Let's just start with lack of a really thin mustache and a 1970's leisure suit.  If you see those things then run, don't walk.  Most of our transactions these days are done online so what's the digital equivalent of the thin mustached when looking for a term life agent?  Good question.  Let's take a look at what to look for and maybe more importantly, what to avoid when looking for your online term life agent.

First of all, why use an agent at all?   That's a good question and it's partially answered by whether you've found a good one or not.  Let's take it back one step and address the need to even contemplate using a life insurance agent.  First of all, buying term life is not the sort of thing we do every day (hopefully).  A great deal of the terminology, plan types, and company names can be relatively new or opaque to the term life shopper.  Sure, you may see more ads for a given life insurance company but does that really mean their plan is a better fit for your situation and your budget?  Probably not.  The ability to aggressively advertise might even be the opposite.  We all knew who AIG was and look what happened to them.  The reason we want to contact an agent is quite simple...we want someone to help us make a good choice and avoid the many bad ones we assume are out there.  This is really a question of trust.  As a shopper, I hope for two things.  First, I want you to put my interests first...help me make a decision for my situation that you would make for yourself if in the same situation.  That's it in a nutshell.   That's what we all want from an agent or any salesperson for that matter.  Secondly, you have to be knowledgable enough about the term life insurance options out there to actually make good on the first requirement above.  You can't help me find the best plan if you don't know much about all the available plans on the market.  Selling me the cheapest plan isn't exactly the best move if I have to fight with the carrier to actually pay out.  On the opposite side, why pay more for a term life plan that will deliver the same benefit and service as a cheaper plan.  A term life agent should know this and act accordingly.

So now that we have established what we want from life insurance agent, how can we tell if a given agent will meet these requirements?  Here are a few things to look for either online or over the phone with a prospective term life agent.  Do they seem to be too pushy...trying to get you to buy right now.  With an agent or website like this, it isn't that they will necessarily steer you wrong but it's definitely a warning signal.  Do they seem knowledgeable?  Can they clearly explain why a given plan is a better option than another one?  Do they use a lot of jargon and confusing terminology to move past your questions or explain the differences.  Do they ask enough questions to adequately understand your situation.  Everyone's financial and dependent situation is different and although term life insurance has become a more simplified product, there's still a great deal of variation when looking at length of protection and amount of protection to adequately cover your needs while staying within your budget. 

These are some of the common questions to ask internally when dealing with a potential term life insurance agent but ultimately, it comes down to a gut response.  If you feel like you're being pressured, politely let them know you have to take another emergency phone call and never look back.