Can employers not free you from appointments?

[buddy1900]

An inside sales insurance agent as an at-will employee for an agency that sends leads from all over the country. They are appointed with multiple carriers to sell MA and Medigap on top of some other ancillary health insurance products (like dental plans and accident plans). The company has many agents and does a high volume of business.

What happens to that agent's carrier appointments when they leave their current company? It appears there is a non-compete for 6 months employment has ended for any reason. Is the non-compete basically enforced by not releasing the agent's carrier appointments for six months?

Once the company releases the agent's appointments, will this person be able to retain those appointments as an independent agent?

Also, how difficult is it for an agency with no medicare experience to get appointed with carriers? Are MA and Medigap any different in ease of gaining appointments?

 

[Jim Wright]

A lot of that depends on how the agency is set up. If the broker is direct with the carrier but commissions are being paid to the agency, then they can keep their appointment. If they are under the hierarchy of the agency, that's more difficult. If they have a 6 month non compete and can't write anything new, they may lose the appt depending on carrier policy.

If they get released, typically they have to be released to another upline.

As far as new contracting goes, MA is a lot more work than medigap, although some states require a med supp line on your health license.

 

[buddy1900]

I found this video helpful in answering some of my questions: