I have had numerous solicitations from Cluster/Aggregator Groups over the years. They talked a good game about how many more markets we would have, centralized accounting etc. The negative was there was a cost to belong, sharing commissions, and centralized accounting. I have also seen the stories where these cluster groups get into trouble and it dissolves leaving member agents in a lurch. Not enough positives to warrant doing it for me since we have an adequate number of markets and we control our own destiny.
I have no idea why all the thumbs down about Agent’s comments about aggregators. Those are all real comments that would concern me too. I too have been approached by several of them and they keep bringing small unrated carriers. We too do not need that.
Their contracts are like being an indentured servant also.
I guess all of the thumbs down on this comment are from aggregators sitting on their behinds. Maybe……
Actually DougJ, it is not the aggregators who down thumb my posts. It is the leftist haters who down thumb me on any article posted on IJ. I give it right back to them. They are all people that have not owned an agency, made payroll, paid the bills or sold anything of consequence in their entire careers. They just sit in their cubicle all day, hate their boss for being successful and play on the internet.
Confused, when I open up an article and find 5 or 6 of my posts hidden, I respond in kind. Why don’t you go out and open up an agency and try to make it in the real world instead of occupying your cubicle and hating successful insurance people.
i am a very successful self-employer – there are other ways to ‘make it’ in this world than being an agent, you know. i’m not hating successful insurance people – just pointing out hypocrisy in the world when i see it, like you calling out people for hiding your posts when you were the first to do that to others quite some time ago
July 22, 2015 at 4:44 pm
Agent says:
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
171
95
Confused, when I see you, Planet or others I named on my Hall of Shame list do your nasty posts and hide my comments, I will give it back to you. You will not silence me so just go away.
Self-employer?? What a joke! How many employees do you have or are you just a one man show sub contracted to a company to do inspections for them? I highly doubt if you have employees counting on you for a paycheck, benefits etc.
also, don’t blame me for hiding your posts. i can only give one up or down vote at a time. i have no idea how to do what you claim i am doing
July 23, 2015 at 2:39 pm
Agent says:
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
50
5
So Confused, if you are an employer with 6 employees, how did you get such a nasty temperament toward agency owners and are so against Conservatives? Most small business owners are mad at the Federal Government and Obama for the past nearly 7 years. Are you on the government gravy train?
Interesting post from a guy who spends half of every afternoon going into and out of articles to add likes to his own posts and dislikes to posts of anyone who disagrees with him.
Aggregators offer very real benefits for Agents entering the Independent Agent arena from the captive side. I needed a turnkey operation when leaving my captive carrier. I needed to start writing business and supporting my family immediately. ASNOA provided me with this solution. From their management system to immediate access to their carriers, I was writing business within days rather than months. I would encourage any captive agent considering the Independent world to consider the benefits joining an aggregator. It’s been really GREAT for me during this transition.
Sharon, I am glad it worked out for you. It would make more sense for a one market captive agent to get into this type of arrangement. For an independent with numerous markets already, perhaps not so much. Congratulations on your success and keep on trucking.
Thank you. I agree. I believe a majority of the growth in the Independent Agency Channel in the future will come from the captive agents who have wised up. Many of these agents have smaller books and would benefit greatly if they select the “right” aggregator for their situation. You point is well taken and I agree 100%.
So Sharon, how did you get around the no compete on the Captive carrier? Most of those carriers like Allstate and Farmers lock up their agents and consider all the business theirs. I suppose they can’t force customers to stay with their new assigned agent, but from what I have heard, they take legal action if they find out a former captive agent is pursuing customers as an Independent.
I have captives call me all the time wanting a broker arrangement on business they can’t handle. They are always contacting my companies wanting an appointment and they are rejected. My guess is that your Aggregator situation improves your ability to sell, but how much of what you had has come over. Perhaps an ad in the local paper announcing your affiliation with the aggregator group might be helpful and the captive cannot keep you from making a living?
Hello Agent,
I didn’t have a non-compete, I had a non-solicitation. I didn’t “get around” it, I complied with it. A non-solicitation agreement (as my per my contract, and I’m paraphrasing) prohibited me from reaching out to my clients for a year. However, since my number and address remained the same, they didn’t have a hard time finding me. I asked all clients to sign a non-solicitation form saying that they had in fact reached out and not the other way around. I kept them in the clients file.
As for how much of the business has come over, I’m guessing I’ve rewritten 40-50% over the past 2 years. As you know, this is a relationship business. I continue to get calls from former clients every week. Some I can help, some I can’t. So, for you captive agents afraid to make the move because you think your clients will be loyal to the “brand”, let me assure you that YOU are the reason they stay, not the Insurance Company.
Captive Agents are generally prohibited from contracting with anyone other than their Captive. Believe me, it is a miserable existence. I was losing more business than I was writing every month. Staying with my captive was not an option. I wish I had done this 10 years ago! Loving life now!!!
102, why don’t you take a long walk on a short pier. This is an insurance forum, not a hate site. It is pretty amazing that you guys never have a comment on the subject matter, just an attack on someone. Just sayin!
Confused, am I supposed to take it when a leftist troll like 102/just saying calls me a douche bag? As you have found out, I don’t let those idiots and you get away with that. Perhaps you and them should just troll away on Media Matters or Moveon.org and leave the IJ forum to grown ups.
maybe just don’t be so hypocritical in your replies?
you telling someone not to hate on people yet you doing that exact same thing in your reply is not going to support you being treated like an adult.
if you grow up, i won’t have reason to call you out anymore
unhiding your posts is fine, but yes, “grow up” means NOT hiding every single post you disagree with
July 28, 2015 at 6:17 pm
Agent says:
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
17
0
Confused, you are still confused. Why is it allright for a leftist to attack a Conservative with a nasty post and when there is a reply, it is not allright. Perhaps it is because you agree with the left, no?
August 20, 2015 at 12:06 pm
Courtney Holder says:
Like or Dislike:
0
0
Great information! Thank you for sharing. Our agency partnership CAA is currently looking to expand into new regions in the US, and these are great stats for us.
I have one year experience in insurance industry and I am having serious problem finding nonstandard insurance company in Georgia. please can some one help me
I am looking to become an independent agent in state of New York. I have over 15 years experience managing financial assets, doing financial consulting. Please let me know how can I get appointed with carriers to start on independent Property Casualty agency. Thanks
I have had numerous solicitations from Cluster/Aggregator Groups over the years. They talked a good game about how many more markets we would have, centralized accounting etc. The negative was there was a cost to belong, sharing commissions, and centralized accounting. I have also seen the stories where these cluster groups get into trouble and it dissolves leaving member agents in a lurch. Not enough positives to warrant doing it for me since we have an adequate number of markets and we control our own destiny.
I have no idea why all the thumbs down about Agent’s comments about aggregators. Those are all real comments that would concern me too. I too have been approached by several of them and they keep bringing small unrated carriers. We too do not need that.
Their contracts are like being an indentured servant also.
I guess all of the thumbs down on this comment are from aggregators sitting on their behinds. Maybe……
Actually DougJ, it is not the aggregators who down thumb my posts. It is the leftist haters who down thumb me on any article posted on IJ. I give it right back to them. They are all people that have not owned an agency, made payroll, paid the bills or sold anything of consequence in their entire careers. They just sit in their cubicle all day, hate their boss for being successful and play on the internet.
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Confused, when I open up an article and find 5 or 6 of my posts hidden, I respond in kind. Why don’t you go out and open up an agency and try to make it in the real world instead of occupying your cubicle and hating successful insurance people.
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Confused, when I see you, Planet or others I named on my Hall of Shame list do your nasty posts and hide my comments, I will give it back to you. You will not silence me so just go away.
Self-employer?? What a joke! How many employees do you have or are you just a one man show sub contracted to a company to do inspections for them? I highly doubt if you have employees counting on you for a paycheck, benefits etc.
6
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
So Confused, if you are an employer with 6 employees, how did you get such a nasty temperament toward agency owners and are so against Conservatives? Most small business owners are mad at the Federal Government and Obama for the past nearly 7 years. Are you on the government gravy train?
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Aggregators offer very real benefits for Agents entering the Independent Agent arena from the captive side. I needed a turnkey operation when leaving my captive carrier. I needed to start writing business and supporting my family immediately. ASNOA provided me with this solution. From their management system to immediate access to their carriers, I was writing business within days rather than months. I would encourage any captive agent considering the Independent world to consider the benefits joining an aggregator. It’s been really GREAT for me during this transition.
Sharon, I am glad it worked out for you. It would make more sense for a one market captive agent to get into this type of arrangement. For an independent with numerous markets already, perhaps not so much. Congratulations on your success and keep on trucking.
Thank you. I agree. I believe a majority of the growth in the Independent Agency Channel in the future will come from the captive agents who have wised up. Many of these agents have smaller books and would benefit greatly if they select the “right” aggregator for their situation. You point is well taken and I agree 100%.
Sharon congrats on your success. I am thinking of becoming a independent agent. Your story is inspiring. Would you consider giving me some advise?
Thanks Larry. My pleasure. You can reach out to me at Sharon@sharonroblesagency.net
So Sharon, how did you get around the no compete on the Captive carrier? Most of those carriers like Allstate and Farmers lock up their agents and consider all the business theirs. I suppose they can’t force customers to stay with their new assigned agent, but from what I have heard, they take legal action if they find out a former captive agent is pursuing customers as an Independent.
I have captives call me all the time wanting a broker arrangement on business they can’t handle. They are always contacting my companies wanting an appointment and they are rejected. My guess is that your Aggregator situation improves your ability to sell, but how much of what you had has come over. Perhaps an ad in the local paper announcing your affiliation with the aggregator group might be helpful and the captive cannot keep you from making a living?
Hello Agent,
I didn’t have a non-compete, I had a non-solicitation. I didn’t “get around” it, I complied with it. A non-solicitation agreement (as my per my contract, and I’m paraphrasing) prohibited me from reaching out to my clients for a year. However, since my number and address remained the same, they didn’t have a hard time finding me. I asked all clients to sign a non-solicitation form saying that they had in fact reached out and not the other way around. I kept them in the clients file.
As for how much of the business has come over, I’m guessing I’ve rewritten 40-50% over the past 2 years. As you know, this is a relationship business. I continue to get calls from former clients every week. Some I can help, some I can’t. So, for you captive agents afraid to make the move because you think your clients will be loyal to the “brand”, let me assure you that YOU are the reason they stay, not the Insurance Company.
Captive Agents are generally prohibited from contracting with anyone other than their Captive. Believe me, it is a miserable existence. I was losing more business than I was writing every month. Staying with my captive was not an option. I wish I had done this 10 years ago! Loving life now!!!
Good for you Sharon. I am glad you are Independent. Many of the captive agents out there wish they were in your shoes, believe me.
Hi Sharon,
Can you tell me what aggregator you are with? I am in SC and I will be writting auto only. Thx, Heather
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
102, why don’t you take a long walk on a short pier. This is an insurance forum, not a hate site. It is pretty amazing that you guys never have a comment on the subject matter, just an attack on someone. Just sayin!
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Confused, am I supposed to take it when a leftist troll like 102/just saying calls me a douche bag? As you have found out, I don’t let those idiots and you get away with that. Perhaps you and them should just troll away on Media Matters or Moveon.org and leave the IJ forum to grown ups.
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Confused, you are still confused. Why is it allright for a leftist to attack a Conservative with a nasty post and when there is a reply, it is not allright. Perhaps it is because you agree with the left, no?
Great information! Thank you for sharing. Our agency partnership CAA is currently looking to expand into new regions in the US, and these are great stats for us.
I have one year experience in insurance industry and I am having serious problem finding nonstandard insurance company in Georgia. please can some one help me
I am looking to become an independent agent in state of New York. I have over 15 years experience managing financial assets, doing financial consulting. Please let me know how can I get appointed with carriers to start on independent Property Casualty agency. Thanks