Key Takeaways
- 65% of life insurance purchases require both spouses to agree—but only 30% of meetings include both
- Offering to meet with both spouses increases close rates by 50%
- 40% of "spouse" objections are actually personal concerns disguised as a partner issue
When the Decision-Maker Isn't in the Room
Client Question: "I'd like to do this, but I need to talk to my spouse first."
65% of life insurance purchases require both spouses to agree. But only 30% of initial meetings include both partners—which is why this objection is so common.
Approaches to the Spouse Objection
- Offer inclusion — "Would it help if we met together so they can ask questions?"
- Anticipate concerns — "What do you think their main concern would be?"
- Provide materials — "What information would help them feel comfortable?"
- Role-play the conversation — "What would you say to explain why this matters?"
The Skeptical Spouse
A client whose spouse thinks life insurance is a scam
Setup
Your client is convinced they need coverage, but their spouse has expressed strong negative opinions about insurance in general.
Client says:
“I want to move forward with this, but my wife hates insurance. Her parents got burned by some insurance guy years ago. She's going to fight me on this. I don't know how to convince her.”
Practice Objectives
- 1Understand what happened with her parents
- 2Ask if the client has talked to their spouse about this specific need
- 3Explore what would address the spouse's concerns
- 4Offer to meet with both of them together
- 5Suggest the client lead with "why" they feel it's important
The Financial Controller
A client whose spouse manages all the money
Setup
The client is interested but says their spouse handles all financial decisions and they can't commit to anything without approval.
Client says:
“I don't really handle our finances—my husband does all that. He pays the bills, manages our investments, everything. I couldn't sign up for something like this without him being involved. Can you just send me information to share with him?”
Practice Objectives
- 1Acknowledge and respect their family dynamic
- 2Ask if the spouse knows about this conversation
- 3Explore whether the client sees the value themselves
- 4Offer to meet with the spouse rather than just send materials
- 5Help them understand what to share with their spouse
The Spouse as Shield
Someone using "spouse" as an excuse to avoid deciding
Setup
You sense this client is using their spouse as a reason not to make a decision, but they've mentioned their spouse is generally supportive of financial decisions.
Client says:
“I should really run this by my wife first. She'd want to know about any new monthly expense. I'll talk to her this weekend and get back to you. She's going to have questions, I'm sure.”
Practice Objectives
- 1Gently explore if this is genuine or avoidance
- 2Ask what specifically their wife would want to know
- 3Offer to be available to answer the wife's questions
- 4If it seems like avoidance, address the real concern
- 5Set a specific follow-up time
Presenting to Both Spouses
A follow-up meeting with both partners present
Setup
You met with the husband last week. Now you're meeting with both spouses. The wife is clearly skeptical and wasn't sure they needed this meeting.
Client says:
“*Wife* Okay, so Tom says we need life insurance. I'm not really sure why—we've been fine without it for 15 years. But he insisted we hear you out. So... convince me why we should spend money on something we've never needed.”
Practice Objectives
- 1Don't try to "convince" her—that creates resistance
- 2Acknowledge their 15 years of being fine
- 3Ask what has changed (or hasn't) in their situation
- 4Explore what "being fine" has looked like
- 5Let her express concerns and address them
- 6Find common ground on what they both want for their family
A client says their spouse "handles all the finances." The best approach is: