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September 01, 2008 at 08:00 PM
Back in April, “Dateline NBC” aired a segment called “Tricks of the Trade,” which exposed questionable sales practices that some agents and advisors have employed to sell equity indexed annuities and other products to seniors.
Correspondent Chris Hansen revealed the true meaning of the metaphor “even a few bad apples will quickly ruin the whole barrel.” Decay can quickly spread to the good ones; in this case, injuring the reputation of tens of thousands of professionals who are honest, engage in detailed due diligence and who are ethical in every regard, in every transaction.
The report spawned a fierce debate among members and associations in the industry, including criticism from respected colleagues such as Tucker Advisory Group, AnnuityAdvantage.com, and the National Association of Fixed Annuities.
With all due respect to those whose angst was evident — you don’t get it. From the perspective of an educator, here are some thoughts that may challenge the assertion that the industry was treated unfairly. It wasn’t.
The hour-long segment showcased various advisors engaging in questionable sales practices, further perpetuating the unethical stereotype associated with insurance agents. Insurance salespersons rank fourth from the bottom and are considered less ethical than lawyers, congressman and chiropractors, according to a 2006 Gallup poll. Segments like the one “Dateline NBC” aired fuel those who would say that this reputation is well deserved. Causing concern was the fact that advisors are not always forthcoming about fees and commissions.
