A vivid analogy helps your client not only understand what you're saying but also to remember it. Think about what it was like before you joined this industry — insurance was probably very confusing and intimidating until you learned the ropes. Simplifying concepts with analogies helps people understand what you mean and feel more at ease with purchasing the product.

A suitable analogy might sound like this: "Being diagnosed with a critical illness, like breast cancer, can feel like your world has suddenly been turned upside down, and you are in a free fall. Critical Illness benefits can help make sure you always have your parachute with you."

2. Get Real – Share An Emotional Story

A product's value is perhaps most clear to clients when you have a real-life story to tell. Eliciting an emotional response can be a powerful selling tool. Dig in to your personal history for stories. Everyone knows someone who has experienced a devastating illness, such as breast cancer, and your clients will appreciate you opening up to them. When it comes time for enrollment, a business owner or HR director can add their own real life examples to the mix which could help employees understand the value of the products even more. 

3. Stack the Odds in Favor of the Client's Finances

Life deals everyone a bad hand every now and then, but critical illness insurance can put the odds back in your clients' favor. We hear incredible stories of people surviving diseases like breast cancer, but later succumbing to financial struggles like bankruptcy. Many people think health coverage alone will protect their finances, but as much as two-thirds of all costs related to critical illnesses are non-medical, including transportation to and from treatment, medically necessary renovations to a home, or family lodging and meals purchased during an individual's hospital stay.

There are numerous statistics relating to the odds of developing a particular disease.  However the point is this: no one has a zero percent chance of getting a serious illness, and not having critical illness insurance is a huge financial gamble. Employers, of all people, will understand these risks.

4. Be a Whiz Kid – Bring the Numbers

Illustrating the potential financial impact on a family is a powerful way to communicate the value of critical illness insurance. Many employees quickly deplete their savings and file for bankruptcy when battling serious diseases. They don't have enough money saved to pay deductibles and co-payments, and their earnings decrease as their daily living and medical expenses increase. In 2009, the American Journal of Medicine reported that nearly 62 percent of all bankruptcies in 2007 were caused by medical expenses, and 75 percent of those who declared medical bankruptcy reported having health insurance.

It costs employers nothing to offer voluntary critical illness insurance, yet for the 30 to 40 percent of typical American families working paycheck to paycheck, the guaranteed issue benefit paid upon diagnosis of a covered illness could make all the difference. Some plans also include wellness benefits, so employees can screen for and potentially treat critical illnesses sooner.

5. Listen Up – Connect with your Client

When dealing with a sensitive subject like critical illness or breast cancer in particular, it's important to be aware of your general communication approach. After the product has been introduced and your analogies thought through, don't forget how important listening is to a conversation. While talking to your clients about new group coverage, let the clients finish their thoughts before you chime in, and reflect what you're hearing back to them to make sure they know you're getting it. You'll better hear and understand their group's needs, and they'll recognize it.

As critical illness survival rates continue to improve and health care coverage costs continue to increase, voluntary group critical illness insurance plans will likely become highly sought-after products as they provide a financial buoy, especially for out-of-pocket and non-medical costs. The true benefit of critical illness insurance plans is that they help alleviate financial anxiety for individuals and their families so that they can focus on what matters most — getting healthy again.