The CompeteUS Initial Screen:

Figure #1: Screen image of the initial screen of the CompeteUS™ software

As seen on Figure #1 above, the CompeteUS™ software is designed for easy intuitive use.

The CompeteUS™ software is designed to handle as many as 12 clients simultaneously. To Add (and Insert) or Remove a client's data, click on the respectively named Action Button at the right side near the bottom of the screen.

Client's Name
Although it is not absolutely necessary, it is a good idea to start with the entry of the client's name. To enter the client's name, click on the input area under the heading "Name" at the Initial Screen. You will notice that you don't even need to press the shift key to capitalize names. The software even capitalizes for you automatically.   When entered, the client's name will appear on the tab for the respective client.

To proceed to the next input area, either click on the input area for the next heading or press the <Enter> key or <Tab> key on your keyboard. We have provided for all three options for your convenience.

Client's Date of Birth
The CompeteUS™ provides you with a choice of entering the clients Date of Birth or the client's "Age Last" and "Age Nearest". Entering the client's Date of Birth will result in an accurate, automatic determination by the software of the client's "Age Last" and "Age Nearest". (Note, If you have entered a Date of Birth and then choose to over-ride the calculated "Age Last" and "Age Nearest", the CompeteUS will indicate that the age computations were changed manually by placing a strike-through on the date in the Date of Birth field.

If you don't know the Date of Birth or simply wish to enter "Age Last" and "Age Nearest" directly, you may skip the "Date of Birth" field and enter "Age Last" and "Age Nearest" directly.

Qualification Analysis™

The CompeteUS™ Professional Software provides a further innovation, the Qualification Analysis™ functions.  These functions are designed to fine tune your quotations and comparisons with respect to various qualification criteria such as height and weight, BP, Cholesterol, Alcohol and Drug, Personal and Family medical history, etc. Use of the Qualification Analysis™ functions is highly recommended, though these are optional.  Also, it is useful to use the CompeteUS™ Qualification Analsysis™ even when you don't have all the information for the inputs to this function.

Client's Gender
Click on either "Male" or "Female" to place a check-mark to indicate gender.

Category Ascertain™ Functions
Unlike old programs of the pre-Windows era that were written before the advent of  Preferred Underwriting - and that may have not yet been modernized to handle key material aspects of Preferred Underwriting products - the CompeteUS™ is a modern software designed to handle both the "traditional" and "Preferred Underwriting" products.

Tobacco use/consumption history by the prospective life insured is a key and material aspect of disclosure. Accurate disclosure and accurate consideration of past and/or present tobacco use/consumption history enhances your competitive edge while reducing the risk of E&O and/or of inadvertent "low ball" quotes.

The "Category Ascertain™ Functions" of the CompeteUS replace the outdated and non-standardized "Smoker" and "Non-Smoker" guesstimations.

Figure #2: Screen Image of the Category Ascertain(tm) Functions' menus

As can be seen in Figure #2 above, the "Category Ascertain™ Functions" list various forms of tobacco and related substance use/consumption and also provide for the entry of further information regarding any past or present such use/consumption.

To close the "Category Ascertain(tm) Functions" menus, click on the "Close" button at the bottom of the "Category Ascertain™ Functions" pop-up menu window.

Risk(s):
Click on the Risk class options that you wish to have included in the competitive comparison survey. You may indicate one or more risk class(es) as you wish. Note: Normally, it is suggested that you consider at least two risk classes. For example, if the assumption is that the client may qualify for "Super Preferred" rates, it is also suggested that you include the "Preferred" risk class so as not to exclude potentially competitive products from companies that do not offer "Super Preferred" rate classes and/or to also show "fall back" rates.

Note:  Insurance companies use various nomenclature to describe their category-classes and there is no common standard and commonly used nomenclature for the various category-classes in the industry or in the mind of the public. It is, therefore, advantageous and beneficial to use the Qualification Analysis™ functions and to either check off all the classes to which you believe that the client may qualify or to check off a class along with the "Multiple Category-Class" option at the "General Risks" options on the screen.

Product Type:
Click on the input area for "Product Type" and pick the desired product type to be included in the competitive comparison survey.

Face Amount:
Click on the input area for "Face Amount" to input the desired face amount. Alternatively, you may use the up or down buttons to pick an amount.

State Filter:
Click the input area for "State Filter" to pick the applicable State. Alternatively, if you wish not to take into account availability by State, you may leave this field as "No State Filter"