New Agent Advice :) Yeah Yeah not again :)

[Todd King]

Im new also but I am and independent agent. I want to be able to provide health/life/FE/medicare. So far ive partnered with 2 different brokerages (1 for life/FE and another for Medicare). I want to be able to quote my clients on the same dashboard based on their needs. Right now i have to go through one brokerage (dashboard) to quote for medicare and another for life/FE.

Is there a way that I can use one system or brokerage to quote for all lines of insurance?

Well, yes. We give our agents Agent Xcelerator for free. You can quote Medicare, FE, and other stuff with it.

 

[myinsurebiz]

My apologies if I came off as the fastest gun..lol I actually meant to imply I am no where near that.

I came here for advice and knowledge and that is what I am taking from all of this.

Yes, if I choose to leave my agency my BOB goes with me.

I am not sure where I went wrong or how I rubbed you in a fashion to think I know it all. I KNOW NOTHING!

Which is why I came here to ask questions. I also 100% know that I do not know even a portion of the qyestions I should be asking.

Pay little mind to most here. Bunch of old farts that don't like new forum members or new ideas.

FE is a great cross sell to MA / MAPD.

Get with a solid IMO like Todd King. He will shoot you straight.

Good luck out there Melissa . . .

My favorite font color in memory of my buddy Amtrak . . .

 

[FRJ]

Not being Snarky either, but I was under the impression that we all must start somewhere.
I am working hard at getting my name out, reaching new avenues to increase sales, and learning my products.

So, honestly I do not see value in your answer. Telling me I need to ask other questions, but not what those questions might be... seems to be counterproductive in even taking the time to respond.

I am still here... after a year. I am still building a book of business, ever so slight. I feel after a year and ONLY dealing with self marketing.. a BOB of 50 isn't the worst it could be.

*Ego checked....

I started with the goal of just 2 new policies a month as it fit my own schedule and work ambition. I'm now at about year #8 and just about hitting 100K annual income with relatively limited biz expenses - probably net 96-97K. I have had a lot of free time and have spent a bunch of it with my family. I love SOMA (sit on my ass) money!

PS I definitely would add ACA sales - I often run into married couples with age differences that put them into both territories (ACA/Medicare). It's also nice to help those in their early 60s as you get juicy ACA premiums and you get to look forward to Medicare transition and years of referrals :-)

 

[FRJ]

There may be a misunderstanding from the OP (and I'm just guessing..)

UHC does offer agents callback lists. Some of you guys maybe haven't dealt with that and there might be a misunderstanding what she means by captive.

If UHC gives you a callback list, you HAVE to offer their products, unless they're just not available in the area. For example, in MI UHC only offers MA in one county and DSNP state wide.

So, if a client on callback wants MA and it's not in Macomb County, I'm allowed to offer them a different solution. However, if they have a policy w/ UHC and they are DSNP eligible, I have to only offer UHC.. because they gave me the lead.

However, you're allowed to offer any company to any lead YOU generate and you own any business you write.

I don't like to call leads that I didn't generate. I just don't trust sources I don't control. So, I turned it down.

However, I do not if that's what Op is talking about.

At least locally, UHC does have a program for their in-house captive agents - basically more access to leads and opportunities to participate in consumer sales events. I think the payout is still street level so it makes it pretty appealing - "free" leads that are probably better than the other "free" crap offered elsewhere. But, you ARE captive and have to sell UHC.

 

[Travis Price]

At least locally, UHC does have a program for their in-house captive agents - basically more access to leads and opportunities to participate in consumer sales events. I think the payout is still street level so it makes it pretty appealing - "free" leads that are probably better than the other "free" crap offered elsewhere. But, you ARE captive and have to sell UHC.

Here, UHC was offering me all of that but yes.. their money, their plan. but again, I turned it down..

 

[mcastillero3]

I started with the goal of just 2 new policies a month as it fit my own schedule and work ambition. I'm now at about year #8 and just about hitting 100K annual income with relatively limited biz expenses - probably net 96-97K. I have had a lot of free time and have spent a bunch of it with my family. I love SOMA (sit on my ass) money!

PS I definitely would add ACA sales - I often run into married couples with age differences that put them into both territories (ACA/Medicare). It's also nice to help those in their early 60s as you get juicy ACA premiums and you get to look forward to Medicare transition and years of referrals :-)

What advice do you have for someone starting out? Do you focus on medicare/ACA or life and FE also? What helped you learn about the plans/rules/products in the beginning?

Im looking forward to some SOMA money.

 

[FRJ]

What advice do you have for someone starting out? Do you focus on medicare/ACA or life and FE also? What helped you learn about the plans/rules/products in the beginning?

Im looking forward to some SOMA money.

My main business is Medicare (MAPD, Rx, Medigap) with ACA being secondary. I've also sold a few annuity and life policies - my life policies are mostly regular whole life along with a few term policies...maybe a handful of FE.
Tips - tricky question to answer! There are so many variables to consider and what works for one person may not work for another (just like an insurance policy!). Generally, I'd recommend knocking out CE courses early in your license cycle so that you can learn more about what you're selling (pick courses that will accomplish this). Get access to some good quote systems so that you can compare products from a $ point of view. Come to grips with the fact that a lot of these insurance products are "commodities" in that there truly isn't a ton of differentiation between them - a lot of people will say that this isn't so but there is nothing wrong with approaching this as a Transactional business...just provide the right tool (how many types of screwdrivers are sold?) and the best experience and support that you can deliver - people WILL refer you if you deliver a solid beginning to end experience.

 

[Travis Price]

What advice do you have for someone starting out? Do you focus on medicare/ACA or life and FE also? What helped you learn about the plans/rules/products in the beginning?

Im looking forward to some SOMA money.

Start with one market. ACA isn't it.

Riches are in niches.

Medicare is nothing like ACA, so you need to be answer complicated situations. Look, Direct Marketing works. I send letters in my local community, do videos on YouTube, really work on Google My Business to be the first expert on Medicare, grind referrals, and do state specific blog posts.

I also contribute to national publications through HARO. All of this puts your marketing almost on autopilot.

Don't be afraid to slow grind and get a job. The biggest problem for new agents is underfunded. YOU CAN'T MARKET AND EAT IF YOU HAVE NO MONEY!

 

[mcastillero3]

Start with one market. ACA isn't it.

Riches are in niches.

Medicare is nothing like ACA, so you need to be answer complicated situations. Look, Direct Marketing works. I send letters in my local community, do videos on YouTube, really work on Google My Business to be the first expert on Medicare, grind referrals, and do state specific blog posts.

I also contribute to national publications through HARO. All of this puts your marketing almost on autopilot.

Don't be afraid to slow grind and get a job. The biggest problem for new agents is underfunded. YOU CAN'T MARKET AND EAT IF YOU HAVE NO MONEY!

Thanks for the feedback. I am definitely on the slow grind path since I am a teacher trying to make this my side-hustle. I just started working this during AEP but was only able to enroll a few family friends since I didnt really have any leads. I haven't started marketing yet bc I dont feel like I'm and expert with the products and I don't want to mislead someone just to make a sale.

 

[Travis Price]

Thanks for the feedback. I am definitely on the slow grind path since I am a teacher trying to make this my side-hustle. I just started working this during AEP but was only able to enroll a few family friends since I didnt really have any leads. I haven't started marketing yet bc I dont feel like I'm and expert with the products and I don't want to mislead someone just to make a sale.

The basic questions youll.get with Medicare are in Medicare and You. I'd grab that book every year and read it.

Also, check out Medicaretraining101.

Membership Pricing | Medicare Training 101

Finally CREATE CONTENT. Seriously. Creating content will help you because you'll be researching topics and answers to questions.

Finally, don't be afraid to say I don't know.