For Broker-Dealers
Insurance Planning Partner for Broker-Dealers
Your advisors own the client relationship. We provide the specialized insurance expertise behind it. BUI combines the resources of a sophisticated, national insurance organization with the accessibility and high-touch service of a boutique firm.
Key Takeaways
Insurance Expertise That Strengthens Your Advisor Value Proposition
- ✓ A specialized insurance planning partner allows a broker-dealer to offer sophisticated life insurance, long-term care, annuity, and risk-management expertise without building internal infrastructure.
- ✓ Advisors maintain full ownership of the client relationship at all times.
- ✓ National resources, specialized expertise, and personal service combine to support cases ranging from straightforward term life to complex estate and business planning.
- ✓ The partnership model is collaborative, flexible, and designed to scale with the broker-dealer's advisor base without adding significant internal staffing.
- ✓ A proactive, process-driven system with turnkey evaluation processes, joint presentation support, and application assistance makes it comfortable for advisors to engage clients about insurance without needing to be insurance experts themselves.
The Opportunity
Insurance Expertise Without Internal Infrastructure
Many broker-dealers recognize that life insurance, long-term care, and annuities are essential components of comprehensive wealth management. However, building an in-house insurance department requires specialized staffing, carrier appointments, underwriting expertise, and technology systems that may not be practical or scalable for every firm.
A specialized insurance planning partner allows a broker-dealer to expand its capabilities without the overhead. BUI is designed to function as an extension of the broker-dealer's value proposition, providing the insurance infrastructure so advisors can focus on client relationships and comprehensive advice.
This approach may involve trade-offs. A broker-dealer should evaluate whether an external partnership aligns with its supervisory framework, compensation structure, and compliance obligations before proceeding.
The Independence Promise
Broker-dealers emphasize independence, advisor autonomy, and client-first advice. Advisors want to maintain control of their practices while accessing sophisticated resources.
The Insurance Gap
Most broker-dealers are not structured to provide deep insurance planning expertise internally. Building that capability requires specialized hires, carrier relationships, and ongoing training.
The Partnership Solution
An external insurance planning partner can fill the gap with a flexible, scalable model that provides expertise on demand without fixed infrastructure costs.
Core Positioning
National Resources. Specialized Expertise. Personal Service.
Insurance expertise that strengthens your advisor value proposition without changing the advisor-client relationship.
National Resources
Carrier relationships across the life insurance, LTC, and annuity markets. Technology-enabled processes serving advisors in every state. Decades of brokerage industry experience with deep carrier-level relationships.
Specialized Expertise
Advanced case design, specialized underwriting, estate and business planning support. Experienced professionals with credentials including CLU, FALU, FLMI, CFP, J.D., and AEP designations.
Personal Service
Responsive, accessible professionals who return calls and emails promptly. High-touch case management with dedicated case managers. A boutique service experience at a national scale.
The Partnership Model
How BUI Works With Your Advisors
The partnership model is collaborative: BUI provides the specialized insurance expertise, case design, underwriting support, and carrier access, while the advisor maintains full ownership of the client relationship.
Collaborative, Not Competitive
BUI professionals work at the advisor's direction, providing as much or as little support as each case requires. The advisor remains the client's trusted advisor. BUI does not seek to interact directly with the advisor's clients unless the advisor requests it.
Flexible Engagement
Some advisors may prefer BUI to handle the entire insurance case from illustration through policy delivery. Others may want targeted support only on complex underwriting or advanced case design. The flexibility is intentional.
Scalable Across Your Advisor Base
Whether your firm has 50 affiliated advisors or 500, BUI's model is designed to scale. Advisors engage on a case-by-case basis, so the broker-dealer does not need to manage utilization thresholds or minimum volume commitments.
Integrated Into the Planning Conversation
BUI helps advisors incorporate insurance naturally into comprehensive wealth management. From needs analysis through policy evaluations, BUI resources are designed to complement the advisor's broader planning process, not replace it.
BUI's approach may not suit every broker-dealer's operational model. Firms with specific supervisory requirements or proprietary product platforms should confirm compatibility before establishing a partnership.
Capabilities
Comprehensive Insurance Planning Capabilities
BUI provides capabilities across several areas of insurance planning, designed to support advisors from straightforward transactions through highly complex planning situations.
Advisor-First Support
BUI's structure is designed around the advisor's workflow. Support is available at each stage of the insurance planning process, from initial consultation through policy issuance and ongoing review.
Client-First Insurance Planning
BUI's number one core value is making recommendations believed to be in the interest of the client. Sometimes insurance is not the answer, and that is acknowledged.
Broad Carrier Access
BUI maintains relationships with multiple insurance carriers, which may allow advisors to compare products across the market. Product analysis is conducted on behalf of the advisor and their client, not driven by carrier quotas or volume incentives. Carrier availability and product offerings may vary by state and over time.
Specialized Underwriting Expertise
BUI's underwriting team provides pre-underwriting consultation, informal inquiries, and guidance on complex health histories. This helps advisors navigate challenging cases.
Advanced Case Design
BUI's advanced planning resources, support estate planning, business succession, executive benefits, and wealth transfer strategies. Case design assistance is tailored to each situation rather than following a template.
High-Touch Case Management
Each case is assigned a dedicated case manager who coordinates carrier communication, application completion, underwriting follow-through, and policy delivery. This may reduce administrative burden on the advisor, though the advisor remains responsible for suitability and client communication.
Technology and Streamlined Processes
BUI provides technology tools designed to simplify quoting, application submission, and case tracking, including accelerated underwriting programs. Technology adoption may vary depending on advisor preferences and carrier system requirements.
Compliance-Conscious Support
BUI operates with attention to regulatory requirements relevant to insurance transactions. Broker-dealers should coordinate with their own compliance teams to confirm that BUI's processes align with their supervisory procedures.
Support Across Case Complexity
BUI is structured to support cases ranging from straightforward term life applications to complex estate and business planning scenarios involving multiple carriers, trusts, and coordinated strategies. Family office and high-net-worth planning support is also available.
The BUI Difference
The distinction between a specialized insurance planning partner and a traditional insurance wholesaler is meaningful for broker-dealer executives evaluating external relationships.
| Dimension | Traditional Insurance Wholesaler | BUI as Insurance Planning Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Product and transaction focused | Advisor and planning focused |
| Client Relationship | May interact directly with clients | Advisor owns the relationship. BUI provides joint presentation assistance when requested. |
| Case Support | Often limited to product selection | Comprehensive from needs analysis through policy delivery and review |
| Service Model | Post sale service limited to providing carrier contact phone numbers | BUI employs a policy service team. Advisors and b/d staff never have to call an insurance carrier's customer service line. |
| Planning Depth | Product recommendation | Advanced case design, estate and business planning support |
| Carrier Approach | May favor specific carriers | Carrier agnostic. Access to dozens of highly rated insurers. |
| Collaboration | Transactional | Ongoing relationship with advisor and broker-dealer |
This comparison reflects BUI's intended model. Actual experiences may vary depending on case specifics, advisor engagement, and carrier participation.
How It Works
How the Partnership Works
The process is designed to be straightforward for broker-dealer leadership and flexible for individual advisors.
Initial Conversation
BUI meets with broker-dealer leadership to understand the firm's advisor base, supervisory framework, and insurance objectives. This helps determine whether the partnership aligns with the firm's operational model.
Advisor Onboarding
BUI introduces its services to interested advisors, explaining available resources and how to engage on specific cases. Advisors retain discretion over when and how to use BUI's support. BUI provides regular education sessions.
Case-by-Case Engagement
Advisors bring insurance planning needs to BUI as they arise. BUI provides quoting, case design, underwriting support, application assistance, and case management at the advisor's direction.
Ongoing Support and Education
BUI offers continuing education, product updates, and planning resources designed to help advisors integrate insurance into comprehensive wealth management discussions with clients, including policy reviews and audits.
Review and Refinement
The partnership is designed to evolve. BUI and broker-dealer leadership may periodically review how the relationship is functioning and adjust as needed.
Experienced Team
Specialized Expertise Backed by Experienced Leadership
BUI's team includes professionals with credentials relevant to insurance planning and advanced case design. The firm operates as a national brokerage general agency (BGA) with carrier relationships across the life insurance, long-term care, and annuity markets.
Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, BUI serves advisors nationwide through technology-enabled processes. The firm combines decades of brokerage industry experience with deep carrier-level relationships and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Leadership Team
- Michael Tessler President
- Brant Steck, CFP® Vice President
- Chris Hooper, CLU, FALU, FLMI Chief Underwriter
- Brian Seigel, J.D., AEP® Director, Advanced Planning
- Mickey Vogt Director, Operations
- Debbie Tate Director, Advisor Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions From Broker-Dealers
What Is a BGA and How Does It Support a Broker-Dealer?
A brokerage general agency (BGA) is an insurance distribution organization that provides advisors with carrier access, underwriting support, case design, and administrative services. For a broker-dealer, a BGA may function as an external insurance department, providing specialized expertise without the firm needing to build internal infrastructure. Learn more about BGAs.
How Does an Insurance Planning Partner Differ From an Insurance Wholesaler?
An insurance planning partner focuses on the advisor's planning process and client relationship, providing comprehensive support from needs analysis through policy delivery. A traditional wholesaler is typically more product and transaction oriented, with less involvement in case design and ongoing planning. The distinction matters because broker-dealers evaluating external relationships need to understand whether the partner will complement or compete with the advisor's role.
Can Our Advisors Maintain Ownership of the Client Relationship When Working With BUI?
Yes. BUI's model is designed so that the advisor owns the client relationship at all times. BUI professionals work behind the advisor, providing support and expertise at the advisor's direction. BUI does not seek to interact directly with the advisor's clients unless the advisor requests it.
What Types of Insurance Cases Can BUI Support?
BUI is structured to support a range of cases, from straightforward term life applications to complex estate planning, business succession, executive benefits, and impaired-risk underwriting scenarios. The breadth of support may vary depending on carrier availability, state regulations, and case specifics.
Does BUI Work With Independent Broker-Dealers as Well as National Firms?
BUI is designed to work with broker-dealers of various sizes and structures, including national, regional, and independent firms. The partnership model is flexible and may be adapted to different supervisory frameworks and advisor populations.
The Engagement System
A Proactive, Process-Driven System That Makes Insurance Conversations Easy
Many advisors hesitate to bring up insurance because they feel they need to be experts in carrier products, underwriting niches, and policy mechanics. BUI's system is designed to remove that barrier. The advisor initiates the conversation; BUI handles the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Advisors can engage clients about insurance with confidence, knowing BUI's team provides the specialized expertise at each step.
Turnkey Evaluation Processes
BUI provides structured, repeatable turnkey evaluation processes that help advisors identify planning opportunities and enhance client relationships. The full suite of evaluations includes Performance Evaluation, Estate Evaluation, Estate Tax Analysis, Long Term Care Evaluation, Business Succession Evaluation, and Key Person Evaluation.
Each follows the same predictable structure: communicate value to the client, gather information with a provided document, and receive a polished report. BUI even helps with the presentation. The processes are designed so advisors can leverage BUI's expertise onto the analytical heavy lifting while maintaining full ownership of the client relationship.
Joint Presentation Support
When it is time to present insurance planning recommendations to the client, BUI helps the advisor look knowledgeable and well-supported. Whether an advisor wants BUI to join a client meeting, provide presentation materials, or simply review talking points beforehand, the support is flexible.
The advisor leads the conversation; BUI provides the technical depth behind it. This is designed so the advisor appears as the orchestrator of a sophisticated planning process, not as someone handing the client off to a third party. Presentation support is tailored to each advisor's preference and may vary by case.
Application Assistance
Once a client decides to move forward, BUI handles the application process from start to finish. This includes preparing forms, coordinating exams and underwriting requirements, tracking progress with the carrier, and managing policy delivery.
The advisor remains involved at the level they choose, but the administrative burden shifts to BUI's dedicated case managers. The advisor remains responsible for suitability determinations and client communication throughout the process.
The result is a system where advisors can incorporate insurance into their practice naturally, without becoming insurance specialists. BUI's process-driven approach is designed to make each case predictable, repeatable, and comfortable for both the advisor and the client.
Get Started
Insurance Expertise That Strengthens Your Advisor Value Proposition
Talk to a BUI teammate about how a specialized insurance planning partnership can help your broker-dealer expand capabilities without building internal infrastructure. National resources. Specialized expertise. Personal service.
BUI is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and serves advisors nationwide.