Learn the trade
Learn the trade.
Start here if you are new to insurance. This is the stuff that confused all of us in month one, laid out plainly. Study between reps, then go run the call.
This is the RingReady knowledge base for life insurance agents. RingReady is a voice practice tool where you run the call out loud against an AI prospect that objects and stalls, and a coach grades every call. Plans start at $59 a month, and the 3-day free trial is the full product with no card required.
The objection library
Every objection has a move.
18 deep dives with word-for-word answers, plus the Objection Trainer, where you read the stall, answer out loud, and flip the card.
Open the libraryPhone scripts
The whole call, word for word.
From pickup to close, with the pivot for every stall along the way.
Free tool
See where your script gets hit.
Paste your own script and get the five objections a real prospect will throw at it. No account needed.
Scan my scriptYour scripts
Keep your word-for-word script beside you on every call.
Paste or upload one per product. The coach grades how you deliver it.
Types of coverage
What you actually sell, who each one fits, and the objection you will hear.
Types of coverage
What you actually sell, who each one fits, and the objection you will hear.
Term Life
Pure protection for a set number of years, usually 10 to 30. The most death benefit per dollar. It pays only if the insured passes during the term, and then it ends.
Fits: Young families, income replacement during the working years, covering a mortgage or the kids until they are grown.
Cash value: No cash value. You are paying for protection, not savings.
You will hear: “I have coverage through work.”
Whole Life
Permanent coverage that never expires as long as premiums are paid. The premium is level and the policy builds guaranteed cash value on a set schedule.
Fits: People who want certainty that lasts a lifetime, final expenses, and a small guaranteed savings piece.
Cash value: Guaranteed cash value that grows slowly and can be borrowed against.
You will hear: “It's too expensive compared to term.”
Universal Life
Permanent coverage with flexible premiums and a cash value that earns interest. You can adjust the payment and death benefit within limits as life changes.
Fits: People who want permanent coverage but want to flex the premium over time.
Cash value: Interest-based cash value. Flexibility is the point, and the tradeoff is that it needs to be funded properly to stay in force.
You will hear: “What happens if I can't pay one year?”
Indexed Universal Life
Universal life where cash value growth is tied to a market index with a cap on the upside and a floor that protects against market losses. Not invested directly in the market.
Fits: Higher earners who have used up other tax-advantaged room and want flexible permanent coverage with growth potential.
Cash value: Index-linked cash value with a floor and a cap. Illustrations are projections, not promises.
You will hear: “I read online these are a ripoff.”
Guaranteed Universal Life
A universal life built for a guaranteed death benefit to a set age like 90 or 121, with little or no cash value. Priced closer to term but the coverage is permanent.
Fits: People who want a permanent death benefit at the lowest cost and do not care about building cash value.
Cash value: Little to none by design. You are buying a lifelong death benefit, not savings.
You will hear: “Why not just buy whole life?”
Final Expense
Small whole life policies, usually $5,000 to $40,000, built to cover a funeral and end-of-life costs. Simplified issue, so a few health questions and no medical exam.
Fits: Seniors on fixed incomes who want to protect their kids from a surprise bill.
Cash value: Small guaranteed cash value, but the job is the death benefit, not savings.
You will hear: “My kids will just handle it.”
Mortgage Protection
Usually term life sized to the mortgage, so if the borrower passes the family can pay off or keep paying the home. Often sold to new homeowners, sometimes with return-of-premium or living-benefit riders.
Fits: New homeowners with a mortgage and people who bought a house on two incomes.
Cash value: Depends on the design. Plain versions are term and build no cash value.
You will hear: “Doesn't my mortgage already come with insurance?”
Group life
Coverage through an employer, usually one to two times salary. It almost always ends the day the job ends and rarely follows the person. This is why 'I have coverage through work' is weaker than it sounds.
Accidental death (AD&D)
Pays only if death is by accident. Cheap, but most people do not die by accident, so it is a supplement, never a plan.
Riders
Add-ons that change a policy: term riders, child riders, waiver of premium, accelerated death benefit for terminal illness, return of premium. Riders are how you tailor a plan to a real family.
Quiz this section
10 questions on types of coverage. Right or wrong after each, with the why.
The language
The words that drown you in month one, in plain English.
The language
The words that drown you in month one, in plain English.
The money words
- Premium
- What the client pays for the policy, monthly or annually.
- Face amount
- The death benefit, the amount paid to the beneficiary. Also called the face value.
- Cash value
- The savings component inside a permanent policy that grows over time and can be borrowed against.
- Surrender value
- The cash a client actually gets if they cancel a permanent policy early, after any surrender charges.
- MEC
- Modified Endowment Contract. A policy funded so fast it loses some tax advantages. Watch funding limits so you never create one by accident.
The people words
- Insured
- The person whose life the policy is on.
- Owner
- The person who controls the policy. Often the same as the insured, but not always.
- Beneficiary
- Who receives the death benefit. Primary gets it first, contingent is the backup.
- Producer
- You. The licensed agent who writes the business.
Health and underwriting
- Underwriting
- The carrier's process of deciding whether to insure someone and at what price, based on health and risk.
- Health class
- The rating that sets the price, from Preferred Plus down through Standard and table ratings.
- Table rating
- A substandard rating for higher-risk health, which raises the premium by a set percentage per table.
- APS
- Attending Physician Statement. The client's medical records, sometimes pulled during underwriting.
- MIB
- Medical Information Bureau. A shared database carriers check for prior applications and flags.
- Contestability period
- The first two years, when a carrier can investigate and deny a claim for misrepresentation. Honesty on the application protects the family.
Policy mechanics
- Free look
- A window, often 10 to 30 days after delivery, when the client can cancel for a full refund.
- Conversion
- Turning a term policy into permanent coverage without new health questions, if the policy allows it.
- Lapse
- A policy that ends because the premium was not paid.
- In force
- A policy that is active and paid. Placed business is in force.
- Replacement
- Using a new policy to replace an existing one. It is heavily regulated and requires disclosure. Never do it casually.
Flashcards
20 terms. Tap to turn, mark Got it or Again.
Quiz this section
10 questions on the language. Right or wrong after each, with the why.
How underwriting works
The map that makes any carrier's chart make sense.
How underwriting works
The map that makes any carrier's chart make sense.
Fully underwritten
SlowestFull health review, often a medical exam or records. The carrier looks hard, so a healthy client earns the best rates.
Tradeoff: Best price for healthy people, but it takes longer and asks the most.
Simplified issue
FastA set of yes or no health questions, no exam. A decision can come back in minutes to days. This is where most final expense and mortgage protection live.
Tradeoff: Quick and easy, but priced higher than fully underwritten and it declines some conditions outright.
Guaranteed issue
InstantNo health questions at all. Anyone in the age range is approved, usually with a graded death benefit that pays limited amounts in the first two to three years.
Tradeoff: Nobody is turned down, but it costs the most and the full benefit waits. It is a last resort, not a first offer.
What a carrier weighs
Age and sex
The starting point for every rate. Younger locks in lower premiums for life.
Health history
Current and past conditions, especially heart, cancer, diabetes, and stroke history.
Prescription history
Carriers can pull an Rx database. The medications tell the story even when the client forgets a detail.
Build (height and weight)
Most carriers use a build chart. Being outside the range moves the health class.
Tobacco and nicotine
Any nicotine, including vaping and sometimes cannabis, usually means tobacco rates, which are much higher.
Driving record
A motor vehicle report catches DUIs and reckless driving, which are real risk signals.
Family history
Early cardiac or cancer death in parents or siblings can move the rate on larger policies.
Hazardous work or hobbies
Aviation, diving, climbing, and some occupations can add a flat charge or a rating.
Every carrier has its own build chart, medication list, and knockout conditions, and state rules vary. Those specifics live in your carrier and IMO guides and always win. This section is the map, not the final word.
Quiz this section
10 questions on how underwriting works. Right or wrong after each, with the why.
How a sale works
From hello to a policy that actually pays. The whole arc, once.
How a sale works
From hello to a policy that actually pays. The whole arc, once.
- 1
Needs and quote
Find out who they are protecting and from what, then recommend suitable coverage and a face amount. Suitability is a real obligation, not a nicety.
- 2
Application
Fill out the app and the health questions accurately. What goes here is what the policy stands on, so no shortcuts and no coaching a wrong answer.
- 3
Underwriting
The carrier checks the Rx database, the MIB, maybe an MVR, and possibly an exam or records. This is where the health class is set.
- 4
Decision
Approved as applied, approved at a different rate (rated), or declined. A rated offer is not a failure, it is a real option to present honestly.
- 5
Delivery and first payment
The client receives the policy, the first premium is paid, and the coverage goes in force. This is when the business is placed and you get paid.
- 6
Free look and contestability
The client has a free-look window to cancel for a refund, and the first two years are contestable. Clean, honest applications protect the family here.
Quiz this section
10 questions on how a sale works. Right or wrong after each, with the why.
Objection moves
The six families of pushback, and the move for each.
Objection moves
The six families of pushback, and the move for each.
Stalls
Agree instantly, then trade. The right info depends on two quick answers, so convert the stall into 60 seconds of discovery or a booked time with a specific slot. Never just accept the stall, and never refuse it either.
“Happy to. So I send the right thing and not a phone book, are you looking at protection for yourself or for the both of you?”
Full breakdown: steps, mistakes, and the drillMoney
Never argue the budget. Shrink the number to per-day terms and reframe the stakes: the plan exists precisely so the family never faces the big bill at the worst possible week. Then right-size the coverage instead of defending the price.
“That's exactly why folks look at this. If the monthly number fit inside what you spend on coffee, would the protection itself make sense for you?”
Full breakdown: steps, mistakes, and the drillSpouse and authority
Praise it, then isolate it. If the spouse is on board, is there anything else in the way? Offer to get exact numbers first so they bring facts to that conversation, or book a three-way call at a specific time.
“Smart. Couples should decide together. Let me get your exact rate first so you two are looking at real numbers, not a guess. If they like it, is there anything else that would hold you back?”
Full breakdown: steps, mistakes, and the drillAlready covered
Compliment the planning, never trash the existing coverage. Then audit it with questions: how much is it, when was it last reviewed, does it follow you if you leave the job? Group coverage usually dies with the job, and old burial policies cover half of today's funeral.
“That's a great start, most people have nothing. Quick question though: if you changed jobs next year, what happens to that policy?”
Full breakdown: steps, mistakes, and the drillTrust
Answer straight, immediately, with zero dodge. Name the card they mailed or the form they filled. Then lower the stakes: nothing gets bought today, no bank details are needed today. Honesty in this moment decides the entire call.
“Fair question. You mailed back a card about three weeks ago asking about final expense coverage, and that's the only reason I'm calling.”
Full breakdown: steps, mistakes, and the drillHealth worries
Normalize it and treat health as a routine underwriting question, never a verdict. Mention that simplified issue and guaranteed issue products exist for people with real health history. Ask matter-of-fact questions without flinching.
“You'd be surprised what carriers take today. The stent doesn't scare me. Can I ask you the same five questions I ask everybody, and we'll know in two minutes?”
Full breakdown: steps, mistakes, and the drillGo deeper: the full objection library, one page per objection
Your script gets its objections here.
Paste your phone script and get the five objections a real prospect will throw at it, plus its biggest weakness. No account needed.
Quiz this section
10 questions on objection moves. Right or wrong after each, with the why.
Frameworks
Four ways to structure a call that hold up under pressure.
Frameworks
Four ways to structure a call that hold up under pressure.
The four beats (ACRC)
Acknowledge the objection without arguing. Clarify what is really behind it with one question. Respond to their specific situation, not a script. Confirm it landed before moving on. Skipping the confirm is the most common miss on graded calls.
Isolate before you answer
Before handling the stated objection, ask: if we solved that, is there anything else holding you back? You either surface the real concern now or confirm you are one answer away from a yes.
The pause
After you ask a closing question, stop talking. Silence feels ten times longer to you than to the prospect. The first person to speak after a closing question usually concedes the frame.
Sell the consequence, honestly
Never overpromise: no guaranteed approvals, no inflated benefits, no invented returns. The honest version is stronger anyway: a specific story about a family facing a nine thousand dollar bill in one week beats any exaggeration.
Quiz this section
10 questions on frameworks. Right or wrong after each, with the why.
Reading is the warm-up. Reps are the workout.
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