Anyone here with Farmers?

[Lyn]

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.

Guess I just gave you proof that I'm only in my 6th month as no I was not aware that it is industry wide. I will go back and hit the books. Thanks for correcting my post.

 

[VolAgent]

You're welcome. But you really need to ask yourself, why would you sell a policy on a child when its parents are not insured? If you are committed to doing the right thing, make sure the parents are insured and the child is protected financially from losing a parent.

 

[Lyn]

I think somewhere in the demand to meet certain quotos, in this case life policies, I may have lost the reason I wanted to be in this industry in the first place...to be committed to doing the right thing. I found myself just looking for low hanging fruit to meet my monthly numbers and becoming frustrated with the restrictions placed on me by my company. I'm currently struggling with the same issue I've read from others on this website, should I become an independent. I don't do this for a living (I have other income that takes care of my living expenses) and I'm not interested in awards or being number 1. My real desire is to be able to find solutions for people needing insurance and helping them proctect their family and assets. Don't get me wrong, I like money as much as anyone, but it isn't my immediate driving force.

 

[txagt39]

Yep, I am. The quotas during the career program are enough to drive you over the edge and out the door especially since you cannot control so much of the process once an app is submitted. Trying to meet the monthly cutoff was insane. Once past the career program you will not hear the end of it. You don't have published quota but your DM will keep on the bandwagon. They get their kudos from their bosses from life production. The company wonders why production is down yet they have done everything they can to stiffle production, they took away juvenile whole life and the fixed premium whole life so those cases will go to some other agent who will naturally want to look at a family's other business - they don't get it sometimes. When they get off the greed wagon we can start taking care of clients again. Hopefully the new gen home and new auto policies will put us back in the game, we'll see. Hang in there, the grass is not greener on the other side - look at all the Allstate agents jumping ship and independents shutting their doors. Just do what you gotta do till you get off the career program then listen when you want to - you won't have quotas to meet any longer.

 

[WinoBlues]

Hey guys. I have a Farmers guy that over the years has sent me some cases he could not write. Wants some SIWL and Term contracts. Guess he is getting more declines than normal. Anyone know what Farmers pays a senior agent on life business? Owns his own office, probably 20 plus years with Farmers. Has their life underwriting tightened up?


Thanks,

Yep, I am. The quotas during the career program are enough to drive you over the edge and out the door especially since you cannot control so much of the process once an app is submitted. Trying to meet the monthly cutoff was insane. Once past the career program you will not hear the end of it. You don't have published quota but your DM will keep on the bandwagon. They get their kudos from their bosses from life production. The company wonders why production is down yet they have done everything they can to stiffle production, they took away juvenile whole life and the fixed premium whole life so those cases will go to some other agent who will naturally want to look at a family's other business - they don't get it sometimes. When they get off the greed wagon we can start taking care of clients again. Hopefully the new gen home and new auto policies will put us back in the game, we'll see. Hang in there, the grass is not greener on the other side - look at all the Allstate agents jumping ship and independents shutting their doors. Just do what you gotta do till you get off the career program then listen when you want to - you won't have quotas to meet any longer.

 

[Matrix]

I am a 10+ year Farmers agent. Farmers agents get paid 40% first year commission on term, and as high as 50% first year commission on whole life. Independent agents get 80% on the low end, up to 150% on the high end. Farmers is in the middle of a long term strategy to raise rates to maximize revenue on home and auto. This is not a good time to start as an agent with Farmers. Anyone who is thinking about it, please have a lawyer review the appointment agreement prior to signing. It was significantly revised in May of 2009. This is called the "Careering". Captive agents are having a hard time, and I don't think the trend will reverse itself anytime soon. Back in May of 2009, Farmers' then CEO Paul Hopkins stated to the stockholders meeting that each year Farmers recruits 10,000 candidates to be agents. Out of these 10,000 about 250 actually make it into a store front. This is about a 2.5% chance. If I came to you and said I have an investment opportunity, but you stand a 98% chance of losing your money, would you still invest? By the way, I have several friends who are independent agents, who used to be Farmers agents. They love life again, and are writing business left and right. As a Farmers agent, you have about a 10% closing ratio.(Farmers own numbers, not mine) As an independent, you close about 70-80% of everything your quote.(my IA friend's numbers, not mine) Also, something very important, you DO NOT own your policies, or your agency as a Farmers agent. As an IA, you DO OWN your policies, and the companies cannot take the policies away from you. If you all would like to hear what the tenured agents think of the Farmers agency opportunity, you may go to "www dot ufaa dot com", and click on the public bulletin board to read honest opinions before you decide to put blood, sweat and tears into starting an agency. I wish someone had told me this information before I invested 10 years of my life with this company. Best of luck to you all.

 

[kman]

Matrix is right, I was an agent for 20 years, and made a comfortable living,...despite all of Farmers never ending problems. But to read these replies that people just don't believe all the bad mouthing that goes on over the internet regarding Farmers, or that it must be a few sour apples is WRONG! This company has made a conscious decision to really screw their long term clients and agents with really high rates and then offer competitive rates on NEW business is a despicable business practice, not to mention stop offering the HO-3 and now only sells an HO-2 Next Generation Home policy. They recruit new agents with NO experience and taint their knowledge by focusing on sales quotas instead of proper professional agent coverage reviews. And lets not even get into the VIP way, which is a joke, as it doesn't discuss missing perils of coverage. How about focussing on coverage instead of just new business price?
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WinoBlues, life underwriting didn't "just" tighten up, it has always been tight and prices double what the broker can get and only half the commission schedule. And you wonder why Farmers forces their agents to sell life insurance for as long as they are agents. Try writing more than a couple of premier life cases a year. It's almost impossible undewriting to get a "best rate".

 

[popeye35]

Haha, yeah I love it too. It's refreshing to hear other Farmers/other p&c agents that are doing well for themselves. It's also great to share different ideas agents are particularly successful with.

I have to admit, the commercial does intimidate me a little, but going about it this way will definitely make me feel more comfortable before I can begin hitting it full force. Thanks for the advice.

hey fellas, this is good to hear as I am currently an employee of a State Farm agent but I am looking to go out on my own. You hear a lot of negative crap, but it is good to see that there are positives as well. I am talking to a few different DMs right now. I was wondering if you could give me a little insight into the commission structure for P&C. I know that at State Farm the agent here gets around 10% on all renewals. That seems pretty standard to me. Is it the same for you all? Thanks!

 

[Lyn]

B.o.b is an amazing online CRM! I didn't utilize my first few months, but now, it's one of the only icons I click on when I first log on to the Dashboard. From there, I go to the Image Center, Print Center, etc...

One thing I've thought about recently is that BoB, and the CRM is completely online, in the Farmers system, if I ever wanted to go independent, or move company's, it may be difficult to get my book of business. I keep paper copies, but it would be a BIG drawback to not have everything in digital format!

I'm not thinking of moving company's or going independent, but I've been thinking a lot about how relationship driven this industry is, and to lose files would sink you. I'm gonna go download my book right now...and do a backup...

If you are giving thought to becoming indy or leaving Farmers, remember that you loose your BOB and you signed a "do not compete" clause that means you cannot prospect, accept, or service any former customers or any Farmers customers within your District for at least 1 year.

 

[markschneider86]

I'm a iia, and I have 2 out 3 companies a Farmers Agent offers. Which is Bristol West and Foremost. Good companies with good rates.