Direct Appointment!

[cap361]

How much do you need in written premiums before you started getting appointments from regional and national carriers?

 

[indienoise]

Depends. They look at more than just book size. I had one regional carrier turn me down, then come back 3 months later to offer me the appointment. I was at about 200k at that time, and was at 350k when I picked up safeco. Your experience, time in business, loss ratios, marketing plan, etc will all be as or more important than production amount.

 

[PhilL]

How much do you need in written premiums before you started getting appointments from regional and national carriers?

Cap361, Indienoise is correct that a lot depends on your current situation. Without knowing more about your current circumstances, it is difficult for me to give you much other feedback. If you want to talk to me about your situation and get my thoughts, I can be reached through my website. Would be glad to try to help you.

 

[agentinsouth]

I just picked up a direct appointment with a carrier who openly states they won't appoint any agency that's not 8MM in premium & I'm not anyway close to that. I have been harassing them for about 6 years now and finally the rep's boss was replaced by a former rep of mine & boom...got it. I've seen other situations where agents got appointments who clearly shouldn't have. So my stance is it's all politics & don't assume you won't get direct appointments based off premium volume.

I just had that happen... The old rep would not return a call or email. The new rep stopped and asked me to fill out the paperwork.

 

[Derrick]

I just picked up a direct appointment with a carrier who openly states they won't appoint any agency that's not 8MM in premium & I'm not anyway close to that. I have been harassing them for about 6 years now and finally the rep's boss was replaced by a former rep of mine & boom...got it.

I've seen other situations where agents got appointments who clearly shouldn't have. So my stance is it's all politics & don't assume you won't get direct appointments based off premium volume.

It's not what you know, it's who you know.

...which is exactly why I am cozying up to our Auto-Owners marketing rep, and making sure I go to all the "training" and "seminars" they offer.

 

[marindependent]

It is all over the map.

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Scott W Johnson
Marindependent Insurance Services

 

[PhilL]

It is all over the map.

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Scott W Johnson
Marindependent Insurance Services

Absolutely true. It is a "P&C insurance markets maze".

 

[TxJAS]

Is there a way to prove what you've written in premium if all the policies list the agency owner as the agent?

 

[indienoise]

Not that I know of. I faced that hurdle early on, but I was probably better off for it. I waaaaaaay overshot my goals going indy.

In just over a year, my book is 3x what it was after 2 years with a captive agency.