Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Superior

[djs]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

Soccer - Sorry, but there isn't anyway someone can really respond to what you are looking for. Basically, you are asking someone "Whats the best way to get there", and then you are asked "Where are you going?" and you are replying, "I don't know, can you just give me directions everywhere and then I'll be set".

You need to step back a bit and think about what you want to focus on. It really isn't that hard. Start in broad categories...

- Personal lines (home and auto)
- Commercial lines (a few target markets would be necessary)
- Nonstandard stuff

Everything has pros and cons.
- Personal lines, targeting preferred markets. Good business, highly competitive, very, very tough to get good appointments that will make you competitive. Every agent wants this business.
- Commercial - Good money, usually less service work (depending on who you write), hard sell. Pretty much requires being a networker big time.
- Nonstandard (home and auto) - easy to start in. Okay money. Decent way to build a book of business. End up working strange hours. Heavy service work. Pretty easy to get appointments with non-standard carriers. Need a marketing plan to attack this market.

If you are still as wet behind the ears as you sound, it will be tough to make this work. You can make it work, but it won't be easy.

Dan

P.S. RBA - you've been on a roll lately. Give the new guys some slack.

 

[Guest]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

Dan, my last comment here was NO WAY bashing anyone, it is what needs to be done, go sit with a couple of IA's in the newbies target area and talk to them. I have a company most cannot get without being part of SIAA, and they are the most competitive in the entire area, so in a way, other IA's near me dont bother me because generally I can beat other IA rates.
ALso, in talking to other IA's, you will find out what good regional carriers are good to have, it isnt always the big name carriers that are best, I have some that I never heard of, but have a good product and decent rates, but they dont advertise so they can keep their rates lower for that reason.

The easiest quickest way to learn in this business, is to ask other agents, in their area.

I can tell you what my best carriers are, but if you arent in my zip codes, then it wont do you any good.

There is a guy on here asking me about AZ, but he is over an hour away and 80 miles away, my side of town will be comepletely different than his side of town and yes I do see the difference when a referral comes in from that side of town, my best carrier sucks on that side of town, you its a crap shoot, you have to ask about specific areas.

Thats what I said in this previous post, and there was nothing wrong with that,

 

[djs]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

I actually agreed with that post, it was the ones before that which were a bit over the edge....

My concern is this guy doesn't have much direction yet. He needs to pick something before having conversations. He can change as he learns more, but he'll need to focus any conversation he has. I remember how hard it is starting out when you don't know what questions to ask, but you still need to find a direction to run and then start running.

Dan

 

[FL P&C Broker]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

I can tell him right now that it is next to impossible to get company appointments right now in Florida unless you buy a book of business; join a cluster (if you can find one that has the carriers you need and is taking on new agents) or know somebody who has the pull to get you the appointments. Most of the carriers here are cutting their agency force.

He can probably get some non standard auto and some E&S commercial carriers by himself.

 

[infoe]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

I can tell him right now that it is next to impossible to get company appointments right now in Florida unless you buy a book of business; join a cluster (if you can find one that has the carriers you need and is taking on new agents) or know somebody who has the pull to get you the appointments. Most of the carriers here are cutting their agency force.

He can probably get some non standard auto and some E&S commercial carriers by himself.

+1

if your a newbie to p&c i would not look at being an agency principal/owner with this market/competition and conditions.

impending hurricane to hit s. Florida...hope it misses as Florida is on the priecipise of getting file and use becoming approved and hopefully some insurers wanting to look at insuring fire instead of hanging on to just citizens, that is severly underfunded.

Let's just say Florida p&c market is hanging by a thread.

 

[Guest]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

Dan,

I agree, get started in one area first, like P&C, then after you understand everything, have the carriers you want and need, got things flowing, branch out into life, then to health etc.

You cant do it all or know enough about everything to get started

 

[jlif]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

siaa isnt putting on any new agents...

For the record, SIAA has signed 220 new agents so far this year.

 

[djs]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

Define 'new'.
They have entered into 220 new contracts, probably mostly with experienced agents.

Have they entered into any new contracts with new agents (i.e., people who have written P&C for less than 6 months?) I don't know the answer to this, but I know its not 220, or even a reasonable portion of that number.

Dan

 

[Guest]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

SIAA usually will NOT put on a brand new agent, unless they have worked in an agency for a number of years,

You have to realize, captive carriers will train you, IA carriers will not, so they generally dont put newbies on as IA's

 

[infoe]

Re: Best for Florida Agentsecure, Smartchoice, SIAA, Noodle, Supe

For the record, SIAA has signed 220 new agents so far this year.

How many of those in Florida? I would venture to guess less than 5? If that many? Florida is tightly closed...also 220 new agents is that nationwide? I know Siaa of Fl would consider you if you currently have a book of business..so while that would be considered new to SIAA that really is'nt a new agent.