Posted On: August 6, 2007, 11:51 am CDT

Posted By: FIGAGENT

Having been a Farmers agent for 27 years I think a different perspective is in order. Yes they may be sending new agents to school for 90 day without pay but its not full time and the new agents are still working at their current job. This is a time when the new agent is learning the business and seeing if it's for them. If they find during that 90 days its not for them what are they out, a little time maybe and they have gained a better understanding of their own coverage. This is a no risk approach to see if you have what it takes to make it in this business. This is a business opportunity not employment. If you bought a McDonalds franchise you go to Burger College, who pay for that? If you bought a Baskin Robins franchise you go to their school who pays for that? This is an opportunity to own your own business and grow it to what ever you want it to be and the company fronts you a subsidy to get you started. If you make it they write off the subsidy and you owe nothing, if you don't make it you have a business loan to pay back welcome to business no risk no reward. Why Farmers why not if you have a State Farm, Allstate, American Family, or just about any other direct writer contract and they don't sell a product neither do you. With Farmers if they don't want a client or a line of business I can write it any where I want, its called first right of refusal. I might also point out that the 80/20 rule applies here just like any other company. 80 percent of the business is done by 20 percent of the agents. The other 20 percent of the business is fought over by the 80 percent that would rather ***** about why it doesn't work than figure out how to make it work.