Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim Fuller is President of SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency) that has connected independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners for more than 50 years. Tim and the SRS team specialize in impaired-risk underwriting, advanced case design, and helping advisors place the cases other IMOs turn away.

Life InsuranceImpaired RiskLong-Term CareDisability IncomeAdvanced MarketsUnderwriting

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Generating Long-Term Care Leads From Your Existing Client Reviews

September 25, 2026December 23, 2020 by Tim Fuller

Adult daughter and her aging mother sharing a warm moment while discussing long-term care planning

Seminars and direct mail can generate long-term care leads, but they’re costly and slow. Your best leads may already be in your database: clients who said “not now” because of price.

Key takeaways

Past prospects who stalled on price are warm leads when you can show a more affordable design.
A short follow-up meeting to revisit needs and budget often restarts the conversation.
Tailored, needs-based materials shorten the sales cycle.

The client who said “too expensive” two years ago may say yes to a plan designed around their budget today.

Step 1: Find price-sensitive prospects

Search your client and prospect records for people who were interested but didn’t buy because of cost. New designs, including hybrids, riders, shorter benefit periods, and couples discounts, may now fit. See couples discounts and asymmetrical designs.

Step 2: Schedule a short meeting

Reach out to each and schedule a brief review of what they need and what they can spend. Use the annual review questions in LTC fact-finding at the annual review.

Step 3: Use tailored materials

Needs-based, personalized proposals and marketing support shorten the sales cycle. Contact our LTC team for materials and side-by-side designs.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find long-term care insurance leads?

Start with existing clients and past prospects, especially those who hesitated over price, then add referrals and community events.

How do I re-engage a prospect who said LTC was too expensive?

Offer a short meeting to review needs and budget, and present lower-cost designs such as shorter benefit periods or hybrid options.

Are seminars good for LTC lead generation?

They can work but are costly and slow. Mining your existing book is often faster and cheaper.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Tim leads SRS Inc., a full-service IMO (Independent Marketing Organization) and BGA (Brokerage General Agency), connecting independent financial professionals with life, annuity, disability income, and long-term care solutions from 60+ carrier partners.

Connect on LinkedIn →

What Happens When a Client Dies Without a Will: Why Documenting Intentions Matters

September 26, 2026December 23, 2020 by Tim Fuller

Advisor and client reviewing an advanced markets estate planning strategy in a private office

All 50 states effectively say the same thing about a client’s planning goals: if they aren’t written down, they didn’t happen. When a client dies or becomes incapacitated without the right documents, state law fills in the blanks. Helping clients understand those defaults is often what finally gets them to act.

Key takeaways

Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy. Everyone has people and property that would be affected by death or incapacity.
Without written documents, state intestacy and guardianship laws decide who inherits, who manages money and who cares for minor children.
Advisors can encourage clients to complete their core documents with an attorney and make sure beneficiary designations support the plan.

If a client’s wishes aren’t written down, then as far as the state is concerned, they didn’t happen.

“If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen”

Thriller fans may recognize that line from Tom Clancy’s novels, where Jack Ryan’s wife, a busy physician, writes everything down to keep track of everyone’s commitments. Whole productivity programs have been built around the idea. State legislatures got there first. When it comes to a client’s estate, what isn’t documented doesn’t count.

Who needs estate planning?

Everyone, not just the wealthy. Every client has concerns about what happens to themselves, their survivors and their belongings after death or a serious illness. A young parent needs a guardian named for their children. A retiree needs someone authorized to manage accounts if dementia sets in. A business owner needs a plan for their share of the company.

What the state decides when there’s no plan

Who inherits: State intestacy rules distribute probate assets by a fixed formula, which may not match the client’s wishes, especially in blended families.
Who manages the estate: A court appoints an administrator.
Who raises minor children: A judge chooses the guardian.
Who handles money and medical care during incapacity: Without a power of attorney and health care directive, family may need a court-supervised guardianship or conservatorship.

For the three documents that prevent these outcomes, see the core estate planning documents every client needs.

How advisors can help

Ask every client whether they have a current will, power of attorney and health care directive, and refer them to an attorney to complete or update them. Then review beneficiary designations on life insurance, annuities and retirement accounts, since those generally pass outside the will. Our article on the beneficiary review walks through that step. Contact us if you’d like help discussing these documents with clients.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if someone dies without a will?

State intestacy laws decide who inherits the person’s probate assets, a court appoints someone to administer the estate, and a judge chooses a guardian for any minor children.

Does life insurance go through probate if there’s no will?

Generally no. Life insurance paid to a named, living beneficiary passes outside the will and probate. If the beneficiary is the estate, or no beneficiary survives, the proceeds may become part of the probate estate.

Do young or middle-income clients need estate planning?

Yes. Anyone with children, property, retirement accounts or people who depend on them benefits from a will, power of attorney and health care directive.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-26

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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3 Living-Benefit Uses of Indexed Universal Life That Help Place More Cases

September 26, 2026December 23, 2020 by Tim Fuller

Life insurance is more than a death benefit. As clients approach retirement, their concerns shift from income replacement toward outliving their savings and paying for health care. A properly designed indexed universal life policy can speak to those concerns, and positioning its living benefits can help you win more cases.

Key takeaways

Three common pre-retirement uses of IUL are college expenses, supplemental retirement income and long-term care or chronic illness costs.
IUL offers access, growth and protection: liquidity through withdrawals and loans, index-linked crediting with a floor, and a flexible death benefit.
Design matters. Funding level, loan strategy and riders determine how well a policy delivers these benefits.

There are numerous living benefits attached to life insurance, and they are available long before the death benefit is ever paid.

Why living benefits win cases

Many clients push back on life insurance because they see it only as money for someone else after they die. Showing how a policy can help them while they’re alive changes the conversation. For a broader overview, see the living benefits of permanent life insurance.

Three pre-retirement uses of IUL

College expenses. Accumulated cash value can be accessed through withdrawals or policy loans to help pay for a child’s or grandchild’s education.
Supplemental retirement income. A properly funded policy can provide a stream of withdrawals and loans that may be income-tax-free, alongside Social Security and qualified plans.
Long-term care and chronic illness costs. Many IUL policies offer a chronic illness or long-term care rider that lets the insured accelerate part of the death benefit if they qualify.

Access, growth and protection

Access: Cash value can be reached through withdrawals and policy loans, generally without income tax if the policy stays in force and isn’t a modified endowment contract.
Growth: Interest is credited based on the performance of an index such as the S&P 500, subject to caps or participation rates. A floor, often 0%, means index credits don’t go negative when the market falls, though policy charges still apply.
Protection: Flexible death benefit options, plus riders that can provide funds for chronic illness or ongoing care.

Positioning it responsibly

Illustrate at reasonable crediting rates, show how loans reduce the death benefit, and make sure the premium is one the client can sustain. Our life sales team can help you design the policy, choose riders and build a presentation that explains these features clearly.

Frequently asked questions

What are the living benefits of indexed universal life?

IUL cash value can be accessed during life for needs like college costs or supplemental retirement income, and many policies include riders that accelerate the death benefit for chronic illness or long-term care.

Can clients lose money in an IUL when the market drops?

Index credits typically have a floor, often 0%, so a market decline doesn’t produce a negative credit. However, policy charges continue, so cash value can still decrease in years with little or no credited interest.

Are IUL withdrawals and loans tax-free?

They can be income-tax-free when the policy is structured properly, stays in force and isn’t a modified endowment contract. Loans reduce the death benefit, and a lapse with a loan outstanding can create taxable income.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-26

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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Case Placement: Declined for Heart Attack History, Placed at Standard

September 25, 2026December 23, 2020 by Tim Fuller

A decline from one source isn’t the end of the road. This client had a heart attack and a stent, was declined elsewhere, and was placed at Standard Non-Tobacco after we took a second look.

Key takeaways

Cardiac declines are often worth re-shopping, especially with good follow-up testing.
Normal stress tests and controlled cholesterol after a heart attack are strong positives.
A 69-year-old with a prior heart attack and stent received Standard Non-Tobacco on $1 million of term.

Declined elsewhere for a heart attack and stent. Our result: Standard Non-Tobacco on $1 million, a placed case with $13,500 in annual premium.

The case

Male, age 69, non-smoker, seeking $1 million of term
Previously declined based on cardiac history
April 2015: heart attack with a successful stent for a severe right coronary artery blockage; mild blockages in two other arteries that needed no treatment
Echocardiograms in 2015, 2018, and 2019 showed a mildly enlarged left atrium
Stress testing showed normal heart function with no ischemia (reduced blood flow)
Current cholesterol normal

The outcome

We negotiated with one of our carriers and obtained Standard Non-Tobacco. The case was placed with an annual premium of $13,500.

What made it work

Underwriters look for stability after a cardiac event: normal stress tests, no ongoing symptoms, controlled risk factors, and consistent follow-up. This client had all of them. The original decline didn’t reflect how well he was doing. We’ve seen similar results with coronary artery disease at age 72.

Send us your declines

If you have a recently declined case, send it to our Underwriting Team for a fresh look. Include the most recent cardiac testing and cardiologist notes.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get life insurance after a heart attack?

Yes. Many clients qualify, especially with stable follow-up testing and controlled risk factors. Some can reach Standard or better.

Is a stent a problem for life insurance?

Not by itself. Underwriters focus on how the heart has done since, including stress tests, echocardiograms, and symptoms.

Should I re-shop a declined cardiac case?

Yes. Carriers differ widely on cardiac history, and a decline at one company can be an offer at another.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

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Honoring a Last Wish to Die at Home: Why a Long-Term Care Plan Matters

September 25, 2026December 23, 2020 by Tim Fuller

“What’s your plan?” It’s the question we encourage advisors to ask every client about long-term care, because when there isn’t one, the consequences can be heartbreaking.

Key takeaways

Most people want to receive care, and spend their final days, at home.
Without private coverage, the rules of Medicare and Medicaid can make extended in-home care very hard to arrange.
A comprehensive long-term care plan preserves the choice of where and how care is received.

A long-term care plan isn’t just about money. It’s about being able to choose where you spend the end of your life.

A story that shows the stakes

A New York Times article, “Fighting to Honor a Father’s Last Wish: To Die at Home,” followed one family’s struggle to keep their father at home. It showed how the requirements of Medicare and Medicaid can make it nearly impossible to arrange enough in-home care, even when that’s what the patient and family want.

Why government programs fall short

Medicare covers only limited skilled care, not ongoing custodial help at home. Medicaid generally requires spending down assets and may limit home care hours and options. See what Medicare and Medicaid actually cover.

What a comprehensive plan provides

A comprehensive long-term care policy can cover home care, adult day care, hospice-related support, assisted living, and nursing home care. Most importantly, it gives the insured the dignity and independence to choose where they receive care. More on home care benefits.

Your role

Advisors have a real opportunity to protect clients’ dignity, not just their assets. Ask the question, and help them build a plan that fits their budget.

Frequently asked questions

Does long-term care insurance pay for care at home at the end of life?

Many comprehensive policies cover home care, and some include hospice-related support, allowing people to stay home.

Why is it hard to get extended home care through Medicare or Medicaid?

Medicare doesn’t cover ongoing custodial care, and Medicaid has asset limits and may restrict home care hours and options.

What question should advisors ask about long-term care?

Simply, “What’s your plan?” Most clients haven’t made one.

50+ Years in Business60+ Top-Rated Carriers★★★★★ Rated by Advisors

Reviewed by Tim Fuller on 2026-09-25

Tim Fuller

President, SRS Inc.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Tim Fuller

Generating Long-Term Care Leads From Your Existing Client Reviews

Step 1: Find price-sensitive prospects

Step 2: Schedule a short meeting

Step 3: Use tailored materials

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

“If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen”

Who needs estate planning?

What the state decides when there’s no plan

How advisors can help

Frequently asked questions

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

Tim Fuller

We’re Here to Help

Tim Fuller

Tim Fuller