Editorial Standards
Editorial Standards: How We Write and Review Our Insurance Guides
Our editorial standards explain how Octans Insurance researches, writes, reviews, and updates the life insurance guides on this website. Insurance decisions affect your family’s finances, so every guide is reviewed by a licensed agent and checked against primary sources before it is published.
Table of Contents
Who Writes Our Insurance Guides?
Guides are written by or with licensed Octans insurance agents. Each page shows a byline with the writer, a reviewer, and the date the page was last reviewed. Reviewer profiles list each agent’s National Producer Number so you can verify their license on the National Insurance Producer Registry.
How Do We Fact-Check Insurance Information?
- Primary sources first. We cite state statutes, state insurance departments, guaranty associations, CMS and Medicare.gov, the NAIC, and carrier product documents wherever possible.
- Dated numbers. Premium examples are labeled as samples, show the source and date, and are never presented as a quote. Medicare figures show the plan year they apply to.
- State-specific accuracy. When a rule differs by state, such as a free-look period or guaranty association limit, we name the state and cite the rule. If we cannot verify a state-specific fact, we leave it out.
- Plain language. We explain trade-offs, including when a product is not a good fit.
How Often Do We Update Content?
Pillar guides and state pages are reviewed at least once a year and whenever a rule, rate source, or Medicare figure changes. Medicare content is reviewed each fall when CMS announces the next year’s premiums and deductibles. The “Last reviewed” date on each page reflects the most recent review.
Do Insurance Carriers Influence Our Content?
No carrier pays for placement in our guides or reviews. Octans earns commissions from carriers when a policy is issued, as explained on our How We Get Paid page, but commissions do not determine which products we describe or recommend.
How Do We Handle Compliance?
We avoid absolute promises. Words like “guaranteed” are used only to describe specific contract features, such as guaranteed issue acceptance or guaranteed cash values, never approval or pricing. Medicare content follows CMS marketing rules, and agents only discuss plans they are appointed and licensed to sell.
How Can I Report an Error?
If you believe something on this site is inaccurate or out of date, email life@octansinsurance.com with the page address and the correction. We review every report and update the page and its review date when a correction is made.
What Sources Do We Trust Most?
For insurance rules we rely on state statutes and regulations, state insurance department publications, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), state life and health guaranty associations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and Medicare.gov. For prices we use carrier rate charts and dated, published rate studies, and we always label premiums as samples. For funeral costs we use the National Funeral Directors Association’s General Price List Study.
How Do We Choose Topics?
We write about the questions clients actually ask our agents: how much coverage to buy, what final expense insurance costs, how health conditions affect approval, and how Medicare choices interact with life and supplemental coverage. Popularity in search never overrides accuracy; if a topic cannot be answered responsibly, we do not publish it.
| Source type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Regulators | State insurance departments, NAIC |
| Federal | CMS, Medicare.gov |
| Industry data | NFDA, guaranty associations |
| Pricing | Carrier rate charts, dated rate studies |
Our editorial standards apply to every page and article, including state guides, product pages, and Medicare content. If you spot an error, email life@octansinsurance.com and we will review it under this editorial policy. Our editorial standards are reviewed at least once a year, and changes to our editorial standards are dated on this page.
Questions about our editorial standards? Email life@octansinsurance.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who reviews Octans articles?
Licensed agents review every guide, and the reviewer and review date appear at the top of the page.
Are premium examples quotes?
No. Premium examples are dated samples from published sources and are always labeled as illustrations.
How do I report an error?
Email life@octansinsurance.com with the page address and the correction.
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Questions about this policy? Email life@octansinsurance.com or call (617) 935-9220.
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