New P&C Agents..Any Luck with a Cluster?

[MikeM.]

You guys have any luck finding a cluster willing to give you a chance?

 

[CaptiveGuy]

The ones that give agents binding authority aren't appointing new agents in my area (SIAA, SmartChoice, Iroquois). Your best bet may to sign up with a wholesaler like Superior Access, Insurance Noodle, or Agent Secure and build up a book with preferred carriers then roll it to a direct appointment or another cluster.

Be careful and read the non-compete language because even the clusters that don't allow binding authority may limit you going out and getting your own appointments. There are plenty of threads on this topic.

 

[MikeM.]

Been reading a TON of threads. Looks like a dead end everywhere I looked. Damn! I was just getting all my insurance licenses back in order and nowhere to go. Might be done before it even got started. LOL. Will try to do more research but outlook is pretty bleak from where I'm standing.

 

[Schwetty]

Mike M it looks like you are California, if somebody in the Midwest is looking I belong to a cluster that is very easy to do business with.

 

[Sales71]

You guys have any luck finding a cluster willing to give you a chance?

Mike I seen your post all over this forum. You sound you had lots of experience not sure why you can not get appointed with sub standard companies..IE Progressive, Formost, Titan, Pacific speciality they all do business in CA.

 

[MikeM.]

It's been 10+ years since I worked in the insurance industry. Worked a few years on the Life insurance side right out of college but left for a more stable income. My P&C experience is very limited, I think 7-8 months at the tail end of my insurance career.

I have not looked up direct appointments but with nothing to offer, not even even a warm market. The odds are slim to none. If I can't even find a cluster to contract with? Yeah, direct appointment doesn't look any much more promising.

 

[Sales71]

It's been 10+ years since I worked in the insurance industry. Worked a few years on the Life insurance side right out of college but left for a more stable income. My P&C experience is very limited, I think 7-8 months at the tail end of my insurance career.

I have not looked up direct appointments but with nothing to offer, not even even a warm market. The odds are slim to none. If I can't even find a cluster to contract with? Yeah, direct appointment doesn't look any much more promising.

Oh sorry I had you confused with someone else. It might be hard to do since you have not much experience. Maybe work for an agency for a few years and then go on your own. The good cluster will not appoint a new agent and without a book unless you can convince them you can do it.

 

[MikeM.]

Oh sorry I had you confused with someone else. It might be hard to do since you have not much experience. Maybe work for an agency for a few years and then go on your own. The good cluster will not appoint a new agent and without a book unless you can convince them you can do it.

Unfortunately, that's not an option at all for me. If I did that I would pretty much have to scrap my whole plan. That plan was the only reason I would even come back into insurance. It's either I find a cluster or my whole plan is ruined and I move on. I wish there was a way I could compromised but there just isn't.

 

[b61mack]

Area, is a big factor, find an area, that one of the clusters doesn't have any reps.

 

[djs]

Yeah, CA is hard, even trying to find a cluster. To many agents, not enough clients (seriously), so the big boys (direct appts) and even the clusters are all pretty picky nowadays.

There are options. Nonstandard is always a way to get your foot in the door, usually not much problem getting appointed directly (or through something like Robert Moreno) to get started.

Add in Superior Access to give you a home for preferred business and some commercial, its a way to get started. Not exactly pretty but not bad.

There are other options, but I know about these.
Robert Moreno - rmismga.com
Superior Access - sais.com

Of course, you can add in things like tapco (gotapco.com)
You can try to get progressive, but even they have become a bit tougher from what I hear (surprisingly).

Find a couple of niche markets and go after them. For instance, Robert Moreno does well with limo services, something a lot of people avoid. Then add as you can.

Dan