Help! I Don't Know Who to Work For !

[lisamd7]

I am making a career change from retail/industrial sales to insurance and have already obtained my P&C Producer license. I started out with Farmers but some things just make me uncomfortable with them. They currently have 6 reserve agents (including myself) in our district office. We live in small city/rural area of approx 40,000. Now I have been approached by Modern Woodmen and had a great first interview with them. I like their business model and their work with the community, but I'm uneasy about selling Life, health etc and going into financial advising in our current market. I have also been approached by a local independent agency. Not sure if it would be as a CSR or agent, salary or commission only.

My biggest hurdle to conquer at the moment is that my husband has been laid off twice in the last year and I just lost my job of 12 years so I don't have the finances to do a lot of marketing on my own and I need to start bringing in some income as soon as possible!

 

[thecatcher]

Re: Help!! I Don't Know Who to Work For?!?!?!?

lisamd7,
I have been with Modern Woodmen for about 3 months now. They are a class organization. It should be no problem for you to get a commission check in July if you start soon and work hard. Having a sales background will be a plus. The marketing that is available through Woodmen is fantastic. We have a mail activity center that will send out direct response mailers for pennies. It's a great organization.
D

 

[xrac]

Re: Help!! I Don't Know Who to Work For?!?!?!?

Based upon what I know it would probably be easier to succeed with Woodmen than with Farmers but if you want to be in P&C look at other opportunities.

 

[OCinsurance]

Re: Help!! I Don't Know Who to Work For?!?!?!?

For those of us who do not work for Farmers, can you explain what the reserve agents do?

 

[patch36]

Go through a qualification period comprised of educational, licensing and production requirements. Once you complete those you become a Career agent with production requirements to maintain your appointment and qualify for advances/loans.

 

[lisamd7]

Re: Help!! I Don't Know Who to Work For?!?!?!?

lisamd7,
I have been with Modern Woodmen for about 3 months now. They are a class organization. It should be no problem for you to get a commission check in July if you start soon and work hard. Having a sales background will be a plus. The marketing that is available through Woodmen is fantastic. We have a mail activity center that will send out direct response mailers for pennies. It's a great organization.
D

thecatcher,

Were you in insurance before or are you just starting out? I have my 3rd interview with Modern Woodsmen this morning and I reallly like everything about them. Thank you for the information, it confirmed my gut feeling!
Good Luck to you!
Lisa
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Based upon what I know it would probably be easier to succeed with Woodmen than with Farmers but if you want to be in P&C look at other opportunities.

With our current economy, how hard will it be to sell Life and Disability? Everyone needs P&C, it just seems like the easier road to take at the time, but not the most rewarding. Thank you for your input, it was very helpful!
Lisa

 

[thecatcher]

Re: Help!! I Don't Know Who to Work For?!?!?!?

thecatcher,

Were you in insurance before or are you just starting out? I have my 3rd interview with Modern Woodsmen this morning and I reallly like everything about them. Thank you for the information, it confirmed my gut feeling!
Good Luck to you!
Lisa
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I was not in Insurance before I sold B2B and Retail.,
Good Luck to you,
D

 

[xrac]

Re: Help!! I Don't Know Who to Work For?!?!?!?

.....With our current economy, how hard will it be to sell Life and Disability? Everyone needs P&C, it just seems like the easier road to take at the time, but not the most rewarding. Thank you for your input, it was very helpful! Lisa

It is more difficult in this economy but everything is including the P&C. The people that I have know with Farmers are just surviving. How competitive are Farmer's rates where you are at. One of the problem the Farmer's people have is Farmer's Yo Yo rates and they can be very competitive where they are working to gain market share and very uncompetitive where they are cutting loses.