Curious about DBA's

[somarco]

You need something called "a case" or good luck finding an attorney who won't demand payment in full.

You miss the point.

Clients will sue over anything, or nothing at all.

Attorneys will take a case for a few hundred bucks up front if they think a contingency fee will net them a percentage on a $100,000+ claim.

I have been shot at many times over the years over nothing I have done. So far, no one has hit me but I am not feeling lucky at all.

We deal in a business where literally hundreds of thousands of dollars are at stake. There are quite a few lawyers, and judges, that will sign off on a suit simply because someone claims they were wronged.

This is not the used car business or aluminum siding. This is serious business where a denied claim can throw someone into bankruptcy. Carriers are easy targets because of deep pockets and agents just happen to get in the line of fire. If a carrier can throw you under the bus to save a few thousand from their pocket they will.

You can bank on that one.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

True - a denied claim can indeed BK someone and if they want to chase after the insurance company more power to 'em.

I've been threatened also. The client of mine who got balanced billed for $8,000 said he'd sue me and the company. It's mainly hot air.

I'm not saying there's never a case where an agent's been sued and I'm not saying there's never a time where I'd be sued. I'm just saying the likelihood is extremely small. Although I've only been in the biz 4 years I've written a fairly decent amount of business and only God know how many claims have been filed. I've had 3 pissed clients so far, and two of their problems got fixed easily.

And if you really want to see lawsuits, then check out the car biz. Dealerships live in court. The salesmen, however, can't be touched nor would any attorney go after a car salesman probably making $35,000 a year. I'm not sure an attorney would be going after that health insurance agent who's likely waiting for his next check to put gas in his car, nor would I think his apartment could be attached. Lol. No lawyer's going after some broke-dick agent on contingency!!! But that's funny to think about.

You think health insurance is more serious than the car biz? Really? How many people were killed by Firestone tires? How many people were killed by the faulty gas tanks? Remember Pintos? How many people are killed each year do to factory defects. The car biz is far more serious then this line of work will ever be.

Go get a job at an unethical used car lot that's faking state inspections. You sell a bad health policy you could BK someone. You sell a bad car and you could kill someone - and maybe someone else's family.

 

[somarco]

No lawyer's going after some broke-dick agent on contingency

I never suggested that.

Try again.

I really don't care about what happens in the used car business. That is not where I earn my living.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Can you point to a case where an agent was sued by their client for the insurance company denying a claim where the agent didn't commit a fraudulent act or is this just all theory on your part. I'd love to read up on that case. I can point to hundreds of cases by doing a Google news search where Mega was sued. Not in a single case was the agent a co-defendant or sued separately.

I'd assume with the countless thousands upon thousands of cases where claims where denied I'd be able to pull up a fair amount of lawsuits where the client is suing the agent directly. I have not found one.

 

[James]

For the most part, the Insurance Agent is fairly well insulated from lawsuits in general. That is comparing it to most other independent type of ways to make a living.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Well, anything "could" happen. I could go outside to get the mail today and get killed by part of a wing that tore off an airplane. Maybe I should stay inside.

 

[arnguy]

Rick, watch out for those hoosiers. SAI might steal your name!

 

[J.R.]

Well, anything "could" happen. I could go outside to get the mail today and get killed by part of a wing that tore off an airplane. Maybe I should stay inside.

I about cried from laughing so hard after seeing this comment.

 

[GreenSky]

Rick, watch out for those hoosiers. SAI might steal your name!

I didn't want to mention names of anyone that might not be trustworthy.

Rick

 

[slushhhpuppie]

(In Pennsylvania at least...)

There is an exemption to the DBA rule. If you use your full name + "and Associates" or "and Company" you don't have to register a ficticious business entity.

John Doe & Co.
John Doe & Associates.