Farmers Insurance

[insureone]

Farmers Insurance had a long history of being a great company to represent. It's too bad to see what they are doing to their agents and customers... They are hurting those agents who over 80 years have helped Farmers to become a dominant force in the industry so that Farmers can turn their backs on them and help finance their goal to go direct and cutting out both their captive and independent agents!

Farmers Insurance currently raising their rates, lowering the commissions and introducing other "brands" to unfairly compete with their own captive and independent agents. Sadly, Farmers forgets how the hard work of their agents has put them in the place they are today. Farmers new business stratedy will end up abandoning these same agents, while they embark on their plan to expand product distribution by going direct.

Farmers use to be great company; but changes in various senior management positions has made this company a mere shadow of itself. As soon as agents learn to what they are up to, they will make an informed business decision that may not include Farmers. Of course with Farmers rates climbing higher, introducing other less known brands (Foremost, 21st Century and other non-standard brands) and compensation going lower, Farmers will make this an easy decision to make.

[gregcw]

Steve & Justthere - it's good to hear something positive about FIG. I still think they are a good company but like any company they will go through good & bad times.
May your success continue!

Kevin, I think that I remember that you are an ex-FIG or may still be a Current FIG. One of the things that I've put into several of these general discussions and rock throwing contests is that Farmers is a real insurance company and that if they could just get away from their Sales Department Heirarchy they would have a better reputation. That is where most of their problems arise with hiring unqualified agents and even giving the qualified agents poor training. The agents that are able to survive and do a good job, make it a point to get education outside of Farmers and really learn how to spell the word INSURANCE

[FFA]

When a district with 40 agents shrinks to less then 18 in a 24 month time frame, something has changed. When a State Director suddenly leaves his position to take a similar poistion in a smaller state office, something is wrong. When a company gives training on how to keep your customers that are being over charged instead of product training on what is actually selling for them, something is backwards.

Was at an independant carrier communications meeting two weeks back. There were more then a few former Farmers Agents attending. Seems like every month, a Farmers agent is calling asking about the jump. Was just informed today that another bigger agent with over 25 years is leaving.

Read the writing on the wall. Then make an informed decision based on your own agency. What is best for you? Only you have that answer.

[rockyins]

I have been a Farmers agent for just over 5 years and everyday I think about leaving to become an independent. Not just becuase of the rates (has a lot to do with it), but because of the changes that are going on. Some are good, but most of the changes are in place to control the agents. Based on teh new contract I dont know why anyone in their right mind would become a Farmers agent. You know a company is screwed up when they don't train the agents on any products and coverages, if you do want training, you have to pay for it by going to Farmers U. All the training we get is about selling, the mentality is pretty much, sell it now and dela with the problems later. I am currently dealing with a huge work comp audit problem. When i call the people working on it, they treat me like I am stupid and should know what I am doing. No one ever talked to me about audits and what the process is. All they care about are making their numbers. Dont even get me started on the Life Insurance. They treat you like your against the company if you dont sell Life Insurance.
We get our butts kicked everyday when it comes to knowledge, the rates dont help either. But it really gets to me when Farmers will hire anyone with a heartbeat. It makes me feel like its not a very distinguished position to be a Farmers agent.

I could keep going on, but we all know Farmers has a lot if issues. There is some good also. But if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would not become a Farmers agent.

[FFA]

Farmers U has diminished the usefullness of the DM. Become more of a terminator then a trainer. Soon as my old DM gets his district down to five agents, what do you think Farmers will do to him?

[LadyBroker]

I hear this complaint alot from my Farmers agents and I tell them that it's up to them to learn the business. Take home the forms, read them, learn them. Take CPCU classes. Ask your underwriters coverage questions. The knowledge is there, and yes, Farmers is not so great about training, but all that means is you have to do it yourself. It's possible, just requires a commitment from you, the agent.

[gregcw]

Farmers U has diminished the usefullness of the DM. Become more of a terminator then a trainer. Soon as my old DM gets his district down to five agents, what do you think Farmers will do to him?

DM is supposed to stand for District MANAGER. The truth is thatit really stands for MANGLER since too many of them don't even know how to spell Insurance let alone explain it and fewer yet even know how it functions......

[going independent]

Farmers has completely betrayed the agents, as if giving our products to the independents right next our offices wasnt bad enough, now we are told not to rewrite a policy 21st century has because it is supposedly stealing company policy base, but if you call 21st and tell them you are with Farmers they will quote and sell to you today, I just switched my policy to 21st and saved over 500 a year on the auto just to make a point to my dm, so if you think being a farmers agent is a good deal just wait till you get 45 to 70 percent rate increases two years in a row and then the customers you have left start getting marketing letters from the rest of Farmers new companies at cheaper rates than there own agents can give it to them, it spells out the future of the agent very clearly, how can you people not see what they are doing, they are raising rates to lower your pif and contract value, moving there marketing efforts to the independent and direct side to compete against you. Farmers is a great company if you are in management, you just dont want to ever be a agent because the generations of caring about the agent are long gone in this organization, it is all about the feeding our pimp zurich as much management fees until they decide we are dried up and sell us off to another company. Go independent while you still can, it will only get tougher as time goes on.

[ziiqui]

I'm curious. If I quit Farmers, as an independent, can I get an appointment with 21st Century?

[mica.cooper]

Do what the other Farmers and State Farm people do, let your spouse become an agent and get the appointment, then open an office next door!

[inscopywriter]

I'm curious. If I quit Farmers, as an independent, can I get an appointment with 21st Century?

Depends which rate filing you want to sell. There are independent agents appointed with a lot of the 21st Century family of companies. Don't know how easy it is to get an appointment since the switch to Farmers' ownership, though.

[gl1500]

AS I read from everyone on this post, I know that all of the complaints are valid as far as you are concerned. I have seen the problems you all have since I have 28 years with Farmers. I also read here that rate, rate, rate...... As we all know if you sell price you die price. I had a previous customer in today that bought again state, Dennis has never lied to me. I guess it is how we treat our customers, not how the company treats us. If we as agents are not nimble enough to get out of the way of our companies then we deserve what we get. Granted you can not keep every account when rates change, but when you show value for your service that will sell (and I am not a DM or company)

[justthere]

OK - If you guys who are complaining that DMs know nothing and you get no training - I have some late breaking news for you: In the independent world, YOU are responsible for your own level of knowledge. Unless you hook up with a great brokerage who takes you by the hand, it is up to YOU to learn and apply knowledge in this business. Nobody is going to teach you anything. This is a tough business and only the strong survive. I agree that most DMs know very little about the product and less about selling. The old adage is those who can't sell manage. But, if you don't know your products and don't know how to market and place business, then either learn how to do it or GET OUT! Your Mommy is not going to hold your hand. Maybe this business is not for you. Farmers is no better or worse than anybody else. Instead of wasting time venting, why don't you take the time to start learning your craft? Then you would have something to really talk about, like how you made some money this week! In the immortal words of Bruce Willis in "The Kid'" "Why don't you just call a WAAMBULANCE?" Nobody is going to cry for you. Get over it!

[going independent]

I love how everyone is here to defend Farmers, I have been with Farmers for a long enough time to meet the older succesful agents and watch the new ones come and go, point blank know matter how good your service is people will leave you for 800 dollars a year on there home, especially when you were already to high and now have a 70% rate increase. I have been succesful at Farmers and am leaving because I want to be more succesful, if you are an idiot Farmers is for you, they will hold your hand and this talk about no training is a joke, Farmers trains agents to sell very well, they just dont recruit agents that will ever be able to succeed as a business owner. For all of you who are saying it is no worse than any other company you should come work here, I am sure you dont right now or you wouldnt defend them as you have been.
Farmers is selling there agents out and competing unfairly against them, they take our customers and market 21st century to them, and then if we sell a home policy to a 21st century auto customer we get paid 4%, and even though it is new business we wrote it doesnt go to our contract value becuase they had auto with 21st, how does 21st having the auto make me and my staff deserve to service policies for free basically and it contributes nothing to my contract value even though we went out and marketed and spent money to attract a new customer. The new Farmers is the breeding ground for 21st century and the independent side, everyone whos been around a while here knows, and by the way losing 755,000 home policies in a six month period is not a good sign, especially when it is people in the home office leaking the information,btw it is not the lazy agents who are leaving, they are staying with Farmers, it is the good ones that actually write business and grow policies that are leaving, they know they can do better elsewhere and they are, I know several that left Farmers after 15 to 20 years and in two years were back to the same income and still have growing businesses, the ones who havent wrote a policy in years are the ones staying around becuase they wont commit to work hard again, I am going to work my butt off for the next two years and build a business I actually own and that my commision levels are in writing and part of the contract, as a matter of fact I just signed that contract today and feel great about it!

[FFA]

Independant companies offer a variety of training on Product Knowledge. Almost weekly, one is offering a webinar with CE credits. Never in 18 years did Farmers offer any CE Credit Class.

15% Commissions with some and 20% with other carriers. Those at 15% offer New Business Over Rides of an additional 5% for new agents that are actually out marketing.

Profit bonus formula is simple: Premiums less losses. No life production requirements, no Farmers Way bs.

You are correct - Those who can do, those who cant teach (or work in a factory).

April, 09 I made my break. My 8 month run through 12/09 -$700,000 new business premium with out any of my old accounts rolling over. All but 2% came on the commercial side with about half being in a secondary state.

If you fear the unknown and believe in yourself, make the jump. If you do not believe in yourself, stay where you are.