- 958
Some good advice in here. Out of the box, unless you know you have excellent training, don't go into MA. Dangerous and risky. Not worth losing your license or even getting complaints.
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- #12
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Well, I went in with pretty extensive knowledge of Health Plans from working Insurance Customer Service for years. The corporate training was great from a compliance/ethics standpoint.
Plus I have a good code of ethics where I would not put someone on a plan that would leave them worse off just for the sake of a commission. I ran into a couple of people who were screwed over by their agent in the last month. I think if you put your clients first and follow the CMS guidelines, you are going to be OK.
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- #13
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I didn't expect it to be a career shop. I thought it was a jumping off point to get started. I basically went with them for the training and promises of some quality leads. I got stuck with a bad trainer and cold calling a recycled list.
They do things with bonuses to help you get by the first year. But the problem is, with the limited product line, it is tough to reach those bonuses during the summer months. But if you are an indy agent and sold the same number of comparable plans at a street level commission, you would end up with probably an extra grand in your pocket that month.
- 944
I dont think Sterling is competitive anywhere in the country, not to mention all of the plans they have are PFFSs and have premiums unless its an MA with no drug coverage.
Unlike most on this thread, I would have to say that the MA/Med Sup market is a great place to be in. BUt its hard to make it captive... especially with Sterling....
Selling SNPs is what I do in the "off season" ... and Sterling just doest have those...
Last I heard, the local office here was door knocking selling cancer plans....
LOL...
Unlike most on this thread, I would have to say that the MA/Med Sup market is a great place to be in. BUt its hard to make it captive... especially with Sterling....
Selling SNPs is what I do in the "off season" ... and Sterling just doest have those...
Last I heard, the local office here was door knocking selling cancer plans....
LOL...
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- #16
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Guest
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Well, Option 2 is a great product with a built in PDP. When you consider the copays compared to other plans, it is a competitive product and a good value. The Med Sups are not the cheapest, but are competitive. And outside of a couple of Medical groups, the PFFS is not an issue.
But the lack of other products and low commissions make it a tough place to survive. I was hoping it would be a place to learn the ropes for a year or two. But I did learn a lot, I also learned a lot of what not to do.
Last I heard, the local office here was door knocking selling cancer plans....
LOL...
My field trainer talked abut how last year they were going door to door into small businesses trying to sell Critical Illness Plans to uninsured.
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Some plans require the applicant to have (or at least say they have) major med in place. CI is not a substitute for major med any more than an accident plan.
This is a tough business and some days it doesn't get easier. I have been in the business for a long time and there are days, sometimes strung together, where I just want to walk away.
But I have a strong commitment to doing the right thing for my client without regard to the commission I will earn . . . or not.
A lot of my time (sometimes too much of my time) is spent trying to help people that will never generate a dime for me. It bothers me, but not for long. It is my choice and it does pay dividends.
Some of my best referrals come from folks who didn't buy a thing.
When you put money ahead of the client, you will eventually fail. You fail your client and you fail yourself and family.
My worst year in the business came 9 years ago when a business I had built up collapsed almost overnight. I lost close to $1M in commissions and savings but through it all I never lost sight of my desire to help others first. I looked at a lot of different markets and even walked away from the industry for a few years.
Eventually I had to follow what I knew best and stick it out. My reward is a solid business that yields referrals when I least expect it. I also get calls and emails from folks I had contacted months ago and in some cases, over a year ago.
In the last month I have written about $45k in annualized volume from referrals and "old" leads that had all be been written off. That doesn't happen every month but it just goes to show when you treat people right the blessings eventually flow back to you.
Stay with it, do what is right for your client and the rewards will come.
wrkin4christ
Expert
"That doesn't happen every month but it just goes to show when you treat people right the blessings eventually flow back to you."
Somarco you got that right, doing the right thing with integrity is always going to be blessing waiting for you around the corner or down the street but it is coming.
Somarco you got that right, doing the right thing with integrity is always going to be blessing waiting for you around the corner or down the street but it is coming.
- 2,090
I thought about going to Sterling and just writing life and underage stuff.... I don't know if that's smart though, because the bread and butter for them is med supp and MA stuff.... what do you guys think? I am looking for a captive company where I can write life. I'm think Mutual of Omaha maybe.... NYL told me to hit the road in the interview for some reason...
Mr. Frog Dog
New Member
- 19
Getting started in any new career is difficult, especially insurance. If you work hard it will get easier with time.
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