As attorney Joseph Welch said to Senator Joseph McCarthy 50 years ago…”You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”
Direct writting agents are the worst at not taking care of their customer, but I’ve seen independent agents do the same thing. I’ve been both an Independent adjuster and Public adjuster over the past 41 years and I’ve seen what Hunter says happen numerous times.
After reading your article on Mr. Hunter’s diatribe before the Congressional committee, it’s apparent he still hasn’t changed. His ignorance of professional independent agents’ & brokers’ conduct in dealing with clients is only matched by his inability to find other than a “self-serving” job.
Tom W. is a moron if he believes “agents’ fail to report claims based on a contingency commission. How long does this ignoramous think IAs, who are in business for themselves and not some employee – like he was – would be in business?
He should look to his own ilk that squeeze claims and drag them on forever so as to hold the claims office hostage, micromanging even the paperwork at the expense of the claimant as far as time and inconvenience.
Hunter is a bottom-feeding bafoon who exists solely to criticize the IA distribution channel. His comments are ignorant. He has nothing to offer except to praise GEICO, AMICA and USAA – I’m sure their hourly rate telephone roulette clerks care if the customer is properly served (Is it Friday yet?)
You know crap about what agents do. Don’t throw an industry to the wolves because in your lengthy, boring career a few idiots have overstepped their bounds. Should we throw you to the wolves because most adjusters are on the take? Dope!
Mr Hunter insulted every independent insurance agent in the country and should be publicly embarrassed by his own words, but he is so anal he thinks he is cute.
We had a fore loss on December 31st, had the adjuster there while it was still burning and had the loss filed that evening. It cost us any possible contingency (it could have been over $100,000) but nobody thought of that, ever.
Professional Insurance Agents serve their clients, first, foremost and always. I doubt Mr Hunter’s history will show any such committment to the consumer, rather to himself.
Thank you PIA National for standing up for the independant agent. Nobody else will.
It is the Mr. Hunter’s of our industry that gives us all a bad name. The PIA should be commended for standing up for us all; even if it includes slim like Mr. Hunter. If Mr. Hunter has such a problem with our industry, I’m sure the Trial Lawyers would be glad to have him.
What an absolute moron is this man Hunter!!
I wonder if appliace salesmen that sell quality appliances should be tarred and feathered because they also sell an extended warranty and they get a bonus for it too.
This may be a rediculous analagus but no more rediculous than Hunter’s remarks and assertions or better described as uninformed utterences.
We must not reward profit with incentive. That moronic socialist just lost the Presidency for this kind of thinking! Maybe Hunter needs to get into a service business and live on commissions for performing a very noble service protecting the most valuable assets of every citizen in this country! I have been in this business for 40 years and I have never known of a claim that was not submitted. For Hunter’s edification, agents lose their license for that kind of stuff!!!!!
What an absolute moron is this man Hunter!!
I wonder if appliace salesmen that sell quality appliances should be tarred and feathered because they also sell an extended warranty and they get a bonus for it too.
This may be a rediculous analagus but no more rediculous than Hunter’s remarks and assertions or better described as uninformed utterences.
We must not reward profit with incentive. That moronic socialist just lost the Presidency for this kind of thinking! Maybe Hunter needs to get into a service business and live on commissions for performing a very noble service protecting the most valuable assets of every citizen in this country! I have been in this business for 40 years and I have never known of a claim that was not submitted. For Hunter’s edification, agents lose their license for that kind of stuff!!!!!
The point made in another post about appliance sales is dead on. All businesses reward their sales force for superior effort. What company doesn’t have a preferred customer program? Does not a personal injury lawyer get a percentage of a jury’s award even though they experienced no pain and suffering? Does this not have the affect of inflating verdicts? If I do a better job than my competitor at producing profitable business for a company, why should I be paid the same?
Having said that, anyone that would place a customer with an inferior company with an inferior plan or hold up a claim payment solely for the purpose of maximizing this year’s incentive is a shortsighted fool and probably guilty of violating several existing state and federal regulations. They should be dealt with accordingly.
But this is America, we are capitalists and we believe in rewarding talented people and organizations that produce the results we want. Until legislators view other industries as they do ours, Hunter is on a witch-hunt.
Tom W. Exactly what are you on? Only a babling old fool would make such an irresponsible and incoherent statement. Let me guess, you are Hunters father in law or somehow related.
In 41 years, one would think that you would be brighter than this. Where have you been and just how many light years away is that!!
For your edification and assuming that you are capable of comprehending this; any agent that participates in what Hunter describes and you agree with (with 41 years of experience????), agents lose licences for this practice. When an insured is not treated correctly and promptly and they report the incident to the appropriate insurance department, the agents license is taken and their livelihood dissapates! Even an old fool like you should understand this, if in fact you have been in the business for 41 years which in and of itself sounds like it belongs in Ripleys.
Is it any wonder the general public thinks of our profession as being filled with crooks. These are the remarks that will get published and sensationalized everytime, Hunter knew that was the case and was grabbing his “moment” of fame. The allegations made by Hunter are a slap in the face of every moral and ethical Insurance Agent, and there are many Mr. Hunter. Maybe someone needs to review your job performance, how well will you hold up under a close investigation. Maybe this is more like the guilty dog barking.
Did you report these abuses to the regulatory agencies?
If not, why not?
If you didn’t was it because you also stood to profit from these illegal actions?
There are bad actors in every business – trail lawyers, used car salesmen, applicance salesmen, mechanics, and so on…
It is our ethical obligation to report the abuses we see to the proper people and to help police ourselves. If we don’t, then we have earned some of the bad press.
In over 20 yars in the P/C business, I have run into some bad apples and i took the extra step to report as needed.
If you see something wrong, be a standup and report it.
The popular media seems to be overlooking the fact that many companies offer 800 numbers and call centers, along with notices on the policies, for direct reporting of claims. Agents are not involved in many claims reporting situations, and therefore can’t suppress the claim. Further, everyone seems to be overlooking the E&O exposure agents face if they place insurance poorly or fail to properly advise their clients. With deductibles, defense-within-limits and claims made policies, agents face significant financial exposure if they fail in their duties for the prospect of a contingency bonus.
Mr. Hunter has been a critic of the insurance industry for years, but except for a short stint with the Texas DOI, I’m not aware of any period in his career when he was responsible for making sound business decisions, meeting a payroll, providing adequate customer service, or building a solvent company that would grow and sustain itself for decades. He should try to make these decisions for a while, and if his methods will build a better business model, I’m sure the insurance industry would hasten to follow his lead.
Some interesting comments. If you don’t like the message go after the messenger. Of my 41 years as an adjuster, I owned my own sucessful business most of that time and lost some business because I had ethics. There are a lot of ethical agents, however, there are a lot that aren’t or don’t know coverages.
In 2001, he loudly endorsed a service that provides users with facilities to manipulate results on market surveys of life insurance premium offerings through artificial omissions. Now he makes the comments that are attributed to him in the Insurance Journal report?
Which company did you work for? Allstate? State Farm? Nationwide? Square-peg-round-hole twister-inners?
What kind of moron works for a company that has only a limited one-brand line of cheap tools in their toolbox, and then doesn’t teach their team how to use them? They send these peddlers out into the streets to menace society.
Salesmanship vs. a professional service: Too bad carriers don’t know the difference, or they just don’t care. Today, an insurance policy is nothing more than a mitt to catch dollars and shove them in the pockets of the corporate crooks that lead the companies. It’s a sad day.
I think you and I may agree. You left out Farmers, Auto-Owners and others. As an Independent adjuster, I worked for Chubb, Church Mutual and others like them. By in large they had good knowledgeable agents and CSRs. As a PA I don’t solicit, but help people that come to me with real problems. Like recently, a lady with 3′ of flood water in her house and no contact from the insurer in over two weeks!
I appreciate that you folks do provide a service. Too often I come across room-count estimated half-insured houses – with a GRV clause. Too bad the average peddler has no clue that ITV & GRV go hand in hand, and that the insured has run out of coverage, is subject to a coinsurance penalty – all to save a pittance that has no effect on enhancing their lifestyle whatsoever anyway!
Yes, sadly, you are correct. That some agents cringe when a claim comes in, that they picture their contingent commission vanishing into thin air, usually sometime between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
That is why I oppose contingent commissions. We, as agents, unless we are also shareholders, should be paid just to do our job – and paid a proper amount, not some starvation diet with a promise of meat at the end. And, for the carrier to penalize a particular agent because someone’s number came up, is draconian. Why else are we even in this business?
If there is a bad apple, let the carrier cut them loose. I’m sick of watching the aggregator/peddlers “produce” their way into a contingent commission, get favor based solely on volume and the luck of the draw when I see the poorly implemented pieces of garbage they impose on an unsuspecting public, and the carriers just go along for the money.
But, Hunter is wrong, wrong, wrong – and to roll a book is too costly because of the attrition resulting from adverse price and ineligibility.
As attorney Joseph Welch said to Senator Joseph McCarthy 50 years ago…”You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”
We all knew the possibility that the “J” in Mr. Hunter’s name was Jagoff, but he has confirmed it with his assanine remarks.
no kidding what an ignorant moron
Direct writting agents are the worst at not taking care of their customer, but I’ve seen independent agents do the same thing. I’ve been both an Independent adjuster and Public adjuster over the past 41 years and I’ve seen what Hunter says happen numerous times.
After reading your article on Mr. Hunter’s diatribe before the Congressional committee, it’s apparent he still hasn’t changed. His ignorance of professional independent agents’ & brokers’ conduct in dealing with clients is only matched by his inability to find other than a “self-serving” job.
Tom W. is a moron if he believes “agents’ fail to report claims based on a contingency commission. How long does this ignoramous think IAs, who are in business for themselves and not some employee – like he was – would be in business?
He should look to his own ilk that squeeze claims and drag them on forever so as to hold the claims office hostage, micromanging even the paperwork at the expense of the claimant as far as time and inconvenience.
Hunter is a bottom-feeding bafoon who exists solely to criticize the IA distribution channel. His comments are ignorant. He has nothing to offer except to praise GEICO, AMICA and USAA – I’m sure their hourly rate telephone roulette clerks care if the customer is properly served (Is it Friday yet?)
TomW-Being both an independent and a PUBLIC adjuster, you know all the tricks and chances are you have used them
You know crap about what agents do. Don’t throw an industry to the wolves because in your lengthy, boring career a few idiots have overstepped their bounds. Should we throw you to the wolves because most adjusters are on the take? Dope!
— a box of sweets –to a couple of very loyal brokers and a cherished underwriter as a way of expressing thanks for their support.
Please don’t tell Hunter!
…and I took one as the love offering it was intended to be. Please don’t crucify me, Mr. H!
Mr Hunter insulted every independent insurance agent in the country and should be publicly embarrassed by his own words, but he is so anal he thinks he is cute.
We had a fore loss on December 31st, had the adjuster there while it was still burning and had the loss filed that evening. It cost us any possible contingency (it could have been over $100,000) but nobody thought of that, ever.
Professional Insurance Agents serve their clients, first, foremost and always. I doubt Mr Hunter’s history will show any such committment to the consumer, rather to himself.
Thank you PIA National for standing up for the independant agent. Nobody else will.
It is the Mr. Hunter’s of our industry that gives us all a bad name. The PIA should be commended for standing up for us all; even if it includes slim like Mr. Hunter. If Mr. Hunter has such a problem with our industry, I’m sure the Trial Lawyers would be glad to have him.
What an absolute moron is this man Hunter!!
I wonder if appliace salesmen that sell quality appliances should be tarred and feathered because they also sell an extended warranty and they get a bonus for it too.
This may be a rediculous analagus but no more rediculous than Hunter’s remarks and assertions or better described as uninformed utterences.
We must not reward profit with incentive. That moronic socialist just lost the Presidency for this kind of thinking! Maybe Hunter needs to get into a service business and live on commissions for performing a very noble service protecting the most valuable assets of every citizen in this country! I have been in this business for 40 years and I have never known of a claim that was not submitted. For Hunter’s edification, agents lose their license for that kind of stuff!!!!!
What an absolute moron is this man Hunter!!
I wonder if appliace salesmen that sell quality appliances should be tarred and feathered because they also sell an extended warranty and they get a bonus for it too.
This may be a rediculous analagus but no more rediculous than Hunter’s remarks and assertions or better described as uninformed utterences.
We must not reward profit with incentive. That moronic socialist just lost the Presidency for this kind of thinking! Maybe Hunter needs to get into a service business and live on commissions for performing a very noble service protecting the most valuable assets of every citizen in this country! I have been in this business for 40 years and I have never known of a claim that was not submitted. For Hunter’s edification, agents lose their license for that kind of stuff!!!!!
The point made in another post about appliance sales is dead on. All businesses reward their sales force for superior effort. What company doesn’t have a preferred customer program? Does not a personal injury lawyer get a percentage of a jury’s award even though they experienced no pain and suffering? Does this not have the affect of inflating verdicts? If I do a better job than my competitor at producing profitable business for a company, why should I be paid the same?
Having said that, anyone that would place a customer with an inferior company with an inferior plan or hold up a claim payment solely for the purpose of maximizing this year’s incentive is a shortsighted fool and probably guilty of violating several existing state and federal regulations. They should be dealt with accordingly.
But this is America, we are capitalists and we believe in rewarding talented people and organizations that produce the results we want. Until legislators view other industries as they do ours, Hunter is on a witch-hunt.
We send out nice calendars and give away pens. I sure hope Hunter does not find out!
Tom W. Exactly what are you on? Only a babling old fool would make such an irresponsible and incoherent statement. Let me guess, you are Hunters father in law or somehow related.
In 41 years, one would think that you would be brighter than this. Where have you been and just how many light years away is that!!
For your edification and assuming that you are capable of comprehending this; any agent that participates in what Hunter describes and you agree with (with 41 years of experience????), agents lose licences for this practice. When an insured is not treated correctly and promptly and they report the incident to the appropriate insurance department, the agents license is taken and their livelihood dissapates! Even an old fool like you should understand this, if in fact you have been in the business for 41 years which in and of itself sounds like it belongs in Ripleys.
Is it any wonder the general public thinks of our profession as being filled with crooks. These are the remarks that will get published and sensationalized everytime, Hunter knew that was the case and was grabbing his “moment” of fame. The allegations made by Hunter are a slap in the face of every moral and ethical Insurance Agent, and there are many Mr. Hunter. Maybe someone needs to review your job performance, how well will you hold up under a close investigation. Maybe this is more like the guilty dog barking.
Did you report these abuses to the regulatory agencies?
If not, why not?
If you didn’t was it because you also stood to profit from these illegal actions?
There are bad actors in every business – trail lawyers, used car salesmen, applicance salesmen, mechanics, and so on…
It is our ethical obligation to report the abuses we see to the proper people and to help police ourselves. If we don’t, then we have earned some of the bad press.
In over 20 yars in the P/C business, I have run into some bad apples and i took the extra step to report as needed.
If you see something wrong, be a standup and report it.
I think independent insurance agents should get together and file a class action suit against Mr. Hunter for defamation of character.
The popular media seems to be overlooking the fact that many companies offer 800 numbers and call centers, along with notices on the policies, for direct reporting of claims. Agents are not involved in many claims reporting situations, and therefore can’t suppress the claim. Further, everyone seems to be overlooking the E&O exposure agents face if they place insurance poorly or fail to properly advise their clients. With deductibles, defense-within-limits and claims made policies, agents face significant financial exposure if they fail in their duties for the prospect of a contingency bonus.
Mr. Hunter has been a critic of the insurance industry for years, but except for a short stint with the Texas DOI, I’m not aware of any period in his career when he was responsible for making sound business decisions, meeting a payroll, providing adequate customer service, or building a solvent company that would grow and sustain itself for decades. He should try to make these decisions for a while, and if his methods will build a better business model, I’m sure the insurance industry would hasten to follow his lead.
Some interesting comments. If you don’t like the message go after the messenger. Of my 41 years as an adjuster, I owned my own sucessful business most of that time and lost some business because I had ethics. There are a lot of ethical agents, however, there are a lot that aren’t or don’t know coverages.
Mr. Hunter’s remarks deserve admonishment.
In 2001, he loudly endorsed a service that provides users with facilities to manipulate results on market surveys of life insurance premium offerings through artificial omissions. Now he makes the comments that are attributed to him in the Insurance Journal report?
Were’s credibility?
Hey TomW:
Which company did you work for? Allstate? State Farm? Nationwide? Square-peg-round-hole twister-inners?
What kind of moron works for a company that has only a limited one-brand line of cheap tools in their toolbox, and then doesn’t teach their team how to use them? They send these peddlers out into the streets to menace society.
Salesmanship vs. a professional service: Too bad carriers don’t know the difference, or they just don’t care. Today, an insurance policy is nothing more than a mitt to catch dollars and shove them in the pockets of the corporate crooks that lead the companies. It’s a sad day.
I think you and I may agree. You left out Farmers, Auto-Owners and others. As an Independent adjuster, I worked for Chubb, Church Mutual and others like them. By in large they had good knowledgeable agents and CSRs. As a PA I don’t solicit, but help people that come to me with real problems. Like recently, a lady with 3′ of flood water in her house and no contact from the insurer in over two weeks!
TomW,
I appreciate that you folks do provide a service. Too often I come across room-count estimated half-insured houses – with a GRV clause. Too bad the average peddler has no clue that ITV & GRV go hand in hand, and that the insured has run out of coverage, is subject to a coinsurance penalty – all to save a pittance that has no effect on enhancing their lifestyle whatsoever anyway!
Yes, sadly, you are correct. That some agents cringe when a claim comes in, that they picture their contingent commission vanishing into thin air, usually sometime between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
That is why I oppose contingent commissions. We, as agents, unless we are also shareholders, should be paid just to do our job – and paid a proper amount, not some starvation diet with a promise of meat at the end. And, for the carrier to penalize a particular agent because someone’s number came up, is draconian. Why else are we even in this business?
If there is a bad apple, let the carrier cut them loose. I’m sick of watching the aggregator/peddlers “produce” their way into a contingent commission, get favor based solely on volume and the luck of the draw when I see the poorly implemented pieces of garbage they impose on an unsuspecting public, and the carriers just go along for the money.
But, Hunter is wrong, wrong, wrong – and to roll a book is too costly because of the attrition resulting from adverse price and ineligibility.
very beautiful site and