Going Independent Have Questions

As others have clearly stated, 75, 80 or 90% is really relative to what the company is providing you. Even at 100% commission, suspect they are saying that you will be paying the 25% on the $250K for life and anything above you get 100%.

- How would you share in enhanced comp, contingency? And, who pays for:
- Agency Management System
- Raters
- Websites
- Commission reconciliation, downloads, payroll
- Accounting & compliance
- Training

Etc., etc., these are all expenses for an agency as well as a detraction from your primary goal -- generating new clientele.

That's why it's way more than just commissions -- although important.

Best of luck!



I will not need a agency manager or a quoter. I get my staff through staffing agencies. I don't need a website as my social media and my current standing in my community is huge. My office I already have is mine and my rent is very cheap.

I'm just asking about insurance aggrigators right now. Who are the best?
 
I will not need a agency manager or a quoter. I get my staff through staffing agencies. I don't need a website as my social media and my current standing in my community is huge. My office I already have is mine and my rent is very cheap.

I'm just asking about insurance aggrigators right now. Who are the best?

If this is your reality, why are you even looking at smart choice? Leverage your standing in the community, your experience, and have a baller business plan, and get contracts on your own.

However, if you don't have plenty of experience and aren't even entirely sure what your next steps should be (the sort of person who needs to talk to a group like smart choice), then the group may bring you some value, which is what he was trying to communicate to you. You DO need to consider more than just commissions.

If all you need is an aggregator to enhance profitability, you can do WAAAAAAAY better than smart choice. I dodged their rep when he came calling, even when my agency was new and I needed the appointments.
 
I will not need a agency manager or a quoter. I get my staff through staffing agencies. I don't need a website as my social media and my current standing in my community is huge. My office I already have is mine and my rent is very cheap.

I'm just asking about insurance aggrigators right now. Who are the best?

Your current standing in your community must be really HUGE! I don't know how one could operate an agency today without some kind of an agency manager, rapid rating system and trained/experienced staff. A good looking website is well worth it too, and not that expensive.

As for who to join, just get a list of aggregators/clusters/groups in your state and talk to them, and then talk to their agents. They are going to be your business partner for a long time. You will find some may not want to do business with you. Look for the group that offers direct contracts with the carriers, takes the least %, has established carrier bonus profit sharing, and has a clear, spelled out separation/buyout clause. Most important, you need to have competitive carriers to offer right away. Getting appointments is difficult these days, even with a group.

Good Luck to you.
 
I am going independent. I have Smart Choice Agents contacting me to solicit their services. They say it is an 70/30 thing, I make 70% commissions until I sell to $250k in policies, then I go 100% commissions. There are no fees and my clients are 100% mine from the very first sale.
They have a quoting system company called EZ Links.

Has anyone heard of these companies and is this thr best way to go independent?

Go to Napa for the E&O. It's simple enough and I got approved and received my certificate the same day.

Before going to smart choice or getting appointed through a cluster get appointed with as many non standard carriers as you can. If I'm correct your split/buyout/noncompetes won't apply to carriers you are already appointed with. Get ahold of progressive to take the first step. From my understanding they'll appoint anybody with a pulse. Besides that at least here in michigan virtually all business is flowing into progressive anyways... Our insurance market sucks here.
 
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