Search found 126 matches

by lonestar
Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:06 pm
Forum: Opinions
Topic: Newbie, Should I Start a Farmers or Independent ?
Replies: 24
Views: 217384

Re: Newbie, Should I Start a Farmers or Independent ?

I got a chuckle out of your response. Now let's be serious. I was NOT trying to dismiss your input at all. It is just that you appear to have an agency relationship with a carrier that is compensating you with something that until now, I have never heard of. I do not proclaim to be an all knowing / ...
by lonestar
Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:20 pm
Forum: Opinions
Topic: Newbie, Should I Start a Farmers or Independent ?
Replies: 24
Views: 217384

Re: Newbie, Should I Start a Farmers or Independent ?

@lonestar - yes, the contract I have is still available to new agents. We are not 1099's like many captives have gone to. I'd prefer not say my carrier but they are one of the Top 20 largest in P&C in the US. So, you with a carrier, that to a new prospective agent trying to get into the agency ...
by lonestar
Wed Sep 11, 2019 1:27 pm
Forum: Opinions
Topic: Newbie, Should I Start a Farmers or Independent ?
Replies: 24
Views: 217384

Re: Newbie, Should I Start a Farmers or Independent ?

Wow. Where do I sign up for the deal you have? I am a 20+ year agent, and I am not aware of ANY captive offering your arrangement today. The only one I can think of that might have offered a similar program 30+ years ago is maybe State Farm. But that contract is no more, and has been changed 3 times...
by lonestar
Tue Aug 27, 2019 4:50 am
Forum: Opinions
Topic: Newbie, Should I Start a Farmers or Independent ?
Replies: 24
Views: 217384

Re: Newbie, Should I Start a Farmers or Independent ?

Insurance Guy 101.... If you go captive(with Farmers, also known as FIG) you will grow to loathe having to write life. As an ex FIG agent I can tell you the captive really beat up the agents to write life. On captive side, the commission is about half of what you would make on life as an IA. Just sa...
by lonestar
Tue Aug 06, 2019 2:48 pm
Forum: Opinions
Topic: Questions on starting IA
Replies: 7
Views: 98759

Re: Questions on starting IA

mdel, you cannot treat the agency idea as a sideline to your current business. In order to keep your contracts with the carriers, you will have to continually show that you can write / produce enough good business every month, or they will remove your access and non renew the policies you have writt...
by lonestar
Fri Apr 05, 2019 5:44 am
Forum: Opinions
Topic: Your single biggest challenge right now?
Replies: 23
Views: 189629

Re: Your single biggest challenge right now?

Single biggest challenge as an IA: Pros: You have more than one company to write with. Cons: You have more than one company to write with, and therefore more and more customers are requesting reshops, even if the renewal does not change much. BIGGEST CHALLENGE, however: Keeping appointments with maj...
by lonestar
Fri Sep 21, 2018 10:46 am
Forum: Opinions
Topic: WFG vs Allstate
Replies: 2
Views: 13015

Re: WFG vs Allstate

Or, you can locate an independent agent in your area that already has the hard to get appointments, including Allstate. Team up with that person, and trust me, you will make more money on the Independent side vs. the captive side. And, keep in mind, since you DO NOT own your own business(agency) wit...
by lonestar
Thu Nov 30, 2017 9:26 am
Forum: Opinions
Topic: New Agent to be
Replies: 10
Views: 22687

Re: New Agent to be

agent to be:
D's gives you some good advice. I am an ex Farmers agent, was with them 11 years. Went independent 7 years ago. DO NOT start / buy an agency with Farmers. There is a reason so many agencies are for sale at the moment. And, they are getting ready to cut commissions in 2018.
by lonestar
Fri May 19, 2017 12:51 pm
Forum: Opinions
Topic: DO and Donts when leaving an insurnace company
Replies: 11
Views: 43529

Re: Farmers Agent received 90 day notice Ca

MrD and D's, this is why as Independent Agents, we actually have a choice as to whether we decide to obtain an appointment with a given carrier or not. I am aware of the company MrD is talking about. In a profession like ours, in which it is important to read and know the differences in insurance co...
by lonestar
Tue May 16, 2017 1:29 pm
Forum: Opinions
Topic: Need advise here regarding GEICO refusal to pay claim!
Replies: 21
Views: 64653

Re: Need advise here regarding GEICO refusal to pay claim!

Gotta Go is supported by people that care about rate only, and don't care about how claims are paid. Their mentality has "gone and went" by choosing to buy through "Gotta Go"!
by lonestar
Wed May 10, 2017 1:08 pm
Forum: Opinions
Topic: DO and Donts when leaving an insurnace company
Replies: 11
Views: 43529

Re: Farmers Agent received 90 day notice Ca

gregcw, actually, as an agent with Farmers, you DO NOT OWN your book of business. If you owned it, a departing Farmers agent would be able to take it with them. I was a Farmers agent for 11 years, and I was on the same contract you were on, referred to as the "84" contract. As an IA, if yo...
by lonestar
Tue Apr 04, 2017 9:17 am
Forum: Opinions
Topic: Farmers - your opinion
Replies: 62
Views: 305778

Re: Farmers - your opinion

I wonder if "dm307799" is still cheerleading for Farmers... all my sources say that Farmers has gotten even worse since this thread was last active...
by lonestar
Wed Oct 12, 2016 12:06 pm
Forum: Hard-to-Place Accounts
Topic: Agent Compensation Ideas
Replies: 11
Views: 25611

Re: Agent Compensation Ideas

Lest you be fooled, make not mistake about it boys and girls:

Companies do not have to cut commissions. They do it because they can. There is a huge difference here.
by lonestar
Tue Oct 11, 2016 9:24 am
Forum: Hard-to-Place Accounts
Topic: Agent Compensation Ideas
Replies: 11
Views: 25611

Re: Agent Compensation Ideas

agenttalk, it is very simple: Pay agents better compensation(new and renewal) than the market, and reward them for a profitable book of business. It is called being a true agency parter. The problem with some other carriers, is that they have a sick definition of an agency being a "partner"...
by lonestar
Fri Sep 30, 2016 8:50 am
Forum: Opinions
Topic: Travelers reducing commissions
Replies: 69
Views: 219409

Re: Travelers reducing commissions

The "Alamo" moment was in fall of 2013 when Travelers announced this. If agents, as a collective group, would have had a "sack" then to stop writing in mass, perhaps that would have changed where we are today, who knows. Or at least put off this reduction. Once thing is for sure:...