Email Etiquette: Tips for Success

Do you ever feel bombarded by marketing emails? Many consumers do. Avoid monetary penalties, alleviate consumer frustration, and remain compliant with these tips. 

1. Be Properly Licensed: It is generally required under state insurance regulations that you obtain a license in each state in which you solicit insurance – even by email. Be sure that you are licensed in the state where the consumer resides before sending a marketing email. It is important to remember that webinar invitations, seminar invitations, and appointment invitations are all considered marketing communications.
2. Receive Prior Approval When Necessary: Prior to sending a marketing email which mentions National Life Group (“NLG”) or any NLG companies, receive approval from NLG’s Advertising Guidance Team (“AGT”).  Unique approval is required for each sender and all written marketing materials must prominently include the words “this is an advertisement.” Remember, all email attachments must also receive prior approval from NLG’s AGT.
3. Scrub Your Distribution List: Consumers have the right to “unsubscribe” from unwanted marketing emails under the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (“CAN-SPAM”).  The monetary penalty for emailing someone who has unsubscribed from marketing emails can be as much as $50,120 per email. Before you send a marketing email, log on to NLG’s Agent Portal and use NLG’s self-service distribution list scrubbing tool.  You can also find instructions for using the tool on NLG’s Agent Portal.
4. Send CAN-SPAM Compliant Emails: CAN-SPAM requires you to:
   • Use truthful header information and honest subject lines. 
   • Include your physical address. 
   • Include a way to unsubscribe from future emails and quickly respond to unsubscribe requests. 
   • Monitor what others do on your behalf.
     • Remember, CAN-SPAM does not apply to emails sent to existing NLG clients primarily for transactional purposes – for example, to provide an NLG client with information about their existing life insurance policy.  Consumers who want to unsubscribe should visit National Life’s Unsubscribe Manager.  If a consumer asks you to “unsubscribe” them, it is your responsibility to immediately remove them from your mailing lists and load their email address into National Life’s Unsubscribe Manager. 
5. Protect Consumer Privacy & Your Ability to Reach Consumers: NLG’s Privacy Policy requires you to protect NLG client information.  When sending bulk emails to NLG clients, list all recipients in the blind carbon copy (“BCC”) field to mask the recipient list.
6. Limit Each Email to 20 Recipients: NLG’s Email Marketing Guidelines require you to limit the number of recipients on each email to 20 or less.  Emails with many addressees may be considered spam and blacklisted by internet service providers.  School districts also often look unfavorably on insurance producers sending unsolicited emails to faculty and staff, which may lead to a school district revoking 403(b) slots from an insurer. 

If you have questions on these tips, please email NLGCompliance@NationalLife.com. 

1. As of June 2023, according to the Inflation-Adjusted Civil Penalty Maximums. Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”). 2023. CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business. June 23.