Local Agent Advantage

[J.R.]

NOT. I don't market or sell there yet.

I have a license there just because I am waiting for a major carrier that is coming very soon, and I will go through the same steps I go through when I add any state.

What steps do you go through out of curiosity. Here's mine.

1) Call senior agents and see what they know about the local market.
2) Find out what plans he sells and companies he prefers.
3) Sell other companies and plans.

If he's selling Assurant, then I'm selling GR....
If he's selling GR, then I'm selling Aetna or Coventry........
If he's selling Coventry or Aetna, I'm selling UA
If he's selling UA then I'm selling Careington
If he's selling Careington I'll see if they would like to purchase pet insurance....

Joking aside, I keep track of 4 states right now and I wonder to myself how any one agent can keep consider themselves a national producer without some support. Unless of course the agents follows the e-health insurance motto and is strictly selling on price, then it is either Unicare in some states out here, or the lovely entry level plans with GR or Assurant.

I guess the good thing about being an underwear agent is that any moron can have google at their fingerprints.

Agent: Oh yeah, Mr. Client, you're located in Intercourse, PA (thinking to myself.....no jokes J.R....just ask him to verify the county so I can figure out which BCBS carrier is in the area out of the 5 in the state). Ok, I recall, that's near Hershey right?

Client: Somewhat, it is about 2 1/2 hours away...

Agent: $$*# think think think... You know I heard that Willy Wonka is stored in a dungeon inside the Hershey Factory...
Client: Huh.

Agent: (HaHa, it worked) Do you recall how Willy Wonka talked about BCBS in the movie with Gene Wilder.

Client: Really?

Agent: Oh yeah, talk about branding from a young age. I still cannot look at candy the same way. And that brings me to the point I made before ............

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

"Unless of course the agents follows the e-health insurance motto and is strictly selling on price"

Bingo. TX already proved that when he quoted a semi-stripped down plan in Indiana instead of a much better plan for a few bucks more. Let's face it. When you represent 25 states or so...that's the e-health method despite any arguments to the contrary.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

You're an agent or a salesman and there's a difference. I have 5 whopping $50 commissions earned over the last four weeks from doing MHIP apps.

One didn't even technically qualify for MHIP since she had a current Mega plan however MHIP has a little known unpublished rule that if someone is on a limited plan they could qualify. She was in bad shape - upcoming surgery and diagnosed with diabetes - and on a "Health Choice" type of plan.

Anyone out of state would have told her "Sorry honey, I got more leads to call." That's great, but how does that help the client?

And it's not like doing a MHIP app is easy. There's 6 plans to choose from, you have to go over all the choices, the actual app is like applying to be an astronaut and the whole process takes longer than selling a regular policy....all for $50. So when you come into MD Txinsurance are you up for the $50 MHIP challenge our will you leave that to a local agent and move on?

 

[TXINSURANCE]

Bingo. TX already proved that when he quoted a semi-stripped down plan in Indiana instead of a much better plan for a few bucks more. Let's face it. When you represent 25 states or so...that's the e-health method despite any arguments to the contrary.

Chumps you keep saying I don't know my markets or I am doing something wrong for recommending a Unicare plan in Indiana??? This is a pretty weak argument.

The plan was $50 to $100 less than their next competition (Anthem) which is the same parent company. Plan has $5 mill and unlimited RX. I have already told you there is no need to defend Unicare it is a big company. You might have a different opinion - but that is fine. I see agents on this board recommending Assurant, GR, and UA all day long which I have never considered "primary" carriers or competitive in most markets.

You seem to think I have a e-health model and you couldn't be more incorrect. We have a very professional office I am one of the few that ONLY uses licensed agents - I have NEVER used a non-licensed agent for one second - unlike all of my competition.

My agents are b/g checked, drug tested, go to insurance school and a 90 day strict training program. I have a waiting list of people to work for me. My agent turn over is next to zero at this point. My top agent makes over $50,000 per year and he is the most ethical Christian you could ever meet.

My agents are NOT comped on WHAT they sell only IF they sell and ONLY if the case ISSUES and the client is satisfied.

Nothing makes me more sick then the slimy call center down the street that is high pressure and unethical - this is not us. We do work some markets outside of Texas and we may have 20 states, we don't actively market all of them. My agents DO NOT sell all states, only the ones who are LICENSED and TRAINED can quote select markets - maybe 3-4 states per agent is about normal.

Whatever you think I have going on over here - I don't. It is possible to have a "call center" - which I am really not, and do good volume without losing your ethics.

I have NOTHING against the face to face people if that is there thing - as long as they are ethical that is fine. It was never my model because I didn't want to do the work myself and the target numbers I had in mind was very hard to do with boots on the ground.

I couldn't help but to think of this post when I called GEICO last night to update my auto insurance. They had the lowest rates in my area by a long shot - it didn't matter to me where they were located, and no one came over my house I can assure you.

Good luck in your operation - this is a HUGE market and I TRULY wish EVERYONE nothing but success the market is BIG enough FOR ALL of us to do extremely well - even Chumps, I don't dislike you by the way - just difference of opinions.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

That's a good post TX and we can be accused of being "overly ethical" at times - like we're working for Habitat for Humanity or building schools in Nambia. Let's all get real - we can be in this to make great money and also be focused on making great money and still be a great benefit to your client.

Bottom line is if your client is better off after they met you then you did your job. We can get into a 5,000 post thread about everyone's pet plan and how you "could" have sold another plan to a client.

If I saved my client 30% or more on their current plan or found a plan for someone uninsured who didn't have coverage they could afford I feel great. I really could care less about a debate of what I "could" have sold.

This board can be a great place to basically shoot the **** and learn some stuff but that's where it ends for me. I'm certainly not gonna change my sales methods because someone on a message board doesn't agree with me! Lol. I wouldn't expect you to change what's working for you either. Everyone here will always have their opinion. If you actually listen to it you'll be driven crazy.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

That's a good post TX and we can be accused of being "overly ethical" at times - like we're working for Habitat for Humanity or building schools in Nambia.

Very cool. We are finalizing a plan for next year to donate a % of profits to Parkinson's research, which I believe is closer than most people realize to making big progress.

Making money is not evil - it is what you do with the money that is always at issue. We have always given back - now we are looking to increase the give back next year....

Unless Hillary gets elected, then I feel the need to bank my money...

lol..... lol.... lol...

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

What I admire about you is you took some of our heat and stood your ground. Good for you. You have your system and it works. If others don't like it they know where they can stick it.

And don't worry about Billary. She's been bought and paid for.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

"The plan was $50 to $100 less than their next competition (Anthem)"

TX...you have proven my point. You don't know Indiana as well as you think. The plan was about $20-$40 less than a much better policy. If you would have been more familiar with ALL of the plans, you would have at least mentioned it...especially since a fellow Board member was asking. I'm sure he would have liked to know what the best plan was...not just the best "rate." Ask some of the veteran producers here and see how they feel. When asking a Board member for information on a prospective client, do they want to know who has the lowest cost, or also what policy is the best...especially if it isn't that much more expensive.

But don't feel bad. I don't know Texas or 48 other states either. And...no offense is ever taken. I enjoy reading every person's opinions...even if they vary with the majority of the Board.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

What was asked was "my opinion" of a plan, not of 20 plans and spreadsheet comparison.

It was a good recommendation I don't see why you jumped all over me about my pick - honestly it was a little rude, particularly to keep bringing this up on another thread after I already told you I respect your opinions.

I try my best to help all board members - and I learn a lot from everyone else as well. I will continue to make recommendations and help other board members - and I will not check with Chumps first.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

If you ever feel like getting abused here, go ahead and post the name of any specific plan you sold a client. Heaven forbid it doesn't match what someone else would have sold. Then the "ethics police" want to give you a ticket.