Anyone here with Farmers?

[norcalinsurance]

Norcal,

Since you seem to be the resident Farmer's agent, could you give some of us aspiring agents some insight into what it's like working for Farmer's in your area? I was wondering about things like leads and training that we will get from Farmers and the extent of support from them.

Any information is appreciated

I'm sorry I haven't posted lately. Life gets in the way too much!

Leads & training depends 100% upon your District Manager, so shop around for a DM that has a plan for new agents, and call around to a few Farmers agents in the area you plan to target & ask them 'what their opinion is of some of the different DM's in the area'. Just make sure to ask them in a positive way, since you probably will not get any useful information if the Agent thinks he's throwing a DM under the bus.

As far as leads, my DM provides me Homeowner Leads, but for the most part, you need to target yourself:

1. Friends/Family
2. Past co-workers/clients/acquaintances
3. Referrals from the above two
4. Then begin targeting Strangers, & referrals

That's a pretty common way I've seen many agents start out with growing their book.

Also, the computer system that Farmers Agents use is called the Dashboard. It's frustrating as hell the first few months you begin using it, so make sure that your DM has resources to teach you the Dashboard hands-on. As with anything in life, the Dashboard is not hard once you learn to use it, but in the beginning, it's very difficult to juggle marketing, obtaining clients, satisfying them and entering in information on the Dashboard. It's just time consuming at first, but you pick it up soon.

Best of luck to you!

 

[RayGroupInsurance]

Farmers is not the only company that subsidizes you during your first couple of years. I started with Farmers but I didn't have the money to quit my day job and sell insurance full time. After a few months of selling insurance only 1-2 hours a day I started looking at other options. That is when I found out that Allstate will let you purchase an existing agency. For me this was a better option because I was able to purchase a couple hundred policies and kind of bypass that first year or two of starving. I didn't have any problems with Farmers, I just wasn't able to quit my full time job and do insurance. Buying an Allstate agency gave me enough money in renewals that I could afford to quit my job. Allstate also gives you some pretty big commissions during your first three years to help you get up and going (as much as 45%.) If you haven't made up your mind yet I would at least look into it. You might also speak with some agents (farmers, allstate, state farm, independent) in your area and see if they are hiring sales producers. That is another way to get into the business and see if it is right for you.

Good Luck

 

[cainsurance]

Farmers is not the only company that subsidizes you during your first couple of years. I started with Farmers but I didn't have the money to quit my day job and sell insurance full time. After a few months of selling insurance only 1-2 hours a day I started looking at other options. That is when I found out that Allstate will let you purchase an existing agency. For me this was a better option because I was able to purchase a couple hundred policies and kind of bypass that first year or two of starving. I didn't have any problems with Farmers, I just wasn't able to quit my full time job and do insurance. Buying an Allstate agency gave me enough money in renewals that I could afford to quit my job. Allstate also gives you some pretty big commissions during your first three years to help you get up and going (as much as 45%.) If you haven't made up your mind yet I would at least look into it. You might also speak with some agents (farmers, allstate, state farm, independent) in your area and see if they are hiring sales producers. That is another way to get into the business and see if it is right for you.

Good Luck

How much does it cost to buy into Allstate?

 

[Matrix]

I have been with Farmers for 10 years. My advice is to talk with 3 or 4 other Farmers agents in your area that have been with Farmers for 5 years or longer. And choose the agents you talk to on your own. If you ask your prospective "DM" for recommendations, he will only point you to the agents that will paint a rosey picture. You need to hear the whole picture, the good and the bad. It is not always rosey, believe me. The reason Farmers seem so eager to hire agents is because they have such a huge turnover. Out of 10 agents recruited, only about 3 make it two years into the program. That's about a 70% washout. So, be very careful, ask a lot of questions, and do your research. If it was such a great deal to be a Farmers agent, there would not be such a high dropout ratio. Also, ask the other Farmers agents you talk to how competitve Farmers rates are in your area. If they are not competitive, you will find yourself in a miserable situation 1 year down the road. Just my two cents. Right now, Farmers is in a cycle of not being competitive in many states, so it may not be the best time to start with them if you find this is the case in your area. Good luck in your research. BTW, I would stay away from Allstate. They pay the lowest commission in the business.

 

[patch36]

Good grief. do a search on this site and see what others are saying about SF and Farmers. It ain't good and it ain't easy, and the money sucks for lots of years, and then it still sucks, but not as bad.

 

[ponylover]

I am with Farmers for little over 20 month now. My district has 99% turnover since I started. Everyone (included the DM) has another full time job. It seem to me they just hire anyone that walks in. There is very little training and almost no support. Good luck.

 

[patch36]

That sounds about right ponylover.

Farmers has a new contract for the new agents I am told and it does not allow outside carriers to be sold. Many of the Farmers agents I know make their real living selling outside commercial and other stuff Farmers can't offer. In the past, if Farmers can't cover it you can sell other carriers.

I hit all the goals, won the trophies, and still starved and was going to starve and go broke before it would pencil out, so I quit, paid back the subsidy and went indy. I am sooo glad I did before I got too far in to quit.

 

[txagt39]

If you can't write commercial think twice, you will work your tail off on auto and not make much, commercial is where you can make your folio leap into big numbers quickly. Not many agents within your own district will want to share ideas, that's why this forum is great, agents not competing with you will tell you everything and anything you want to know.

Farmers is a great company and most all of our agents are making really great money, unlike most of the independents in our market so there's something to be said for that. We have a lot of agents but that has turned out to be a good thing, more brand recognition. If you can make it you will, if you can't you won't regardless of what your shingle says over the door.

 

[Lyn]

I'm beginning my 3rd quarter as a Farmers Career agent. Farmers is a fine company, but I would caution you to check out how competitive they are in the area where you want to establish your office. If you are in a rural area or a high fire protection class code area, you will find that you have a very limited market. If you are in a large city, things will probably work out okay. I've spent about $2500.00 on study materials, licenses, exams, etc. About the subsidy, the $1500 is only for the first 6 months, after that you will probably be on a program where the company will match your commissions after the first $500.00, for most career agents I know the result is much less than the original $1500.00. You will not be able to contract out on products that Farmers does not offer and there are many such as farmers will not insure; farms, churchs (except thru Kraft Lake), any storage facilities if they have outdoor parking for recreational units such as RV's, boats, etc., homes that have a business operating out of them, trucks that travel more than 500 miles out, they do not sell general liability insurance except as part of a BOP, and you cannot sell a juvie life policy unless the parents are also insured. On the other hand, where else can you get an interest free business loan? As others have said, training will depend on the experience and willingness your DM. Good luck.

 

[VolAgent]

...
and you cannot sell a juvie life policy unless the parents are also insured.

You are aware that is industry wide, and has to do with laws in various states? Hopefully you understand why it is generally a bad idea to have a child insured when the parents aren't?

That is, unless you are stating the parents have to have their life insurance with Farmers specifically to insure the child. That would be very strange, to ignore the parents' outside life insurance when deciding whether to insure the child.