wildflowerwealth
New Member
- 13
Hello All,
I am a newly licensed life, health and annuity agent that I now realize got roped into working for Family First and I'm feeling incredibly uneasy about some things I believe I've been flat out lied to about. Does anyone have any advice on how to go about getting released and being a true independent agent/agency/broker? Please see my concerns and questions below.
When I first started, I was told that any ACA plans I end up selling (by bundling life and health together with various carriers), that I only get paid on the life contract. (I have my own portal with the life company in which I submit the policies, but they are listed as the agent and me the producer.) I started hearing from other agents online who aren't associated with the "company" that I am apparently contracted with, that I most certainly SHOULD be paid on any ACA plans I sell. I was told that our "admin" takes care of all the ACA sign ups via a google form that we as agents fill out and submit to the admin and that it's illegal for an agent to sell both aca plans and private plans (ie not available on the aca portal). I suspect that all of these health plans are being signed under my upline as their sales and I'm left out in the cold...I've also never seen anything that would suggest that it's illegal to sell both aca and "private" plans.
When I went through the company's onboarding process, I noticed that one of the portals I was required to register with was Family First Life. I was explicit with the person who "signed me" that I had no interest in working with either FFL or any type of FMO like that. This person made NO mention of FFL and represented themselves as an entirely independent insurance agency. I explained that while I CAN recruit, I wanted to focus on producing first and then when I learn the ropes and have some success under my belt, I'm more than happy to share with people who want to do the same. I felt pretty uneasy about the whole thing, but the person made a lot of promises that are now being brushed off and twisted into "having to invest in my own business." I was told that my out of state licenses were purchased for me (from what I understand it's a few thousand dollars) and now I'm licensed to sell in those states. I have received those licenses but I'm concerned that I'm now only attached to them through this person. I then did a little digging and realized that the same organization that is now being sued for hundreds of FTC violations is the same company that is associated with the founder of FFL and some of his downlines, I believe it's called Integrity Marketing Group and GPlex Financial. This scares me...it scares me a lot. My guess is that if I'm using leads that this person is purchasing AND requiring individuals on said team to purchase leads with the threat that commission level will be dropped if we fail to do so because again, "invest in your business" or the autodialer we are required to use, or something happens, this person isn't going to hire me an attorney, but instead is going to throw me to the wolves. I worked hard for my license and my reputation and I'm not about to put that at risk. I've also heard on team calls that if the "leaders" see any individuals "spending their money in ways they don't agree with, or don't sign up for a quickbooks account", their commission levels will be dropped as well. I may be new to the insurance field, but last I checked, someone who is claiming not to be anyone's boss can't tell anyone how to spend their money. Giving others information and resources on how to manage their money is one thing, but I don't do well with threats.
My question is, am I able to contract separately under my own LLC with the carriers and just be done with FFL? I never signed a thing with the current agency and I've been told I'm a 1099. Can I register with healthcare.gov and sell through that portal? My guess is that the reason I was told that we don't get paid on ACA is that they aren't being submitted as my sales. Which comes first the chicken or the egg (ie....carriers first, then healthcare.gov or the other way around?) I'm assuming as an independent agent, my commission rate, especially with the life companies won't be as high as what the current company started me at, but I want to protect myself and run my own business in the ways I see fit. I've seen some other people here talk about how the whole "post your sales in a chat group for everyone to see" is a turnoff and I feel the same way. No one needs to know how much I produce, nor is it any of their business. It's all so fake to me and reeks of MLM and smoke and mirrors. I've heard the words "don't worry about it" too many times and when asking questions to make sure I'm following rules of the law or my business, they are met with either the response of "we're still building everything out" or "this isn't my problem" and it's pushed onto someone else. There doesn't seem to be any line of accountability. I've heard nightmare stories of people submitted health insurance plans on behalf of clients and then when those clients come back and say "hey you said I was covered" there seems to be no record or submittals and now the clients are left with medical bills and the agent is left with the responsibility. I'm not even able to track my health sales because once that google form is submitted, it's out of my hands. This all just feels so inauthentic. Maybe I'm old school and the idea of true client/customer service is dead, but my gut is telling me that's not the case.
Also, if I'm able to just contract on my own with multiple companies, would I register with them as an independent agent, a broker or an agency? I've done enough research to feel like I've been sold a lie and it's not a good feeling. People like this are so slimy. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated
I am a newly licensed life, health and annuity agent that I now realize got roped into working for Family First and I'm feeling incredibly uneasy about some things I believe I've been flat out lied to about. Does anyone have any advice on how to go about getting released and being a true independent agent/agency/broker? Please see my concerns and questions below.
When I first started, I was told that any ACA plans I end up selling (by bundling life and health together with various carriers), that I only get paid on the life contract. (I have my own portal with the life company in which I submit the policies, but they are listed as the agent and me the producer.) I started hearing from other agents online who aren't associated with the "company" that I am apparently contracted with, that I most certainly SHOULD be paid on any ACA plans I sell. I was told that our "admin" takes care of all the ACA sign ups via a google form that we as agents fill out and submit to the admin and that it's illegal for an agent to sell both aca plans and private plans (ie not available on the aca portal). I suspect that all of these health plans are being signed under my upline as their sales and I'm left out in the cold...I've also never seen anything that would suggest that it's illegal to sell both aca and "private" plans.
When I went through the company's onboarding process, I noticed that one of the portals I was required to register with was Family First Life. I was explicit with the person who "signed me" that I had no interest in working with either FFL or any type of FMO like that. This person made NO mention of FFL and represented themselves as an entirely independent insurance agency. I explained that while I CAN recruit, I wanted to focus on producing first and then when I learn the ropes and have some success under my belt, I'm more than happy to share with people who want to do the same. I felt pretty uneasy about the whole thing, but the person made a lot of promises that are now being brushed off and twisted into "having to invest in my own business." I was told that my out of state licenses were purchased for me (from what I understand it's a few thousand dollars) and now I'm licensed to sell in those states. I have received those licenses but I'm concerned that I'm now only attached to them through this person. I then did a little digging and realized that the same organization that is now being sued for hundreds of FTC violations is the same company that is associated with the founder of FFL and some of his downlines, I believe it's called Integrity Marketing Group and GPlex Financial. This scares me...it scares me a lot. My guess is that if I'm using leads that this person is purchasing AND requiring individuals on said team to purchase leads with the threat that commission level will be dropped if we fail to do so because again, "invest in your business" or the autodialer we are required to use, or something happens, this person isn't going to hire me an attorney, but instead is going to throw me to the wolves. I worked hard for my license and my reputation and I'm not about to put that at risk. I've also heard on team calls that if the "leaders" see any individuals "spending their money in ways they don't agree with, or don't sign up for a quickbooks account", their commission levels will be dropped as well. I may be new to the insurance field, but last I checked, someone who is claiming not to be anyone's boss can't tell anyone how to spend their money. Giving others information and resources on how to manage their money is one thing, but I don't do well with threats.
My question is, am I able to contract separately under my own LLC with the carriers and just be done with FFL? I never signed a thing with the current agency and I've been told I'm a 1099. Can I register with healthcare.gov and sell through that portal? My guess is that the reason I was told that we don't get paid on ACA is that they aren't being submitted as my sales. Which comes first the chicken or the egg (ie....carriers first, then healthcare.gov or the other way around?) I'm assuming as an independent agent, my commission rate, especially with the life companies won't be as high as what the current company started me at, but I want to protect myself and run my own business in the ways I see fit. I've seen some other people here talk about how the whole "post your sales in a chat group for everyone to see" is a turnoff and I feel the same way. No one needs to know how much I produce, nor is it any of their business. It's all so fake to me and reeks of MLM and smoke and mirrors. I've heard the words "don't worry about it" too many times and when asking questions to make sure I'm following rules of the law or my business, they are met with either the response of "we're still building everything out" or "this isn't my problem" and it's pushed onto someone else. There doesn't seem to be any line of accountability. I've heard nightmare stories of people submitted health insurance plans on behalf of clients and then when those clients come back and say "hey you said I was covered" there seems to be no record or submittals and now the clients are left with medical bills and the agent is left with the responsibility. I'm not even able to track my health sales because once that google form is submitted, it's out of my hands. This all just feels so inauthentic. Maybe I'm old school and the idea of true client/customer service is dead, but my gut is telling me that's not the case.
Also, if I'm able to just contract on my own with multiple companies, would I register with them as an independent agent, a broker or an agency? I've done enough research to feel like I've been sold a lie and it's not a good feeling. People like this are so slimy. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated