Expanding into P&C?

[chp]

Hi everyone.

I cannot tell you all how important this board has been toward my success of becoming an independent health insurance agent! I was a captive for 5 years with Mega, and have since left and started out on my own.
As I wrote many polices with Mega, I have had many clients ask me "do you do home, auto, etc." and I always told them no, "I just write life and health" and that was that.

Now that I write for all the major health carriers here in SC, I want to know about expanding into P&C. My thinking was to find a large agency here in SC that specializes in these lines, and simply ask if I can get licensed, and sell policies through them as I write health policies on my own. My main focus is on health, and that is what I am comfortable with. I think it would be great to be able to offer clients at least a quote on home, auto, etc while I am taking their health app.

Is just walking in and talking to an P&C agency the way to go? Do these agencies take on independent agents and allow them to write business through them? I ask as today one of my clients told me "find me some homeowners and new auto insurance" and I hate the fact that I cannot sell them anything. I do not want to shift fully into p&C, just expand the insurance options that I can offer people. In the future I would eventually like to open an actual agency, hire agents, etc that can write all lines of business...I am just looking to get a start. Any suggestions? I am sure some of you health and life guys/gals have thought about getting into other insurance lines.

Any help will be much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[TheSalesWolf]

Try InsuranceNoodle | Small Business Insurance
I think it's $200 per year to become "Appointed through them"
Not a bad deal if you write a little business. P and C is a tough market though.

 

[Soaringagent]

you may also want to check out Superioraccess.com . They have really competitive markets for P&C

 

[ABC]

I am new here but have been on the health side for 9 years.
About 2 years ago I looked at going into the PC side of it because of my block of group plans.

I went a head and got my PC liscense and then viewed the different carriers. Most of them would not allow me to contract with them so I then went and interview other broker houses to see if I could contract with them. There was too much confict of interest with the larger outfits. So I then looked at smaller agency. I was concerned that they did not have the staff to provide the high level of customer service my clients are use too.

I am sure you will be able to sell the PC side of it I would just make sure your selling the best product to your clients. If the PC side goes bad you could lose the client.

my .02

 

[chp]

Thanks for all the info. I will look into it and see if it is worth getting involved in.

I might just pop into a borkerage right down the street (seems they offer everything except health) and talk to someone there and see what they can offer. Thanks again.