JKND82
New Member
- 9
If you still want an objective suggestion, I am by no means at the level you are with experience, but check out Farm Family, a subsidiary of American National. I am an ANPAC agent, and I am able to maintain my personal principles and and believe in their products. I hope this helps. Good Luck to you!Hi everyone, I posted in another thread about the same thing...I'm a veteran sales producer. Spent 15 long years building a book of business with Aflac...took a BIG hit in 2008 and lost a lot of my book, but am still collecting some modest renewals. I probably jumped at my current job too quickly. I was desparate and itching to get AWAY from Aflac (their business model changed and the focus now is recruit, recruit, recruit. Hire anyone with a license, and who cares if we lose them 3 group later...kind of the 'Amway model', as I like to call it--yuck.) A small, local Nationwide agency was advertising for a commercial agent. I interviewed and they hired me immediately. Sent me to P&C school, paid for my test, (passed first time.) and my license.. I get a MODEST base that goes down every year, as i build my renewals. Here are the problems: 1. Nationwide's appetite for commercial is very limited. They seem scared to get into a lot of industries. I DO have something called "Nationwide Brokerage Solutions" where i can place groups that NW turns down, but the prices are always sky high, and turn off the client. So 40% or more of the contacts I'm making, and appointments I'm setting are eventually turned down. Frustrating. 2. Commissions. They're LOW. 14%, half of which I have to give to the agency. 3. This is a small agency; they are located in the middle of a crowded, mixed-use neighborhood. Their bread-and-butter is Personal Lines. People come in every day to pay their car insurance in cash. I'm like the red-headed stepchild in the office...the CSR's are focused on current business, and NOT anything I"m doing. 4. I don't keep my book. Again..I'm not vested and can't hope to be. I don't know if this is typical for P and C. If so, then it's not for me. I'm working my tail off and closing 2 groups a week (averaging about $10K for most weeks, some others lower.) The Principal Agent loves my production, but he's young and rather cold and distant. 5. No one in the office can sell or is even remotely interested in what I'm doing except the Principal, and that's only because I"m growing HIS future renewals. Sigh. What should I do? The pace of this place is depressing and I'm not happy. I can sell and am not afraid to telemarket, door-knock, use social media, network, ask for referrals, etc. I'm a heavy hitter, and even though my peak already came and went, I'm not ready to call it quits yet. At 54, I've got another 15 or so years left to work, and I want to make them COUNT. Any advice? The 'not keeping my book' part is what's killing me, along with how LOW the commissions are. Nationwide's ok, I guess...but I keep thinking i should have gone with an independent that would have more competitive offerings. And that I should have considered 'no vesting' before I accepted this position. Thanks again, -The Chic who sells insurance
