Monumental PHI

[Todd King]

You guys are starting to scare me! I've got hundreds of agents with Monumental and I'm just not seeing these same problems that you're referring to. It's making me wonder when it's going to start.

I've seen them get a little amendment happy at times, but not that often. I've seen them do PHI's, but only when something shows on the MIB to raise a question and that's not very often.

I'm honestly a little perplexed as to what is really going on here.

 

[jdeasy]

I agree with JD. The phone interviews are very intensive and long. Trouble is if you quote them preferred and they come up standard, due to RX check usually, then you have to get the amendment signed unless you check that box on the 1st page of the app that says, the client will accept a policy other than applied for. I think they waive the amendment if you check that box yes. Is that correct JD?

I doubt it. They would probably have an amendment to waive the amendment.

I have never checked that box, so I really don't know what would happen. I can't believe they would pass on a chance at an amendment or two. It's like sport to them.

 

[Newby]

I think some agents get red flagged with Monumental. When that happens every deal will be thoroughly reviewed.

A couple of years ago I sent a tiny $18 per month deal through the mail. I was face to face with the owner/ payer but mailed the app to his son/the insured for signatures. The son lived 6 hours away.

Monumental read me the riot act about how when business is mailed I have no way of knowing if they were money launderers? The fact that the guy that was paying the whole $18 was right in the same room with me was NO relief to them. To hear them tell it I almost derailed their whole business.

After that I was definitely red flagged for a long time. Everything was PHIed. I just made sure everything was perfect and by the book...their book, not mine.

Now Monumental is great for me. I must have passed their acid test or something because they are one of my favorite companies to work with. I do wish they had the option of POS approvals though.

 

[rousemark]

Well that's the thing... They don't require it. However more and more often they have been calling the applicant and doing a PHI once they have reviewed the app, mib, and rx check.

Basically everything gets put on hold until they get in touch with the client. This of course is a surprise to the applicant because they aren't expecting it. It basically takes down that level of trust between me and the client. If they are going to be doing this all the time, I'd rather just do it while taking the app and get it over with. Also, it's not like they are just calling with a quick question about a certain med that may have popped up on the rx check. They spent 22 minutes w/ my applicant!

I had another guy that wouldn't answer their calls because he had no idea who they were and wasn't expecting them to call. I'm trying to save the deal right now, but he's just mad because he liked dealing with me and not some random person in a call center. If I had known this would happen, I could have just guided him through the process while I was in his living room and it wouldn't have been an issue.

Ben: I always tell the client before leaving, "If the home office needs any additional information, they may give you a call." I do this even if I know they probably aren't going to call. You never know when you mighth omitt something from the HO and they call to verify the information.. Some companies that don't routinely call will call in that situation. My statement to the client keeps them from being upset if it does happen.

 

[TDFnCali]

I think some agents get red flagged with Monumental. When that happens every deal will be thoroughly reviewed.

A couple of years ago I sent a tiny $18 per month deal through the mail. I was face to face with the owner/ payer but mailed the app to his son/the insured for signatures. The son lived 6 hours away.

Monumental read me the riot act about how when business is mailed I have no way of knowing if they were money launderers? The fact that the guy that was paying the whole $18 was right in the same room with me was NO relief to them. To hear them tell it I almost derailed their whole business.

After that I was definitely red flagged for a long time. Everything was PHIed. I just made sure everything was perfect and by the book...their book, not mine.

Now Monumental is great for me. I must have passed their acid test or something because they are one of my favorite companies to work with. I do wish they had the option of POS approvals though.

I hope I never get red flagged, so far so good with them...but I did have 1 silly, in my opinion, amendment already cause I forgot a date on pg1 but I had signature. JD & others scare me from wanting to using them though....how do u keep from being red flagged Newby besides being in front of client/insured??

 

[Newby]

I hope I never get red flagged, so far so good with them...but I did have 1 silly, in my opinion, amendment already cause I forgot a date on pg1 but I had signature. JD & others scare me from wanting to using them though....how do u keep from being red flagged Newby besides being in front of client/insured??

Just apply for the correct coverage. Don't apply prefered if they should be standard or graded. Send them good clean apps.

 

[jdeasy]

Just apply for the correct coverage. Don't apply prefered if they should be standard or graded. Send them good clean apps.

Mine have been good, clean apps. They made an amendmet one time because they couldn't read the contingent bene's birthdate. Not that it was incorrect, not that I didn't put it on there, {which you don't have to do}, not that it wasn't legible on the original. It had gottne smudged in faxing. They wouldn't just white it out since it wasn't a requirement. They wouldn't let me refax the clear original. They had to have an amanedment.

All but one of my PHI's have come back approved as written except for one that was changed to standard. None declined.

Right now I have one where they want a written statement from the insured and owner to change the address of the payor. The thing is, the payor is the insured and the owner is the daughter for medicaid reasons. No one has moved. Monumental screwed up from the start and entered the daughters address as the address for all coorespondence and billing.

Now that we have pointed out that it was all their mistake from day 1 they will not drop the requirement. So far i haven't taken care of it. The people are 90 miles from me. As I told Monumental, if I have to go back there to get a signature it will be on an app for a different company.

I may be "red flagged' with them, but if I am it's for no reason.

They did recently do a PHI on a 7 year old. It was approved preferred after the interview.

I'm going through an issue now with some Monumental policies I replaced. Trying to get the cash value has been a terrible experience. She was approved by the new company in Jan. She still does not have her money on all four cancelled policies. She has had to send in paperwork three times and she called me today saying she got another bunch of papers to sign before they will release the money. I have to drive over there and help her understand the paperwork.

They are just being assholes and dragging it out solely because they can. Maybe the agent that wrote those old policies was "red flagged'?


And, just try to call them up and get a question answered. You will be on hold for at least 10 minutes and then you won't get an answer.

They are arrogant without reason for the arrogance.

 

[TDFnCali]

They are arrogant without reason for the arrogance.

WoW JD, tell us how u REALLY feel??

I got another small policy today, I looked at Monu cause the lady was over 75, and they were just a tad higher (less then $1) so I went with RNA mainly cause of the benefits but also cause Im scared to have problems with Monu...and they did take foreva to give me an agent # while my app just sat there!

 

[Rearden]

They're a bunch of morons over at Monu.

They APSed one client; took 6 weeks to finish, then immediately drafted 2 months premiums and NSFed her; then we rearranged draft and they drafted her anyway.

They send me approved policies after I tell them to mail them to the owner.

They have turned into a giant hassle

 

[Newby]

That's it JD! I'm putting you on double secret probation and level 4 code red.

A big part of our different experience with them is I deliver all my policies so an ammendment is no big deal to me.

Just talk to Kennedy John at customer service. He always seems very helpful to me.