Stay away from direct writers, especially Farmers! Build your career with an Independent Agency, if you choose to stay with them a path to ownership might there, not with the directs however, they will NEVER let you sell and then just take your agency when they feel like it!!
I sat with my new agent for two hours 20 years ago when he took over our HO, auto, dwelling and umbrella policy. Young people are shopping price and switching coverage over their phones now.. I worked at a retailer and got screamed and cursed at when an insured moved their business. It’s gotta be rough being a retailer these days
Take the promises the hiring manager tells you with a grain of salt, or better yet, ask for them in writing.
If younger, try and get in with an IA where they might be some ownership potential – exclusive agents have their advantages but the IA route gives you much more flexibility in taking care of a family for a long time; versus the captives just demanding you write new business or you ll get tossed out the door with a cold cup of coffee. The captives often take the current relationship with a customer for granted, and change their minds about as often as they change their shorts, because it appears they can’t conclude on what a good agent actually is!
What It Takes for a New Insurance Agent to Succeed? A high tolerance for punishment, that’s what it takes. One has to be preternaturally optimistic. It doesn’t take a genius to know that part of Amazon’s explosive growth results from the fact that folks don’t like salespeople, and they like them even less than they used to.
Be honest, learn your product, educate your client. Do what’s right for the CLIENT, not your wallet, not the mortgage brokers and real estate agents that send you the leads. THE CLIENT!!
People that buy from you based on price will leave you next year based on price. Do you really want that client anyway?
Face the fact that in the indep world of PC, we all go to the same websites to quote the business. If the agent down the street has the same carrier, he can only affect premium by leaving a coverage off or raising the deductibles.
Stay away from direct writers, especially Farmers! Build your career with an Independent Agency, if you choose to stay with them a path to ownership might there, not with the directs however, they will NEVER let you sell and then just take your agency when they feel like it!!
at 30, here’s my advice; STAY AWAY FROM CAPTIVES
mine can barely write any commercial risks, and you quickly max out your learning potential
I sat with my new agent for two hours 20 years ago when he took over our HO, auto, dwelling and umbrella policy. Young people are shopping price and switching coverage over their phones now.. I worked at a retailer and got screamed and cursed at when an insured moved their business. It’s gotta be rough being a retailer these days
Take the promises the hiring manager tells you with a grain of salt, or better yet, ask for them in writing.
If younger, try and get in with an IA where they might be some ownership potential – exclusive agents have their advantages but the IA route gives you much more flexibility in taking care of a family for a long time; versus the captives just demanding you write new business or you ll get tossed out the door with a cold cup of coffee. The captives often take the current relationship with a customer for granted, and change their minds about as often as they change their shorts, because it appears they can’t conclude on what a good agent actually is!
What It Takes for a New Insurance Agent to Succeed? A high tolerance for punishment, that’s what it takes. One has to be preternaturally optimistic. It doesn’t take a genius to know that part of Amazon’s explosive growth results from the fact that folks don’t like salespeople, and they like them even less than they used to.
Be honest, learn your product, educate your client. Do what’s right for the CLIENT, not your wallet, not the mortgage brokers and real estate agents that send you the leads. THE CLIENT!!
People that buy from you based on price will leave you next year based on price. Do you really want that client anyway?
Face the fact that in the indep world of PC, we all go to the same websites to quote the business. If the agent down the street has the same carrier, he can only affect premium by leaving a coverage off or raising the deductibles.
Add value to the equation!!!
I