I'm fairly new as well. Welcome to the independent side!
I can't speak to competitiveness in Indiana, as I'm in Ohio. However, just on the customer service angle, here's my $0.02:
- Until someone proves otherwise, American Community is a great way to go. I went through a GA, but the company itself was still great at training me as a new agent. Both the regional marketing manager for individual and the regional marketing manager for group will meet with you to review each plan, underwriting protocol, and selling points. When you call the home office in Livonia, Michigan, you always get someone kind, informed, and helpful. They were just rated one of the best Detroit-area employers to work for in the third year running. And, they've been in business for something like 70 years. Their Next Generation HSA is unbeatable in my market, especially since it has no app fees, no admin fees, and no HSA fees. Several of their individual and group plans, including the Next Generation HSA, offer an included Accident Benefit where the deductible is waived for any costs incurred within 30 days of an accident. And, I just wrote my first small group policy which beat out Anthem here (tough to do). Oh, and the nice lady who sends out marketing materials is a hoot. Fax her a supply requisition, and you'll have a FedEx package on your doorstep in lightning speed, complete with a handwritten note signed with a smiley face. I know I'm sounding like a commercial for ACM, but I'm loving 'em right now! (Give me a few more years with policies in force, and we'll talk again . . . ha.)
- Assurant is well-known here in the individual market, and my Dad (who I inherited the business from) sold a TON of policies through them. Many are still in force after several years. The clients on the books really like the service they've received. 99% of the time, their CSR's are informative and helpful, and I'm very rarely on hold. I did have one claims debacle this spring that required the intervention of an SVP to get the client reimbursed . . . but that, in all fairness, had to do with a very convoluted billing situation involving three states, a collections agency, and several different networks (long story!). My only beef with Assurant right now is that they're significantly pricing themselves out of the market here, and they add in those crazy app & admin fees -- even for one-month, short term. If they'd lower their rates here on their HSA, I'd recommend them without too much reservation.
- CGI (now World) is a nightmare. CGI used to be great, and my Dad did a lot of business with them. Now that they've been sold off to World, it's just plain evil. We still have a few clients on the books with them, and I just spent half of my day on three-way calls between CGI/World, AmeriBenefit Plan, and Lifeguard over an eight-month-old billing issue that none of the three will take responsibility for. The guy at World said, "I work for World. I've always serviced World accounts. A few weeks ago, they handed me a CGI manual and said, 'Now you're servicing CGI accounts. Start answering calls.'" He continued, "The computer in front of me doesn't even access CGI policies. WTF?" Then, after I'd given my e-mail address earlier in the call, he told me he was on the 'net surfing my web page. (Yes, really.) I've also had trouble with their differing lines of distribution, one hand not talking to the other, etc. I get different answers from every CSR I talk with. NOT RECOMMENDED!
- I also hold health appointments with Anthem (group only), American Medical Security, Medical Mutual, and soon-to-be Aetna and UHC, but I've not written any policies with any of them.
- I just started selling life and am appointed with Genworth and AIG. No problems yet, but I work through BUA (BUA - Business Underwriters Associates). They're a full service MGA, and they really make it painless. Just call your assigned rep and say, "I've got a guy" . . . and they'll take it from there. I think they work nationally, so you might call them. They have a great one-stop-shop online appointment system. Their recommendation to me was to get appointed with each carrier as I have a case come up. So, I got appointed with Genworth first. Then, a client specifically asked for AIG, so I got appointed with them. They have access to all the major carriers (Omaha, Prudential, Banner, MetLife, Transamerica, etc.).
Good luck!
P.S. Did I really just write that much? Sorry for those who didn't need it! Like Joe Biden, I'll make up for it with a simple, "Yes" answer on another post.
I can't speak to competitiveness in Indiana, as I'm in Ohio. However, just on the customer service angle, here's my $0.02:
- Until someone proves otherwise, American Community is a great way to go. I went through a GA, but the company itself was still great at training me as a new agent. Both the regional marketing manager for individual and the regional marketing manager for group will meet with you to review each plan, underwriting protocol, and selling points. When you call the home office in Livonia, Michigan, you always get someone kind, informed, and helpful. They were just rated one of the best Detroit-area employers to work for in the third year running. And, they've been in business for something like 70 years. Their Next Generation HSA is unbeatable in my market, especially since it has no app fees, no admin fees, and no HSA fees. Several of their individual and group plans, including the Next Generation HSA, offer an included Accident Benefit where the deductible is waived for any costs incurred within 30 days of an accident. And, I just wrote my first small group policy which beat out Anthem here (tough to do). Oh, and the nice lady who sends out marketing materials is a hoot. Fax her a supply requisition, and you'll have a FedEx package on your doorstep in lightning speed, complete with a handwritten note signed with a smiley face. I know I'm sounding like a commercial for ACM, but I'm loving 'em right now! (Give me a few more years with policies in force, and we'll talk again . . . ha.)
- Assurant is well-known here in the individual market, and my Dad (who I inherited the business from) sold a TON of policies through them. Many are still in force after several years. The clients on the books really like the service they've received. 99% of the time, their CSR's are informative and helpful, and I'm very rarely on hold. I did have one claims debacle this spring that required the intervention of an SVP to get the client reimbursed . . . but that, in all fairness, had to do with a very convoluted billing situation involving three states, a collections agency, and several different networks (long story!). My only beef with Assurant right now is that they're significantly pricing themselves out of the market here, and they add in those crazy app & admin fees -- even for one-month, short term. If they'd lower their rates here on their HSA, I'd recommend them without too much reservation.
- CGI (now World) is a nightmare. CGI used to be great, and my Dad did a lot of business with them. Now that they've been sold off to World, it's just plain evil. We still have a few clients on the books with them, and I just spent half of my day on three-way calls between CGI/World, AmeriBenefit Plan, and Lifeguard over an eight-month-old billing issue that none of the three will take responsibility for. The guy at World said, "I work for World. I've always serviced World accounts. A few weeks ago, they handed me a CGI manual and said, 'Now you're servicing CGI accounts. Start answering calls.'" He continued, "The computer in front of me doesn't even access CGI policies. WTF?" Then, after I'd given my e-mail address earlier in the call, he told me he was on the 'net surfing my web page. (Yes, really.) I've also had trouble with their differing lines of distribution, one hand not talking to the other, etc. I get different answers from every CSR I talk with. NOT RECOMMENDED!
- I also hold health appointments with Anthem (group only), American Medical Security, Medical Mutual, and soon-to-be Aetna and UHC, but I've not written any policies with any of them.
- I just started selling life and am appointed with Genworth and AIG. No problems yet, but I work through BUA (BUA - Business Underwriters Associates). They're a full service MGA, and they really make it painless. Just call your assigned rep and say, "I've got a guy" . . . and they'll take it from there. I think they work nationally, so you might call them. They have a great one-stop-shop online appointment system. Their recommendation to me was to get appointed with each carrier as I have a case come up. So, I got appointed with Genworth first. Then, a client specifically asked for AIG, so I got appointed with them. They have access to all the major carriers (Omaha, Prudential, Banner, MetLife, Transamerica, etc.).
Good luck!
P.S. Did I really just write that much? Sorry for those who didn't need it! Like Joe Biden, I'll make up for it with a simple, "Yes" answer on another post.
