Elliot Becker
Expert
- 40
Alright, so here’s the thing. I’m Special Agent Elliot Becker—yeah, I call myself that sometimes because it makes me feel like I’m doing something cool, but really, I’m just another commercial P&C agent stuck in the grind. Been at it for years now, working for one of those big shiny agencies. Why? Because, of course, the Becker family legacy is all about insurance.
Let me tell you, this market? It’s a nightmare. Every year it’s like, “Oh, here’s another pile of crap to deal with, enjoy!” There are “opportunities,” sure, but getting carriers to actually write new policies feels like pulling teeth. I mean, take this recent circus I went through—reached out to 21 different insurers trying to get a Business Owner’s Policy for an architect’s office in California. Seventeen flat-out said no, three are ghosting me, and one is maybe, maybe considering part of it. How’s that for a success rate? (if anyone knows a good market for an architect involved in project management and construction management let me know. They need $12M limits)
And don’t even get me started on account managers. It’s like they’re fleeing the scene. I’ll email someone I’ve been working with, trying to get something done, and bam—out-of-office reply saying they’ve jumped ship. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on things, poof, gone. So helpful.
Even when I manage to close a deal by jumping through all of the underwriters games (which feel like something made by Jigsaw from the movie Saw)—the clients are paying insane amounts. We’re talking two, three, even five times what they were paying a few years ago. And of course, they think I’m the one screwing them over. I wouldn’t want to pay these rates either, but what can I do?
Retaining clients? Hah. Even if I write an account, there’s a slim chance the carrier will renew it next year. And if they do, guess what? The rates jump, and I’m back at square one, scrambling to shop it around again. It’s like trying to keep water in a sieve.
Meanwhile, I’m drowning in work. Twelve-hour days are the norm now, just to keep up. And I’m the one who gets blamed for everything, naturally. Clients, underwriters, claims adjusters, account managers, the whole lot—they all seem to think I’m the root of all problems. It’s exhausting, man.
So yeah, I’m seriously starting to wonder if this is the path I want continue on. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like they’ve wandered into the Twilight Zone? I mean, I can’t be the only one, right?
Let me tell you, this market? It’s a nightmare. Every year it’s like, “Oh, here’s another pile of crap to deal with, enjoy!” There are “opportunities,” sure, but getting carriers to actually write new policies feels like pulling teeth. I mean, take this recent circus I went through—reached out to 21 different insurers trying to get a Business Owner’s Policy for an architect’s office in California. Seventeen flat-out said no, three are ghosting me, and one is maybe, maybe considering part of it. How’s that for a success rate? (if anyone knows a good market for an architect involved in project management and construction management let me know. They need $12M limits)
And don’t even get me started on account managers. It’s like they’re fleeing the scene. I’ll email someone I’ve been working with, trying to get something done, and bam—out-of-office reply saying they’ve jumped ship. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on things, poof, gone. So helpful.
Even when I manage to close a deal by jumping through all of the underwriters games (which feel like something made by Jigsaw from the movie Saw)—the clients are paying insane amounts. We’re talking two, three, even five times what they were paying a few years ago. And of course, they think I’m the one screwing them over. I wouldn’t want to pay these rates either, but what can I do?
Retaining clients? Hah. Even if I write an account, there’s a slim chance the carrier will renew it next year. And if they do, guess what? The rates jump, and I’m back at square one, scrambling to shop it around again. It’s like trying to keep water in a sieve.
Meanwhile, I’m drowning in work. Twelve-hour days are the norm now, just to keep up. And I’m the one who gets blamed for everything, naturally. Clients, underwriters, claims adjusters, account managers, the whole lot—they all seem to think I’m the root of all problems. It’s exhausting, man.
So yeah, I’m seriously starting to wonder if this is the path I want continue on. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like they’ve wandered into the Twilight Zone? I mean, I can’t be the only one, right?
