Question 1

What does it cost to work with Pinnacle?

Accepted Answer

Nothing. We get paid by the insurance company whose policy you pick. Prices are set by that company and filed with your state, so going through us does not add a cent to what you pay.

Question 2

Are you an insurance company?

Accepted Answer

No. We are a licensed independent insurance agency. We do not create the policies or pay the claims — the insurance companies do that. We help you find the right one and handle the paperwork.

Question 3

What does “independent” actually mean?

Accepted Answer

Someone who works for one insurance company can only sell you that company's product. Nobody owns us, so we can compare what 50+ top-rated companies would charge you. They price the same health history very differently, and that gap is where most of the savings lives.

Question 4

Do I need a medical exam?

Accepted Answer

Often not. Many policies are approved based on a few health questions alone. If a company does want an exam, we tell you before anything is sent off.

Question 5

Is coverage available in my state?

Accepted Answer

It varies by product, by company and by state, and not everything is available everywhere. Tell us your state and we will be straight with you about what can actually be done.

Question 6

Where is Pinnacle located?

Accepted Answer

We're headquartered in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey and Munster, Indiana, with regional partner offices across the country — so the person you talk to knows your state's rules.

Question 7

What happens to the equity we've built?

Accepted Answer

It stays with your family — that's the whole point. Without coverage, equity is usually the first thing to go: borrowed against, refinanced, or handed over in a sale just to keep up. With the loan cleared, every dollar you put in over the years is still theirs.

Question 8

Is this the same as PMI?

Accepted Answer

No, and this is the most common mix-up. Private mortgage insurance protects your lender if you stop paying — it does nothing for your family. Mortgage protection is coverage you own, and the benefit goes to the people you name, not to the bank.

Question 9

How does the payout actually work?

Accepted Answer

If you pass away during the term, the company pays the benefit in cash directly to the person you named. Your lender is not involved and the money is not restricted — your family can clear the loan with it, or handle whatever else needs handling first.

Question 10

Does the payout have to go to the mortgage?

Accepted Answer

No. It is paid to your beneficiary in cash. Most families clear the loan with it, but that decision belongs entirely to them.

Question 11

I was turned down for coverage before. Should I bother?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Different companies rule out different things, and a no from one tells you almost nothing about the next. This is exactly the situation where having someone shop it for you is worth the most.

Question 12

Will I need a medical exam?

Accepted Answer

Often not. Many companies decide based on a few health questions. If one does want an exam, your agent will tell you before anything is sent off.

Question 13

What does it cost?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your age, health, coverage amount and how many years you want it for. Because nobody owns us, we compare several companies and show you the range rather than one company's answer. Start with the smallest amount you are comfortable with — you can always add later.

Question 14

How much coverage do people usually take?

Accepted Answer

Most policies fall between $10,000 and $25,000. The right number depends on the service you have in mind and whether you want anything left over for outstanding bills.

Question 15

I've been turned down before. Can I still get this?

Accepted Answer

Very often, yes. Approval here is based on your answers to a short set of health questions rather than a full medical review, and different companies rule out different things. Some options accept everyone within certain ages. Tell your agent what you were turned down for and they will tell you straight what they think they can do.

Question 16

Does the coverage expire?

Accepted Answer

No. It is whole life insurance. As long as premiums are paid, the policy stays in force for life.

Question 17

Is there a waiting period?

Accepted Answer

Some final expense products pay a graded or reduced benefit if death occurs in the first two years, particularly guaranteed-acceptance ones. Your agent will tell you clearly whether the product you are considering has one.

Question 18

Who receives the money?

Accepted Answer

Your named beneficiary, in cash. They can pay the funeral home directly or use it for whatever else needs handling.

Question 19

Term or whole life?

Accepted Answer

Term suits most families with a defined window of responsibility and a budget. Whole life suits estate planning, lifelong dependents, or anyone who wants coverage that will not end regardless of future health. Your agent will show you both and tell you which your situation actually calls for.

Question 20

How much coverage is right?

Accepted Answer

A common starting point is ten to twelve times household income, adjusted for debt, the mortgage and years until the youngest child is independent. Start with the smallest amount you are comfortable with — you can always add later.

Question 21

Can I be covered with a health condition?

Accepted Answer

Often yes. Companies price the same condition very differently. We find the one that treats your history best.

Question 22

Can I use the policy before a claim?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes. Whole life policies can build cash value you may be able to borrow against, and some policies let you access part of the benefit early if you are diagnosed with a qualifying illness and meet the policy's conditions. Both depend on the specific policy — ask your agent to show you what yours allows.

Question 23

When can I enroll?

Accepted Answer

Open enrollment runs at a set time each year. Outside it, a qualifying life event — losing coverage, marriage, a birth, a move — opens a special enrollment period.

Question 24

Can I be turned down for a pre-existing condition?

Accepted Answer

Not for major medical coverage. Insurance companies cannot turn you down or charge you more because of your health history.

Question 25

Will you check my prescriptions?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Formularies differ sharply between plans, and a regular prescription frequently changes which plan wins on total annual cost.

Question 26

Do you handle dental and vision?

Accepted Answer

Yes. They are usually separate from medical, and we can quote them alongside your plan.

Question 27

When should I start looking?

Accepted Answer

About three months before your 65th birthday. Your initial enrollment period spans the three months before your birth month, that month, and the three after.

Question 28

Does it cost more to use an agent?

Accepted Answer

No. Plan premiums are set by the company and are identical whether you enroll through an agent or on your own.

Question 29

I'm still working at 65 — do I have to enroll?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your employer coverage and the size of the employer. Getting this wrong can carry a lifetime penalty, so it is worth a short conversation before you decide.

Question 30

Will you push me toward one plan?

Accepted Answer

No. We show you what you are eligible for and what each option costs. Which one you take is your call, and “keep what you have” is a legitimate outcome.

Question 31

What is an annuity, plainly?

Accepted Answer

A contract with an insurance company: you place a sum with them, and they commit to paying income back to you, either starting now or at a future date. Terms vary widely from company to company, which is why comparing them matters.

Question 32

Is my principal at risk?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the product. Fixed and fixed indexed annuities are designed to protect principal from market loss. Variable annuities are not. We will be explicit about which is which, and about any surrender charges before you sign anything.

Question 33

What is indexed universal life doing in a retirement conversation?

Accepted Answer

It is a life insurance policy that can build cash value over time, which some people use as one piece of a retirement plan alongside everything else. It is not a savings account and it is not an investment, the returns are subject to caps and costs, and it is not right for everyone. Your agent will show you the actual illustration and the fees before you decide anything.

Question 34

Can you look at a 401(k) from an old job?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Reviewing old employer plans is one of the most common reasons people call, and there is no cost to have it looked at.

Question 35

How much do I need to start?

Accepted Answer

Less than most people assume. Start with the smallest amount you're comfortable with — the point is to begin, not to move everything at once.

Questions people actually ask.

Each product has its own.

Mortgage Protection

Final Expense

Life Insurance

Health Insurance

Medicare

Annuities & Retirement

Still unsure?