What to Ask an Insurance Broker: A Simple Checklist for Florida Families

What to Bring and Why It Matters

Show up prepared and you'll spend your appointment solving problems, not hunting for paperwork.

This short Florida-focused checklist shows what to prepare. It also lists the questions to ask about coverage and the contract and service details to verify.

Bring recent pay stubs, W-2s or tax returns, mortgage statements, credit balances, and investment or retirement account statements.

We operate by appointment so you get undivided attention during the meeting. That lets your broker compare carriers and tailor recommendations to your family's goals.

Exactly what to bring so your broker can give accurate, timely advice

Want a meeting that focuses on solutions, not searching for files? Bring these documents and your broker can compare options and spot gaps quickly.

Personal & financial documents

• Bring recent pay stubs or W-2s so we can see your current income.
• Include recent tax returns when available to show household cash flow and deductions.
• Bring mortgage statements and a summary of other debts so we can evaluate home protection needs.
• Bring statements for retirement and investment accounts to help match products to your long-term goals.

Medical & health details

• List current medications with dosages and how often you take them.
• Bring contact info for your doctors and any specialists you see.
• Prepare a short summary of your and your immediate family’s medical history.

Existing insurance and estate documents

• Bring copies of all current policies, including life, health, disability, and long-term care.
• Include employer benefit summaries for group life or disability coverage.
• Bring wills, trusts, and powers of attorney so new recommendations fit your estate plan.

For virtual appointments, scan or photograph documents as PDFs and give them clear names before the meeting. If you can upload files to a secure folder ahead of time, we can start drafting options right away.

Want deeper reading on organizing eldercare documents or Florida mortgage protection? Here’s practical guidance on caring for aging parents and this piece explains mortgage protection in Florida.

Compare policies side-by-side: exact questions to get apples-to-apples answers

Feeling overwhelmed by options? Focus on mechanics, not marketing. Ask the right, specific questions and you’ll get answers you can compare.

Life insurance: term vs permanent and the hybrid many families use

Term covers you for a set period, usually 10, 20, or 30 years. It is often the most cost effective way to protect temporary needs.

Permanent insurance covers you for life and usually builds cash value that can grow over time. Many families combine term for big liabilities and a smaller permanent policy to lock in insurability.

• Is this term or permanent coverage, and what term lengths do you recommend for my mortgage and child timeline?
• For permanent options, how does cash value grow and when can I access it?
• If I buy term now, can I convert to permanent later without a medical exam?

Mortgage protection, annuities, final expense, and child policies

Mortgage protection can use a decreasing or a level benefit. That choice affects payout size and premiums.

Also confirm who the payout goes to. Paying beneficiaries gives families flexibility to cover mortgage, taxes, or living costs. For more Florida-specific details, see our mortgage protection guide.

• Is the mortgage benefit decreasing or level, and how is the premium calculated?
• Who receives the payout: the lender or my beneficiary? If lender, can funds be directed elsewhere?
• If I refinance or move, is the policy portable or convertible?

Annuities vary by timing and investment approach. They can start paying right away or later.

• Is this immediate or deferred, and when would income begin?
• Is it fixed, indexed, or variable, and what fees or surrender charges apply?
• Are there riders for income guarantees and what do they cost?

Final expense is meant to cover end-of-life costs and often has smaller benefits and simpler underwriting.

• What are the maximum benefit limits and do you offer day-one full coverage or a graded waiting period?
• How quickly are claims paid after approval, and is there a contestability window?

For child policies, confirm guaranteed insurability, cash-value mechanics, and how ownership transfers at adulthood.

• Does the policy include guaranteed purchase options, and at what ages can more coverage be added without underwriting?
• Can I see an illustration showing cash-value growth at 10, 20, and 30 years?
• What is the process for transferring ownership when the child reaches adulthood, and at what age?

Bring these exact questions to your appointment and we’ll compare carrier answers side-by-side. That makes choosing a solution clear and tailored to your family.

Verify underwriting, fees, riders, and contract clauses before you sign

Don’t sign until you know which parts of a policy can change your cost or your family’s payout. A few contract clauses or a single underwriting factor can make a big difference later.

Underwriting: the things that affect eligibility and premiums

Underwriting weighs age, gender, health, lifestyle, occupation, and finances when pricing a policy. Younger and healthier applicants usually pay much less.

Be honest on the application. During the early contestability period insurers can investigate and deny claims for material misstatements. If you have questions about what to disclose, ask us before you apply.

Costs and surrender charges that reduce cash value

Investable life policies and annuities include multiple fees that lower growth and payouts. Know which fees apply and how they are charged.

• Cost of insurance pays for the death benefit and typically rises as you age.
• Premium loads or sales charges are often taken up front and can be 5% to 9%.
• Administrative fees usually run about five to fifteen dollars monthly or fifty to one hundred twenty dollars annually.
• Mortality and expense charges and optional rider fees also reduce returns and vary by product.

Surrender charges penalize early withdrawals and often start high then decline on a sliding scale. Typical surrender periods last five to ten years, though some contracts are longer.

Riders to consider and their trade-offs

• Waiver of premium keeps your policy in force if you become totally disabled, but it usually raises premiums by roughly ten to twenty five percent.
• An accelerated death benefit lets you access funds for a terminal illness, but any money taken reduces the death benefit your heirs receive.
• A long-term care rider lets you use part of the death benefit for assisted living or home care once you cannot perform required daily activities. Benefits are often paid monthly and are commonly structured as a percentage of the death benefit.
• Guaranteed insurability riders let you buy more coverage later without medical underwriting and are useful for growing families.

Contract clauses and exclusions to read now

• Check the suicide clause. Many policies limit or exclude suicide claims during the first two years.
• Understand the contestability period. Insurers can review your application in the first two years for material misstatements.
• Verify beneficiary designations and whether they are revocable or irrevocable because they usually override your will.
• Look for the free look period, typically ten to thirty days, so you can return the policy for a refund if needed.
• Note the grace period for missed payments and the misstatement of age clause that can adjust benefits after discovery.

Ongoing service you should expect from your broker

A professional broker is a long-term partner, not a one-time seller. Expect at least an annual review, event-based check-ins after big life changes, help updating beneficiaries, and active claims advocacy.

Ask during your appointment how often you will meet, whether you’ll have direct access to your broker, and how they handle claims support. That confirms you’ll get ongoing service when it matters most.

From answers to action: using your checklist at the appointment

Finished asking the broker the checklist questions? Use your answers to compare quotes side-by-side and request any in-force illustrations you need. Verify the agent’s Florida license number and carrier appointments before you sign. Confirm the standard of care and how the broker is compensated. Ask for an annual review schedule and clear claims support procedures so you know the service you’ll get after purchase.

Being prepared makes meetings faster and more productive, and it helps you choose a plan that protects your home and family. For Florida eldercare planning and document tips, see our practical guide on caring for aging parents.

If you’d like help comparing quotes or confirming licensing and appointments, we can assist. Call Peter Middleton Insurance, LLC at (954) 263-1410 or email protect@pjmins.com to schedule an appointment. We work by appointment so you get undivided attention.