CIGNA MedSupp Experience

[Superchief]

I develop new relationships every week through my referrals. I just don't do mailings, buy leads, lists, etc.

Damn you're quick, I just posted / edited that.

 

[sman]

Damn you're quick, I just posted / edited that.

I was online and saw it. Just the luck of the draw.

 

[Bevo]

That's what I've heard, but they just haven't ever been a very viable option in Texas. Average rates, terrible comp. I've been really happy with Forethought's Plan G since 2010. Was already priced great, and their last bump was 3% if I remember right. Hoping to see that again for sure.
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Sorry, are you saying New Era has never been a viable option in Texas? Average rates and terrible comp is what I believe you stated. Terrible comp on GI and OE for sure. Below average comp on UW biz, yes. But they don't care. I like that. They care about their consumer and their future rates.

Average Rates? Hell no, not in Texas the past 3-4 years. The lowest rates on Plan G in 2010-2012 at least in my book. My New Era book of hundreds of clients has stuck like glue with their low premiums on G and low rate increases. Again maybe I missed some fine print of a post or two but could not be happier with them here in Texas.

Easy as pie E-app and more than adequate customer service. Having signed up hundreds of people with them they truly are the most enjoyable company I work with out of them all.

 

[Newby]

Even better! Now you don't have to live in fear Scott.

What you are calling "living in fear" is what most of us just call good customer service and preserving business.

While you are out doing your hobbies other agents are proactively calling your clients who just had the large rate increase and offering to rescue them. And they are going to put a much worse spin on it than you would.

The best practice for any Medicare Supplement agent is to call all med sup clients when they get a large rate increase. Most will be stable but will appreciate the call. The upset ones are better served by you assisting them than if they have too seek out help elsewhere and feel neglected (unless it's their birthday month of course.)

I would not do business with a company with a clause like that in their agent agreement. If they have removed it, it's because they realize most agents that know what they are doing are going to punt them over that little detail.

 

[Superchief]

Sorry, are you saying New Era has never been a viable option in Texas? Average rates and terrible comp is what I believe you stated. Terrible comp on GI and OE for sure. Below average comp on UW biz, yes. But they don't care. I like that. They care about their consumer and their future rates.

Average Rates? Hell no, not in Texas the past 3-4 years. The lowest rates on Plan G in 2010-2012 at least in my book. My New Era book of hundreds of clients has stuck like glue with their low premiums on G and low rate increases. Again maybe I missed some fine print of a post or two but could not be happier with them here in Texas.

Easy as pie E-app and more than adequate customer service. Having signed up hundreds of people with them they truly are the most enjoyable company I work with out of them all.

They were in the ballpark for a bit in my area, but Forethoughts Plan G has been as good or better the entire time with way better comp. I see the efficiency of an E app if your selling OTP, but I haven't made that transition fully. Even then I have favored MOO over New Era for their E app. This new Cigna phone app is even easier though.
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What you are calling "living in fear" is what most of us just call good customer service and preserving business.

Yes that is what SMAN and I have been discussing. That comment was based on my past personal experience and what I felt my motivations were for making that call. Just trying to relate it to some agents who may be feeling similar.

While you are out doing your hobbies other agents are proactively calling your clients who just had the large rate increase and offering to rescue them. And they are going to put a much worse spin on it than you would.

I'm not "spinning" rate increases, and again why I advocate against Plan F and sell mostly Plans D, G or N. With exception of MOO's Plan N fiasco, I'm not seeing large rate increases on those plans, so these agents you speak of have no fuel for their fire to replace my business.

The best practice for any Medicare Supplement agent is to call all med sup clients when they get a large rate increase.

Wouldn't it be smarter, better and easier to NOT sell them a Plan that historically takes larger rate increases in the first place? If we're in this business to create longevity in our renewals, why sell them a plan that we all know is going up faster than any other plan out there? A plan that you have to spend your time replacing every year or two because you can't educate your client to take the smarter, more logical choice that will get you 5-7 years easy.

 

[sman]

They were in the ballpark for a bit in my area, but Forethoughts Plan G has been as good or better the entire time with way better comp. I see the efficiency of an E app if your selling OTP, but I haven't made that transition fully. Even then I have favored MOO over New Era for their E app. This new Cigna phone app is even easier though.
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Yes that is what SMAN and I have been discussing. That comment was based on my past personal experience and what I felt my motivations were for making that call. Just trying to relate it to some agents who may be feeling similar.

I'm not "spinning" rate increases, and again why I advocate against Plan F and sell mostly Plans D, G or N. With exception of MOO's Plan N fiasco, I'm not seeing large rate increases on those plans, so these agents you speak of have no fuel for their fire to replace my business.

Wouldn't it be smarter, better and easier to NOT sell them a Plan that historically takes larger rate increases in the first place? If we're in this business to create longevity in our renewals, why sell them a plan that we all know is going up faster than any other plan out there? A plan that you have to spend your time replacing every year or two because you can't educate your client to take the smarter, more logical choice that will get you 5-7 years easy.

You just can't seem to get out of your own way, can you? What makes you believe Newby, or any of the rest of us, "can't educate our clients?" I don't think I read anywhere that someone was stating selling Plan F was the smart choice.

Additionally, it really is hard to talk of historical rate increases since all carriers started a new book of business in June of 2010. We can really only look since that date. In Texas, New Era had a 2.3% increase on Plan G in 2011 and a 6% increase in 2012.

I just ran a quote for zip code 77004, male age 65. Plan G for New Era is $125.05. Forethought is $146.01. For a female New Era is $115.79 and Forethought is $127.03. I'd be interested in knowing which area you are in. I'm having trouble locating an area in Texas where Forethought's Plan G is cheaper than New Era. Granted, I've only looked at a couple of zip codes in Texas.

Lastly, you mentioned MOO's E-app as being easier than New Era's. Unless MOO has changed theirs in the last few years, New Era's is much easier.

 

[Superchief]

You just can't seem to get out of your own way, can you? What makes you believe Newby, or any of the rest of us, "can't educate our clients?" I don't think I read anywhere that someone was stating selling Plan F was the smart choice.

Additionally, it really is hard to talk of historical rate increases since all carriers started a new book of business in June of 2010. We can really only look since that date. In Texas, New Era had a 2.3% increase on Plan G in 2011 and a 6% increase in 2012.

I just ran a quote for zip code 77004, male age 65. Plan G for New Era is $125.05. Forethought is $146.01. For a female New Era is $115.79 and Forethought is $127.03. I'd be interested in knowing which area you are in. I'm having trouble locating an area in Texas where Forethought's Plan G is cheaper than New Era. Granted, I've only looked at a couple of zip codes in Texas.

Lastly, you mentioned MOO's E-app as being easier than New Era's. Unless MOO has changed theirs in the last few years, New Era's is much easier.

The English language is truly terrible or rather I'm just terrible at using it. I see you guys taking this personal and it's not meant to say that YOU are a bad agent or that YOU cannot educate your clients. A better word choice on those statements would likely be "WE" or "AN AGENT". I am not attacking you guys, I am just presenting another viewpoint.

I'm not in the Houston area but Central Texas. And I do stand corrected on New Era in some of these zip codes around here. They have Forethought edged by a few bucks for sure, particularly on the male rates, but up until MOO switched back to gender biased rates here, I was favoring them for my men anyway. However Cigna and the Duck have New Era edged out pretty well particularly on N. None of this was ever meant to be bash against New Era anyway, (they were only brought up specifically as you mentioned they were such a dominating force in Georgia), but more so that the top 10 carriers have a rate spread of very little which makes it simple to spread business across carriers, supporting my thought of not putting all eggs in one basket to avoid having to roll very large chunks of business should that carrier jack the rates.

And I never said MOO's E-app was easier than New Era's. I'd appreciate you not misconstruing my words if you're going to personalize this discussion. I have no experience with New Era's E app at all, and again never made any such statement. I simply said that I would likely have favored MOO's. Reason being that I am familiar with it; I have a good contract with them, and have strong persistency on their Plan G. The lack of app fee and the added household discount make it my go to product for couples. Why fix something that isn't broken?

I would tend to agree with you regarding rate history pre / post 2010, but I am still seeing higher rate trends on F versus G and N, again not including MOO's Plan N.

 

[sman]

The English language is truly terrible or rather I'm just terrible at using it. I see you guys taking this personal and it's not meant to say that YOU are a bad agent or that YOU cannot educate your clients. A better word choice on those statements would likely be "WE" or "AN AGENT". I am not attacking you guys, I am just presenting another viewpoint.

You'll (and I do mean you) have to forgive me. When I'm having a conversation with someone and they say "you" I tend to think they are actually referring to me.

I'm not in the Houston area but Central Texas. And I do stand corrected on New Era in some of these zip codes around here. They have Forethought edged by a few bucks for sure, particularly on the male rates, but up until MOO switched back to gender biased rates here, I was favoring them for my men anyway. However Cigna and the Duck have New Era edged out pretty well particularly on N.

So earlier it was Forethought and now it's Cigna and the Duck? Look, you can write with whichever carrier you want. But you claimed Forethought was as good or better than New Era on Plan G. And that just isn't currently the case.

None of this was ever meant to be bash against New Era anyway, (they were only brought up specifically as you mentioned they were such a dominating force in Georgia), but more so that the top 10 carriers have a rate spread of very little which makes it simple to spread business across carriers, supporting my thought of not putting all eggs in one basket to avoid having to roll very large chunks of business should that carrier jack the rates.

In looking at Ritter's quote engine for Plan G in Coleman County (that's about as center Texas as it gets based on my map), the rate variance for the top 10 carriers is $101.70 to $119.87 ($14.39 between New Era and Forethought). If you can convince someone to pay 14% more, then more power to you. That's just not the way I work.

And I never said MOO's E-app was easier than New Era's. I'd appreciate you not misconstruing my words if you're going to personalize this discussion. I have no experience with New Era's E app at all, and again never made any such statement. I simply said that I would likely have favored MOO's.

You're right. You just said,

"Even then I have favored MOO over New Era for their E-app"

To me, this implies you have used both and prefer MOO. I was simply stating unless MOO changed theirs, New Era's is much easier to use. That doesn't mean a person can't prefer or "favor" one over the other. I've used both and prefer New Era's e-app.

I certainly don't want to put words in your mouth, but the common theme I'm reading from your posts is that you have better contracts with Forethought and MOO than New Era. Could that be your preference for where you place your business?

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

New Era has the same clause or similar about replacing business that Cigna does in their contract.

 

[Superchief]

You'll (and I do mean you) have to forgive me. When I'm having a conversation with someone and they say "you" I tend to think they are actually referring to me.

So earlier it was Forethought and now it's Cigna and the Duck? Look, you can write with whichever carrier you want. But you claimed Forethought was as good or better than New Era on Plan G. And that just isn't currently the case.

In looking at Ritter's quote engine for Plan G in Coleman County (that's about as center Texas as it gets based on my map), the rate variance for the top 10 carriers is $101.70 to $119.87 ($14.39 between New Era and Forethought). If you can convince someone to pay 14% more, then more power to you. That's just not the way I work.

You're right. You just said,

"Even then I have favored MOO over New Era for their E-app"

To me, this implies you have used both and prefer MOO. I was simply stating unless MOO changed theirs, New Era's is much easier to use. That doesn't mean a person can't prefer or "favor" one over the other. I've used both and prefer New Era's e-app.

I certainly don't want to put words in your mouth, but the common theme I'm reading from your posts is that you have better contracts with Forethought and MOO than New Era. Could that be your preference for where you place your business?

Forgiven. It's an easy assumption and my mistake for not being more clear or less general. When New Era was originally presented to me, as I recall, it's been close to 3 years now, there was very little difference that I saw in rates compared to the carriers I had at the time, and that was about the time I just picked up Forethought, which had a better comp, much better and some personal relationships involved as to why it was in my portfolio. I also didn't know the marketer from Adam and I don't remember his presentation being all that convincing. And yes I am a bit commission driven; fool's gotta make a livin' right? I will admit I'm not selling much Forethought lately though, as Cigna and the Duck are bringing in better rates right now. Cigna's admin has been much better though, so I'm really favoring them currently.

I also can see the easy misunderstanding on my comment of MOO vs New Era on E-app. In going back to read my statement, that could easily be implied as one being better. Again, my bad for not being more precise in why I favored MOO. It truly had nothing to do with their E-app, just that I favor them as a carrier and they happen to have an E-app.

So how is everyone's experience with Cigna anyway?
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In looking at Ritter's quote engine for Plan G in Coleman County (that's about as center Texas as it gets based on my map), the rate variance for the top 10 carriers is $101.70 to $119.87 ($14.39 between New Era and Forethought). If you can convince someone to pay 14% more, then more power to you. That's just not the way I work.

What age, gender are you pulling this on? I'm not seeing those rates for Coleman or my common zips which are usually the same area factor. It's not real far off, but definitely seems to be inaccurate. I was mostly just writing females with Forethought and I only see about a 4-6 dollar difference. I've always been leary of Ritter's engine, and have recently started using CSG's exclusively, if not my black and white rate guide.