Anyone Work for Ameri-life?

[landandseadog]

I have been reading all these posts and have to say that most of you think that you're right. Some of you have valid points, and the others are just blowing smoke. I have worked for a couple career agencies, and they all have good and bad points. There may be different rules in Florida or another state...but in GA there is no non-compete clause that can be enforced. I signed a do not compete with my first agency and when I left I took 75-80% of my clients with me. They did nothing, because they couldn't. Don't say that I was lucky, because I know several others who have done it with not just my previous agencies, but with other big names like Bankers Life, UA, and UIG. There are several ways to avoid having them say they owe you money - Don't get advanced! Every agency has an advance program that you can take part in to make money faster or paid as earned. It's 100% your choice. Not the agencies fault when you suck and can't write business and have to leave because they don't want dead weight in the offices. Production speaks volumes, unhappy agents are not producing, bottom line. There are going to be unhappy producing agents from time to time, however, there was something to happen between that agent and their managers that went wrong. Who knows what that was, and who's fault it was??? I could write a ton of posts about my previous agency positions and blast that company, even though I was always successful and was at the top level of the companies production list year after year. I won't, and you know why? I have class and dignity about my self, I won't make excuses as to why I failed or didn't make it as far as I wanted to. I just move on, that's life and that's part of being a man, and a grown up. Dealing with the consequences of your actions. Companies like Amerilife are not going to go away, they are going to evolve and change and grow. They had antiquated systems, but times are changing. If you want to blame your past failures and mishaps on the company that gave you an opportunity to succeed, Amerilife or some other company, go ahead. But be prepared for a long fight, some fights are just not worth it. That is unless you have an air tight case, and these days there are almost no air tight cases - just look at the big companies who get out of anything they do wrong, just because they have good attorneys. Suck it up, move on to another company, independent or not and make a living.

You make a valid point about success and failure. However the more you make with this agency, the more they take. That being said, there are so many people this company has ruined only because they do have big attorneys in their pocket as well as some judges. They need to know they can't mess with the lives of these people anymore. They need to know we are not going to stand for it anymore. I can very easily pay what they say I owe them,but it's the point I'm trying to make.
As far as telling us to grow up and suck it up, I don't think you understand my position. I have moved on, I still do work in the insurance industry and I love what I do. I make a very good living and very successful,something that would have never happened with Ameri-life.
Getting advanced is not a choice you have with this company. They set up a bond with you for a reason, so they can control your money. I do choose to get paid as earned and thats what I do now because I can control that.
A non-compete is inforcable in Florida, you being from Georgia probably don't know that.
I would love to see you take 75-80% of your clients while working for this company. When you leave there your not allowed to contact clients for two years!! You obviously do not know what your talking about !
If this was not all true, I would not have so many people behind me. There are so many other things I can tell you about this company, but I have to get ready for work.

 

[retread]

I stayed out of this thread until now because trying to define AmeriLife has been like nailing Jello to the wall. I think I have resolved it with a little research, and I may be wrong, but here's my 2 cents (with tax $2.95 ):

AmeriLife Group, LLC consists of---

> AmeriLife Career Agencies: 57 Offices Nationwide and over 1200 agents who WORK for them (employees).

> AmeriLife National Agency: 9 National Marketing Companies, over 130,000 independent agents contracted (1099, NOT employees).

> AmeriLife First Financial, LLC: 0ver 85 Offices (2008) and growing.

> AmeriLife Product Development: 4 Product Development companies, 33 Proprietary Products (2008) and growing... (you may have one of them and not know it - Gerber, for example)

> AmeriLife Insurance Administrator, LLC: TPA... (you may have been processed through them (licensing, appointment, etc) for another agency or carrier and not known it)

> AmeriLife Finance Company: A money source for AmeriLife Group, LLC

> and finally, AmeriPlus Network Services, LLC, a Health Provider Network.

Under the National Agency, they have gobbled up a number of large agencies. (e.g. Precision Senior Marketing, Precision Insurance Partners, etc.) So you may have a contract with PSM, but it is ultimately an AmeriLife contract and so forth and so on.

To proceed on with this thread, I would ask that comments be focused on which part of AmeriLife Group you are complaining about.... it would do more to identify the problem area than just accusing every division when, in fact, only one area is the problem. Anyone who has ever worked for a large conglomerate will tell you that there is always a nest of snakes somewhere, but it doesn't do any good to strike out at the parent company when the nest is hiding under one cover and not the other. The difference is often with middle management in one branch...

<MoneyMan has a good insightful post just above.>

 

[Hogfish]

Finally a great ending.

 

[Richieg2u]

Where Does AmeriLife Marketing fit into this picture? Russ (above) says he's contracted directly with co. and no problems. I'm in FLA too and am skeptical about contracting through AL Marketing; they are in same building as AL Life but they are "supposed" to be separate.
Really appreciate some help here as I'm on the fence about coming onboard yet at least one of the big Med Supp names (on this forum) uses them too and look forward to his training/experience.
Good Alternatives?
RichieG

 

[retread]

Where Does AmeriLife Marketing fit into this picture? Russ (above) says he's contracted directly with co. and no problems. I'm in FLA too and am skeptical about contracting through AL Marketing; they are in same building as AL Life but they are "supposed" to be separate.
Really appreciate some help here as I'm on the fence about coming onboard yet at least one of the big Med Supp names (on this forum) uses them too and look forward to his training/experience.
Good Alternatives?
RichieG

I don't think you read my post just a few up from this one. AmeriLife Marketing is under the National Agency. I reported that they had 9 Marketing companies.... as of Dec '09 it is now 11. If you go to the AmeriLife Group website, all this is laid out for you. On the left panel you will see "Career Agencies" and "Marketing companies". Choose "Marketing Companies", then scroll down until you find Madeline Antell. You will note she heads up AmeriLife National Marketing, LLC. Click on the website under her name (www.amerilifemarketinggroup.com) and you will see a little more clearly.....

 

[newbie1]

I just started with them in a new office in Chicago. it seems hard to believe that they make these kinds of dollars but the key is selling the medicare supps and then going to final expense and annuities. i am sticking it out to see how it goes.

I am writing to you to warn you about this company. Their M.O. seems to be that they open up a branch office, get their Managers all hyped up, they hire a bunch of agents & hype them up. The agents sell like gangbusters, get awards for their sales and then when the paychecks come in, their commissions are incorrect. After numerous calls to Amerilife to try to straighten out the errors and getting the same excuses over and over again, agents begin to leave Amerilife...who do you suppose gets to keep renewals? Amerilife! Or they simply close the branch office, keeping the renewals, and to add insult to injury, they Vector everyone and send out bogus bond account statements and a Promissory Note for each agent to sign for $1000's of dollars (figures for chargebacks that haven't even happened) with the compelling "armtwist" of giving the agent a release and removing them from VectorOne only after signing the Promissory Note. I think that it's criminal for a company to treat it's top-selling agents this way! Anyone else experience this? If so, contact me!
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I am interested in talking with you. I am another agent who has been screwed by Amerilife. What state are you in?
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I am trying to get a list of people who have had negative experiences with Amerilife for future action. If you would like to respond privately to my post with your email, it would be greatly appreciated! This organization needs to be held accountable for their greedy business practices.
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I know of 12 other agents who would be interested in this, but I think there's a better way to start with. Contact me privately!
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Tony, how long did you have to wait to get a release? What were your experiences with Amerilife?
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Don't do it! They will "short" your paychecks, change commissions after the fact, not release you until you sign a Promissory Note for $ that you don't actually owe them and then they will Vector you so that no insurance agency or company will hire you unless you sign their bogus Promissory Note. Underneath the Emperor's New Clothes, he's still naked!
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Don't do it! They will "short" your paychecks, change commissions after the fact, not release you until you sign a Promissory Note for $ that you don't actually owe them and then they will Vector you so that no insurance agency or company will hire you unless you sign their bogus Promissory Note. Underneath the Emperor's New Clothes, he's still naked!
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I worked for Amerilife for a short period of time. I was paid what they agreed to pay me, but I know that many of the agents in our office had horrible trouble with their commissions being constantly wrong. I was a good sales agent! Out of every 10 calls that I made, I usually got 8-9 appointments and made sales in most of my appointments. My trouble came when they closed our office! What showed as a fairly reasonable bond account balance turned into a few thousand dollars (after only selling for 1-1/2 months) owed to THEM. Then came the Promissory Note, holding me hostage and unable to work for anyone unless I signed. Oh yes, don't forget the Vectoring. What a way to treat an agent who was on her way to making much $ for them. Well, they closed the office, are going to keep our renewals and won't even let us work! Now, that's a great company for you! I am a new agent in the industry and with this being my first experience, I am sorely disappointed! I really like doing what I'm doing although I never thought that I would ever sell insurance. I find that my clients are greatful for the help and direction and what I offer them to save them $. That is very gratifying to me! I find myself in no-mans-land right now, with Amerilife saying that I owe them $, being Vectored and not being released to continue making an honest living. I am interested in hearing, privately, from anyone who has had an unpleasant experience with Amerilife.
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landandseadog, I'm interested in talking with you. I have at least 10 more agents for you, or maybe an even better action plan. You may contact me privately.

 

[Russ]

Out of every 10 calls that I made, I usually got 8-9 appointments and made sales in most of my appointments.

On cold-calls? Come on

 

[retread]

On cold-calls? Come on

Russ.... I don't think this new member is being upfront. Can you make out what point he is trying to make with all those merged posts?

In general:
I give up.... I try to post some intelligent info and some dummies will continue to bang an old tin can just to make noise.

RE: AmeriLife Group, LLC
I would think an intelligent person would be able to read my posts on "AmeriLife" and realize that they are a conglomerate. Having said that, you can't paint every issue under every subordinate of AmeriLife Group with a broad brush. Of course career agencies will operate differently than independents. That's evident from most all the posts on this forum.

Make your case for the particular subdivision of the Group.

 

[newbie1]

It's the truth! These were calls that I was actually able to talk with someone. I never left a message and they were from lead cards returned by the people. Some of the lead cards from Amerilife were over a year old! I NEVER just showed up on someone's doordstep! I just found a way that worked to schedule the appointments.
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Sorry about the merges! I haven't quite figured out how to do the entries separately or attached to the person's post that I was answering.
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Retread and Russ, I worked for a career agency and because I am so new to the industry, I'm not really sure about all of the differences, so anything that you can offer to clarify the differences I would greatly appreciate. I got my license and only sold med supps and ma's for just a little over a month. With that said, Amerilife still sent me a Promissory Note for over $2000, most of which were for policies that are still active.

 

[Russ]

It's the truth! These were calls that I was actually able to talk with someone. I never left a message and they were from lead cards returned by the people.

Well, you didn't say that in your original post. I wasn't aware they were lead cards.
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Russ.... I don't think this new member is being upfront. Can you make out what point he is trying to make with all those merged posts?

In general:
I give up.... I try to post some intelligent info and some dummies will continue to bang an old tin can just to make noise.

RE: AmeriLife Group, LLC
I would think an intelligent person would be able to read my posts on "AmeriLife" and realize that they are a conglomerate. Having said that, you can't paint every issue under every subordinate of AmeriLife Group with a broad brush. Of course career agencies will operate differently than independents. That's evident from most all the posts on this forum.

Make your case for the particular subdivision of the Group.

I've never had any problem with them as an independent agent. Dan Miller is who I talk to. He's always been good to work with. It use to be Tony Frangello, until he retired.

I recently got licensed with Foresters through them(about a year ago). I've had others send me Foresters contract offers with commissions quite a bit less on the FE plan.