General Fortesters/Americo Comparisons

[nfl72]

I have used Foresters for the last couple of years as my go to company and they got about 60% of my business. Numerous threads on this site have spoken of how hard Foresters can be to deal with at times and I have seen that so I just recently started using Americo along with Foresters

A couple things I don't like about Americo are they don't inform me of receiving my applications and policies seem to spend time in a limbo state where they don't show under pending or issued business. I don't like to have to go to a web site everyday to scheck the status of a policy. Foresters always sends emails if there is an issue with a policy which is much more convienient.

I also like the fact that when I leave the clients home with Forersters I know what I have. With Americo i won't know for several days and it is not easy for me to go back for additional signatures if I need them.

How are you guys handling these type senarios?

Also the new application for Foresters is quite hard to read. I just received a call from a foresters rep and we spoke aout the new application. I completely missed the fact that if a client ever in the past had CHF they do not qualify for plan right. Where before it was ok if more than 2 years ago.

Sorry for the long winded thread. I am basicly looking for pros and cons of both companies and any input would be appreciated.
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Also I do like not having to do the phone interveiw as many of my FE clients are not very bright and can get easily confused during the call. Sometimes their hearing is bad and sometims they are just plain slow. The last 2 days I spent in Muskegon and wrote 3 or 4 with Americo for that very reason alone. I also sent 3 to Foresters because the people seemed sharp enough to handle the phone interveiw.

 

[jdeasy]

I have used Foresters for the last couple of years as my go to company and they got about 60% of my business. Numerous threads on this site have spoken of how hard Foresters can be to deal with at times and I have seen that so I just recently started using Americo along with Foresters

A couple things I don't like about Americo are they don't inform me of receiving my applications and policies seem to spend time in a limbo state where they don't show under pending or issued business. I don't like to have to go to a web site everyday to scheck the status of a policy. Foresters always sends emails if there is an issue with a policy which is much more convienient.

I also like the fact that when I leave the clients home with Forersters I know what I have. With Americo i won't know for several days and it is not easy for me to go back for additional signatures if I need them.

How are you guys handling these type senarios?

Also the new application for Foresters is quite hard to read. I just received a call from a foresters rep and we spoke aout the new application. I completely missed the fact that if a client ever in the past had CHF they do not qualify for plan right. Where before it was ok if more than 2 years ago.

Sorry for the long winded thread. I am basicly looking for pros and cons of both companies and any input would be appreciated.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Also I do like not having to do the phone interveiw as many of my FE clients are not very bright and can get easily confused during the call. Sometimes their hearing is bad and sometims they are just plain slow. The last 2 days I spent in Muskegon and wrote 3 or 4 with Americo for that very reason alone. I also sent 3 to Foresters because the people seemed sharp enough to handle the phone interveiw.

Foresters is not even in my rotation anmore. Those apps are in a file in the car. I haven't had a reason to go to the car to get one.

I use Americo quite a bit. They are probably my second company after RNA now that I don't have to always do the POS with RNA. Americo had moved ahead of RNA during the POS era.

I don't understand not checking the website everyday. First thing I do every morning is check the websites of every company I write. The only thing I don't like about Americo is the deal they have with EFES on renewals. They do email me with any issues on applications. They do not email on the ones with no issues. You have to check the website. That's not a problem for me as I'm doing it anyway.

Do you have Monumental or RNA? If not, get them.

 

[nfl72]

yes, I got set up with Mounumental about 3 months ago but havent used them. It seems like based off of feedback from this forum their underwriting is quite sporatic. Not consistant with their calls. I was planning on using them until I starting reading that stuff.

I know your a fan of checking websites every morning. That is probably a good thing. I just don't like doing it. I really only work 2 maybe three days a week. Its more my speed to call directly if I need info. I am 57 and guys my age mostly use the internet for gambling, banking and porn but not necessarily in that order!

 

[jdeasy]

yes, I got set up with Mounumental about 3 months ago but havent used them. It seems like based off of feedback from this forum their underwriting is quite sporatic. Not consistant with their calls. I was planning on using them until I starting reading that stuff.

I know your a fan of checking websites every morning. That is probably a good thing. I just don't like doing it. I really only work 2 maybe three days a week. Its more my speed to call directly if I need info. I am 57 and guys my age mostly use the internet for gambling, banking and porn but not necessarily in that order!

You and I are almost the same age. I check the company websites 7 days a week including when I'm on vacation, holidays or whatever. I call it being organized, my wife calls it "anal".

Monumetal is very difficult to work with and amendment happy but they do have their place. Look at picking up RNA and 5 Star. I don't know who offers the best deal with RNA. Check with Newby for 5 Star. He may be able to contract you with RNA as well?

 

[nfl72]

I replaced a couple of 5 star policies a while back before the Foresters price hike. I am assuming they are priced about the same as Americo and Foresters currently? I found out after the fact that 5 star has a pretty nice benefit package as well. Its nice when you can throw in little things that most policies don't have expecialy when your replacing a policy and try to show them as many good things as possible. Some people don't want to go through the hassel of replacing for only 5 to ten a month but if you can throw in freebees its like icing on the cake!

 

[360]

Sorry for the long winded thread. I am basicly looking for pros and cons of both companies and any input would be appreciated.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Also I do like not having to do the phone interveiw as many of my FE clients are not very bright and can get easily confused during the call. Sometimes their hearing is bad and sometims they are just plain slow. The last 2 days I spent in Muskegon and wrote 3 or 4 with Americo for that very reason alone. I also sent 3 to Foresters because the people seemed sharp enough to handle the phone interveiw.

I think you hit both carriers on the head. I'm with JD on picking up RNA. To me they have the best PHI out there at generally just under 10 minutes on the phone with the client. I'd rather spend 10 minutes any day knowing what you've got than to send an app to Americo or Monumental and not know what's going to happen for 3-4 days.

Let me know if you need a solid RNA contract. I'd agree with JD that 5 Star is a nice option too, especially if there are any Rx issues.

 

[lsalmans]

I think you hit both carriers on the head. I'm with JD on picking up RNA. To me they have the best PHI out there at generally just under 10 minutes on the phone with the client. I'd rather spend 10 minutes any day knowing what you've got than to send an app to Americo or Monumental and not know what's going to happen for 3-4 days.

Let me know if you need a solid RNA contract. I'd agree with JD that 5 Star is a nice option too, especially if there are any Rx issues.

Why 5 star if there are any Rx issues?

 

[360]

Why 5 star if there are any Rx issues?

5 Star does no Rx check and they also do not ask for meds on the app.

 

[lsalmans]

5 Star does no Rx check and they also do not ask for meds on the app.

So they pull MIB only??

 

[Newby]

5-Star also makes the phone interview completely optional. So with one company you can choose to do it or not do it.