Becoming a Blue Cross Blue Shield Agent

[CullyW]

I’m a new agent, only been licensed almost one year. I’d like some advice about Blue Cross Blue Shield in Florida.

I started with Aflac, but knocking on doors everyday went nowhere. The one group sale I thought I was going to get turned out only the owner wanted a policy and Aflac needs a minimum of 3 for a group. So my manager suggested the owner buy policies for 2 employees and cancel them a few weeks after the group got started. Great one sale and two charge backs, what a start.

Then I thought about Colonial Life, I was going to turn them down but they offered I could be an Enroller, not an Agent. I went to one intro meeting and one training session and was unimpressed so I never followed up and neither did they.

Last I was at USHealth Advisors for the last few months. Lots of calling using their Dialer leads and lots and lots of direct E-Mail and I got a few nibbles, but no closed business.

Was it me, the prospects or the companies that were an issue to my success?

Frustrated I went back to a regular job while I sort things out.

Now I get an E-Mail from BCBS Florida and it looks tempting, but I don’t want it to be the same as the others before.

BCBS offers:

* Advanced Commissions
* Lead Management System
* Predictive Dialer
* Automated E-Mail
* Online Apps

And so forth

My question from a prospective Agent is BCBS they worth it? What are the pros and cons?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[Chazm]

Hate to say it but it may just be you. Now granted I haven't heard anything good about working for Aflac but I don't think much is going to be different at BCBS. When it comes down to it, the only way to make it in this business is to create business. ie cold calling, direct mail, internet leads, etc.

If you've tried it all before and failed, it may not be for you.
When I started I was very bad at all of the above but I told myself to never quit. I knew if I just stuck it out and kept on trying, eventually I would be OK. It took a while, over a year, but I finally got to a point to where everything was OK and I felt good about my career.

Also, every company is going to tell you
Advanced Commissions
Leads
Training
etc.

But none of those things really are what they seem. Advances are the norm in Medicare and Life. Leads can be a list of thousands of numbers which aren't really leads. Training in a room can only teach you so much but the real training is in the field. If you can't set appointments you don't get any field training. Online apps? Who cares, almost every company has this and it doesn't get you more sales

 

[Blue]

I am a CGA for BCBSFL. Send me a PM and I can explain what we have to offer. We do provide field training and prospecting training.

 

[CullyW]

I agree that part of the problem may have been me. However, I did follow the training I was given and got no results, even though I was assured I would.

Aflac provided no leads at all, it was all knock on doors and see if anybody wants Aflac. I found people with health insurance had little desire for supplemental or indemnity insurance and a few without any insurance that were just hoping for the best because they could not afford it. Aflac also seemed to be everywhere. I ran into accounts that were already signed up a few times. So there were a lot of other local Agents to compete with.

With USHA it was individual insurance, not group like Aflac. The leads in the Dialer were so old that most did not ever recall asking for insurance information and a lot of the calls were disconnects. While Aflac was face to face, USHA was done online PC to PC, or it could be done face to face too, but the leads I got were not local. Even with a 3 Year Rate lock I had trouble convincing people of the savings.

I knew going in it would be tough, just not this tough. I’ve got so much invested so far and now I have to do my CE and perhaps get a lead service, but I did not want to go through the same again with BCBS as I did with Aflac and USHA. Perhaps part of the issue was the company as well.
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I am a CGA for BCBSFL. Send me a PM and I can explain what we have to offer. We do provide field training and prospecting training.

Says I don't have enough posts to send you a PM.

The offer I got was from a CGA for BCBS in Tampa. I replied via e-mail about my past experiance and concerns and have yet to hear back.

 

[Blue]

My email is [email protected]

 

[MGoldfuss1]

Hi, I'm licensed to offer health insurance in a number of states, the states that I am concentrating on now are in Florida, Texas and Ohio. I currently work with GOHEALTH, so I do have a number of carriers that I work with. However,they don't offer Blue Cross Anthem. I am certified to offer plans on the exchange, and I see that Blue Cross is almost in every county on the exchange, So I am losing a lot of business by not having Blue Cross/Anthem...

Can anyone help with how I should go about being appointed with them? I looked online and began the process, but I was made aware from someone that I have to go through an agency. Not sure of the validity of that, but in any case, I could use some help.

Thank you