Insurance Agent vs. Insurance Broker

[GreenSky]

I don't put any of that crap on my business card. The only people that MAY be impressed by that are other insurance agents. The public has no clue what all of that means nor do they care.

Wish you would have posted that earlier. Just ordered my new business cards.

Richard S. Bronstein, CIC, MSAA, CBC, ACBC, CSA, CLTC

Think I should include BA?

Rick

 

[Frank Stastny]

Wish you would have posted that earlier. Just ordered my new business cards.

Richard S. Bronstein, CIC, MSAA, CBC, ACBC, CSA, CLTC

Think I should include BA?

Rick

I hope you also added BS, MS (More of the Same) and PHD (Piled High and Dry).
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I like the "Your Insurance Agent". It does say you're the go to guy, a subliminal message to it. I'm stealing that idea. I'm guessing since you posted it in public you don't mind. hehe

There are probably over 100 of "us" now. Many of the agents I have told that to are now "Your Insurance Agent". Glad to have you come aboard.

I like to keep things simple so everyone understands.

 

[RFNAPLES]

Curious, is that: CLU RHU ChFC AAI LUTCF

On your business card? Do you make an extra line under your name just for the acronyms?

I don't use any title on my various business cards but I do show my professional designations under my name.

 

[Larry Tew]

My favorite business card was a guy I used to work with who had some prank cards that read:

Earl "Smith", JAA LFB

That's "just an agent looking for business".

 

[bill3173]

In NY where there are licensed agents, brokers, and consultants; claiming to be what you are not would be a misrepresentation at best.

I am not sure if dude mud wants to be an agent, broker, consultant or maybe an insurance buyer or risk manager instead.

Isn't the term "insurance broker" commonly used in NC to refer to independent agents that actually represent multiple commercial lines carriers?

I know that a lot of the health carriers refer to us as brokers, but I've never felt comfortable with the term either in NC or SC. In fact I think in SC "broker" specifically refers to multi carrier commercial lines insurance agents.

 

[arnguy]

Wish you would have posted that earlier. Just ordered my new business cards.

Richard S. Bronstein, CIC, MSAA, CBC, ACBC, CSA, CLTC

Think I should include BA?

Rick

Rick, you and Naples should have a contest regarding professional acronyms.

 

[WinoBlues]

I don't use any title on my various business cards but I do show my professional designations under my name.

Seems to me that clients would be more impressed with "Insurance & Financial Services since 1969" Shows you have been in the business a while. To most clients that shows them you know what you are doing more than the alphabet soup. Right or wrong. It is their perception that counts in the beginning of the relationship.

In this business a guy with a B.S. degree can trump a guy with an MBA and no B.S.

IMHO

 

[RFNAPLES]

Seems to me that clients would be more impressed with "Insurance & Financial Services since 1969" Shows you have been in the business a while. To most clients that shows them you know what you are doing more than the alphabet soup. Right or wrong. It is their perception that counts in the beginning of the relationship.

In this business a guy with a B.S. degree can trump a guy with an MBA and no B.S.

IMHO

Yes "Insurance & Financial Services since 1969" also appears on my business cards. I show the professional designations as my personal attempt to raise the public perception of our profession, its honesty and ethics. Many prospects ask what they are and it gives me an opportunity to promote our professional training. They also appear on my nametag which opens many elevator talks. The designations also appear on my websites, email signatures, checks, etc.

I don't believe we should use BS in this business, regardless of how many or few academic degrees one holds.
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Isn't the term "insurance broker" commonly used in NC to refer to independent agents that actually represent multiple commercial lines carriers?

I know that a lot of the health carriers refer to us as brokers, but I've never felt comfortable with the term either in NC or SC. In fact I think in SC "broker" specifically refers to multi carrier commercial lines insurance agents.

Yes, in NC there are many who use the term broker incorrectly but that doesn't make it right. Insurance carriers have been known to make errors and omissions!

I am not up to date on the laws of SC.

 

[WinoBlues]

Yes "Insurance & Financial Services since 1969" also appears on my business cards. I show the professional designations as my personal attempt to raise the public perception of our profession, its honesty and ethics. Many prospects ask what they are and it gives me an opportunity to promote our professional training. They also appear on my nametag which opens many elevator talks. The designations also appear on my websites, email signatures, checks, etc.

I don't believe we should use BS in this business, regardless of how many or few academic degrees one holds.....

My point was, that most prospects have no clue what "CLU RHU ChFC AAI LUTCF" means. They have a pretty good idea what "since 1969" means, without education.

Not sure how designations show honesty or ethics. Or the lack of.

There is a certain amount of BS in the early part of the relationship. Nice home, nice dog, pleasure to meet you, smok'n rack etc.. I am not saying that BS should be the basis of the business relationship, However, It is an early part of the sales process. I joke and BS with many of my clients. More with some, less with others.

I am not debating designations. My original comment was that in my opinion the length of time you have been in business may impress prospects more than a bunch of letters they have no idea of the meaning. On business cards, less is more. Again, in my opinion.

 

[RFNAPLES]

My point was, that most prospects have no clue what "CLU RHU ChFC AAI LUTCF" means. They have a pretty good idea what "since 1969" means, without education.

Not sure how designations show honesty or ethics. Or the lack of.

There is a certain amount of BS in the early part of the relationship. Nice home, nice dog, pleasure to meet you, smok'n rack etc.. I am not saying that BS should be the basis of the business relationship, However, It is an early part of the sales process. I joke and BS with many of my clients. More with some, less with others.

I am not debating designations. My original comment was that in my opinion the length of time you have been in business may impress prospects more than a bunch of letters they have no idea of the meaning. On business cards, less is more. Again, in my opinion.

I agree with you that during the warm-up we often exchange small talk. I prefer to find things that I like or that we have in common rather than BS about something I don’t like. Honesty is the best policy since often the clients can see through the bull.

Prospects often look to education, training and experience as potential determinants of trust, ethics and honesty. Of course, the proof will come in time.