I am often asked how to decide on what to sell a prospective client.Believe it or not, this comes from even the veteran agents. There areso many companies with so many products; you have to hire anassistant just to keep up with the changes. But who I am kidding,assistants take away from your commission, right? We'll save thatargument for another issue.

So when that person sitting in front of you, worried if you are going toforce them to buy something like the last guy, asks you what YOU thinkTHEY need, the basic question you need to ask the prospect is this,"Well - Are you in protection mode or are you in giving mode?" Whenthey look at you funny and ask what you mean, explain.

Permanent Life Insurance- this is life insurance for the entire life of the individual. The value of this policy increases throughout the time one participates in the program.

People buy life insurance for one of two reasons. One - they are lookingfor a way to protect the people and the things that they love.Hopefully, they love their spouse, their children and anyone else usingthe household income. They love enough to provide money in case ofan untimely death.

Perhaps they love their home so much that they want it paid off andprotected from having to be sold. Business owners may love their shopso dearly that they want to protect it from having to be liquidated.They may also want to protect some of the key people in that business,so if they die, it won't be disastrous to the company. Thosewealthy folks challenged with the estate tax want to protect theirassets from going to "Uncle Sam." Address your prospect again - "Youmay be in Protection Mode."

Reason Two - people buy life insurance to GIVE to the things andthe people that they love. (See the first reason for the laundry list oflovers.) But now the kids are grown, the house is close to being paidoff, the business debt is very little - the need to findfulfillment through GIVING sets in. People may want to leave a legacy totheir church or favorite charity. Perhaps they want to set up a TrustFund for their children or grandchildren. You see, we exist in a time of abundance. People have money, but are happier if they can do something for the ones they love.

MONEY magazine's survey on money and happiness found that if people makecharitable contributions on a regular basis, they are happier,exude confidence and are more content than those that do not. Theyare in GIVING MODE.

As you meet with new prospects and conduct client reviews over the nextmonth, try using the basic approach to life insurance coverage. You maybe surprised at what you uncover.

However there is a dark side too to universal life insurance. The problem stems due to the interest rate assumption used by carrier proving to be wrong and consequently in the bad performance of the policy. The policy premiums increase if the returns are not earned that often results in inability to payoff and so the cancellation of the policy. For instance numerous universal life insurance policies were surrendered or cancelled from 1970 to 1980.

Protection Mode or Giving Mode: Why people buy life insurance.

Jay Stubbs is an experienced Financial Services Sales Director and Qualifying Member of the Milion Dollar Round Table.

For more information, sales ideas, advice and free consumer articles, visit Jay's website.

Cash value is another beneficial feature of whole life insurance.