What 25 Years in This Business Has Taught Me

My intern Anna sat down with me for the podcast recently, and she asked some of the questions I get most often from clients — and a few I get from agents thinking about joining the firm. Sharing some of that conversation here.

Life Insurance Needs a Purpose

The biggest mistake I see people make when buying life insurance: they don't have a reason for it. An insurance company won't issue a policy to a single person with no dependents — it has to make financial sense. It has to serve a purpose: replacing a void of income for the people who depend on you. That's also why I'm a big believer in living benefits, whether it's term or permanent. The odds of a heart attack, stroke, cancer, or a long-term care need are much higher over a 20-30 year period than the odds of passing away in that window. Most people don't have living benefits on their policy, and that's the gap I see most.

The Biggest Misconception About IULs

People go online and demonize IULs because they see one that wasn't structured properly. An IUL is a long-term commitment — minimum 10 to 20 years — and it has to be funded consistently to perform. Not everyone qualifies, either: because the face amount tends to be larger than a whole life policy, you generally need to be in relatively good health. That's exactly why having access to 70+ carriers matters. Every carrier underwrites differently, so if someone has diabetes or high blood pressure, there's usually still a carrier that will approve them fairly — you just have to know where to look.

Why I'm Still Curious After 25+ Years

The biggest shift in my mindset over the years: every product and every company serves a purpose. Early in my career, at the big mutuals, you're taught to talk down whichever company you don't represent. Now, having done this almost 30 years, I see it differently — the real requirement is having access to the right products and staying genuinely curious. If you're not staying on top of how the industry is evolving, you're doing your clients a disservice.

Thinking About a Career in Financial Services?

A lot of what's broken in this industry starts at recruiting — agencies that will take anyone, expect them to sell to friends and family, and don't mind when that person is gone in three to six months. That's not how we do it. Jeung Agency is carrier-agnostic across 70+ companies, so there's always a product that fits your client. We run monthly carrier luncheons, offer competitive compensation, and — the piece I care most about — real mentorship. I sit on calls with my agents, invest in their development, and help them build a real plan for where they want to be in one, five, and ten years.

If you're a licensed agent who's frustrated with buying leads and getting no support, I'm always open to a conversation.

Book on this link here → https://calendly.com/jeungagency/interview

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