com/sales/puppy-dog-close. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.   Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, and YouTube Sarah on LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

    18 min

  7. May 15

    Introducing the Integrity Health Plan

    The Friday Five for May 15, 2026: Field Notes: Camp Ritter The “Spotify 20: Your Party of the Year(s)” TRICARE Transition from DS Logon to myAuth Scammers Using Meta to Target Seniors Introducing the Integrity Health Plan   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.   The “Spotify 20: Your Party of the Year(s)”: “20 Days, 20 Data Drops.” Newsroom.spotify.com, Spotify, https://newsroom.spotify.com/spotify20/, Accessed 12 May 2026. “It’s Your Party of the Year(s): A Look Back at Your Entire Music History on Spotify.” Newsroom.spotify.com, Spotify, 12 May 2026, https://newsroom.spotify.com/2026-05-12/spotify-20-personal-music-retrospective/. Weatherbed, Jess. “Spotify’s latest ‘Wrapped’ covers your entire music history.” Theverge.com, The Verge, 12 May 2026, https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/928395/spotify-20th-anniversary-wrapped-recap. “What 20 Years of Spotify Data Reveals About Our Listeners.” Newsroom.spotify.com, Spotify, 23 Apr. 2026, https://newsroom.spotify.com/2026-04-23/spotify-20-data-listening-trends/.   TRICARE Transition from DS Logon to myAuth: “TRICARE logins transitioning to myAuth in 2026.” Newsroom.tricare.mil, TRICARE, 5 May 2026, https://newsroom.tricare.mil/News/TRICARE-News/Article/4477500/tricare-logins-transitioning-to-myauth-in-2026-what-you-need-to-know. Obis, Anastasia. “TRICARE systems to transition to myAuth by the end of 2026.” Federalnewsnetwork.com, Federal News Network, 6 May 2026, https://federalnewsnetwork.com/technology-main/2026/05/tricare-systems-to-transition-to-myauth-by-the-end-of-2026/.   Scammers Using Meta to Target Seniors: Ingram, David. “Facebook allows repeat scam artists to send ads to seniors, researchers say.” Nbcnews.com, NBC News, 11 May 2026, https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/meta-allows-repeat-scam-artists-target-seniors-report-says-rcna344068. “How Meta Helps Medicare scammers target seniors.” Counterhate.com, Center for Countering Digital Hate, https://counterhate.com/research/scambook/, Accessed 12 May 2026.   Integrity Health Plan: IntegrityCONNECT Integrity Health Plan Learn More About Integrity Benefits The Exclusive Benefits Available By Joining Integrity through Ritter   Resources: 5 Things About the CMS 2027 MA and Part D Final Rule Cigna's ACA Exit, Certification Dates, Sleep Audio Content Corner: Fundamentals of Senior Finance FMO vs. IMO vs. NMO vs. MGA vs. GA: What’s the Difference? How to Grow Your Insurance Business by 45% Ready-Made Marketing for Insurance Agents: Inside the Content Library   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.

    15 min

  8. May 13

    Content Corner: Fundamentals of Senior Finance

    Don’t miss our brand-new series we’re calling Content Corner! Listen as we discuss the newest Content Library materials from Ritter Insurance Marketing - Fundamentals of Senior Finances. Keep listening for our conversation on recent internet trends and how to position them for your business marketing efforts.   Check Out the Fundamentals of Senior Finances from Ritter’s Content Library   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 Using Ritter’s Content Library Content Library Homepage Cooking For Beginners Happy, Healthy Christmas Mastering Medicare Insurance Coverage Medicare Basics Senior Travel Guides Top Spooky Spots for Halloween Travel Tips   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.

    43 min
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Bringing insurance agents tips and strategies for making sales, staying compliant, marketing yourself, getting leads, and more! Think of the Agent Survival Guide as your go-to resource for insight, information, and the inspiration needed to take the next step on your journey. Whether you’re just getting started or a seasoned pro, the ASG Podcast has got you covered. Empowering insurance agents selling Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, ACA, Long and Short-Term Care, Life, Annuities, and Final Expense.

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