Finding Out What a Broker Does

[tigoguim]

First of all thank you so much for your time and input on this guys. I'm currently a graphic designer but I have reached a point where I know I need a career change.
I have been curious about the insurance industry for a while and I have decided to not wait any longer and start taking classes.

I want to be an insurance broker/ independent agent but there is one thing that I don't understand about it...I have been doing a lot of research online but haven't come across a clear answer, which tells me there might be different approaches and no real right answer or way of doing this.

I have a three part question on how do Brokers go about getting their clients signed up for insurances:

1. Once a client calls you and requests a quote for health insurance, or car insurance; do you then call different agencies to get various quotes then call the client back? Or, do you input the client's information on a computer that holds a database of different insurers and prices?

1a. If it is a software you are using, how do you get it? Do you have to affiliate yourself with a certain insurance group to have this software?

1b.If it is a software you use for the price quotes, is that software limited to particular insurance companies or can you plug in different insurance companies to get quotes from them too?

I have many other questions but this is the most pressing at the moment. thanks guys

 

[souldeux]

I'm quite new to all of this, but since I wandered in here early I'll take a crack at it. I'm sure someone with more experience will be along soon to supplement and/or correct me.

From the health side, all of the carriers I use have online agent portals. The vast majority of the time, the portals include a location where you can download quoting software for that particular carrier, as well as a location for online quoting. Put the demographic information into the quoting software or online engine, and you'll get your quotes for that carrier. Rinse and repeat for your other folks, and compare. I almost never run all of my carriers for a single client, though -- from doing my homework at night and whatnot, I have a pretty good idea going in of who will and won't be competitive.

Alternatively, you can purchase something like Norvax or QuotIt, but I am poor and have not the funds for such fancy trappings My limited interaction with those two engines makes me think that you can customize your personal account to quote whatever you carry all at once -- I'm sure someone with significantly more experience will be along shortly to provide a much more robust answer on that topic.

If you're interested, shoot me an email sometime and we'll set up a time for a desktop share meeting. I'd be more than happy to open up my screen and show you the stuff I use (although, again, a more experienced agent would likely be able to provide more thorough information).

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Nick - love your site!

 

[souldeux]

Hey, thanks! I was playing with it the night before last and completely, totally broke it beyond belief. Had to start all over from scratch, but in the end I think it ended up making it look a little nicer. My awesome, awesome awesome graphic designer/branding expert/marketing guru/aunt is helping me out with a logo and some images to fill the blank spaces. I don't have quite enough posts to post URL's yet, but I'll shamelessly plug her site at sam101 dot com anyway, if that's okay.

 

[tigoguim]

Thanks Nick,
you answered in a few minutes what I had been looking for days. I think it would be safe to assume the same for P&C right?
Do you mind if I PM you some questions?
thanks again

 

[insuranceexec]

I'm quite new to all of this, but since I wandered in here early I'll take a crack at it. I'm sure someone with more experience will be along soon to supplement and/or correct me.

From the health side, all of the carriers I use have online agent portals. The vast majority of the time, the portals include a location where you can download quoting software for that particular carrier, as well as a location for online quoting. Put the demographic information into the quoting software or online engine, and you'll get your quotes for that carrier. Rinse and repeat for your other folks, and compare. I almost never run all of my carriers for a single client, though -- from doing my homework at night and whatnot, I have a pretty good idea going in of who will and won't be competitive.

Alternatively, you can purchase something like Norvax or QuotIt, but I am poor and have not the funds for such fancy trappings My limited interaction with those two engines makes me think that you can customize your personal account to quote whatever you carry all at once -- I'm sure someone with significantly more experience will be along shortly to provide a much more robust answer on that topic.

If you're interested, shoot me an email sometime and we'll set up a time for a desktop share meeting. I'd be more than happy to open up my screen and show you the stuff I use (although, again, a more experienced agent would likely be able to provide more thorough information).

Hey Nick that is a great post, and in my ever so humble opinion nothing needs correcting; GOOD JOB!

I do have to make one comment:

With an attitude of humility and a willingness to want to help people you will go very far in this business. With that being said quit referring to your self as "POOR." Poor is permanent and breeds a stagnant mind; you my friend are merely broke, which is temporary. the sky is the limit for you; pm me if you would like some future help. Happy Hunting!
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[souldeux]

Haha, you know, my fiancee and I had a conversation about that exact topic not ten minutes before I wandered back onto the computer. We decided that we're temporarily "debt rich," since poor is a state of mind

tigoguim, I'm not sure off the top of my head what the minimum number of posts is to be able to send PM's, but I think that since I can't post URL's yet then I probably can't play around with that function much, either. My contact info is on my website, though, if you want to fire off an email in my direction. Just have a crack at the contact form, it'll send an email directly to my account and I'll be able to respond to you at yours!

Fair warning -- I don't know much about P&C stuff. My fiancee has been looking at getting her license there, though, so I'd be happy to see what answers we could come up with if we put our heads together.

(I wonder how many times I can fit the word fiancee into a post? Fiancee!! Is it obvious that I'm very newly engaged?)

 

[wappahso]

Way to go Nick, great answer.... I am in the process of getting my health license so I guess I will be knocking on your door soon LOL.... I am starting out as a new agent as I do have p&c, I am trying to figure out how to get some carriers to my corner... Thanks for the info

 

[insuranceexec]

Way to go Nick, great answer.... I am in the process of getting my health license so I guess I will be knocking on your door soon LOL.... I am starting out as a new agent as I do have p&c, I am trying to figure out how to get some carriers to my corner... Thanks for the info

Try contacting "WIN" on this site. he has a great deal of things to offer, especially to new agents getting into the life and health side of things.

 

[hlink20]

I have a three part question on how do Brokers go about getting their clients signed up for insurances:

1. Once a client calls you and requests a quote for health insurance, or car insurance; do you then call different agencies to get various quotes then call the client back? Or, do you input the client's information on a computer that holds a database of different insurers and prices?

1a. If it is a software you are using, how do you get it? Do you have to affiliate yourself with a certain insurance group to have this software?

1b.If it is a software you use for the price quotes, is that software limited to particular insurance companies or can you plug in different insurance companies to get quotes from them too?

I have many other questions but this is the most pressing at the moment. thanks guys

1) I suggest using a quoting engine. This will streamline the process and position you to respond to your client quickly.

1a) Linked Agency

1b) Most quoting engines will have a limited number of carriers to quote. There are specialty quoting engines for Health and P & C. In my opinion, one of the best providers for providing health insurance quotes is Norvax, Auto insurance quotes is Turborater, and "WC" and the like quotes is seapass. Best wishes.