Anyone Currently Selling for American Republic?

gmhopks · 10-12-2010, 09:34 PM

I interviewed with them today and they are offering me a captive contract to sell senior market products.

I did a search of the threads/posts and could not find any current info.... current meaning within the last 12 to 18 months.

I am new to the industry and this would be my first insurance sales position. I specifically want to sell MedSupps and related products, so this offer is in the market I want to sell in.

They seem to have a solid sales & product training plan. The commission schedule seems alright, but I really don't know how to evaluate how it compares to other captive situations similar to this. The incentives, bonuses, etc., seem realistically achievable. They supply leads.

I realize that being independent would - in the long term - give me the opportunity to make more money assuming I do what it takes to be successful. But I need to learn the market, prospecting and sales techniques - skills I do not yet have - and I think American Republic would help me with that.

Also, AR has partnered with Coventry and UHC for some of the medicare products, so an agent would have other products to offer in addition to AR's lineup.

If anyone has recent/current experience with this company I would appreciate to know what you think.

Thanks

HomeService · 10-12-2010, 09:41 PM

I was really, really interested in them and last week almost took a position with them. Actually, I did a month or two ago-try it out. And quit after one day. Last week I almost tried them again-but with a different regional office.

Here is what I had a problem with: individual health insurance. They are big into individual underage health insurance. With this current climate of everyone moving away from health, they are slow to react. Oh, and they had not transitioned from the individual health leads to the med supp leads in these offices here in TX. I would be very leary of their leads, I think they may be just lists of people turning 65.

I looked over the life products they offer through KC life, and nothing jumped out at me, really, as being great.

They are now going to concentrate on senior sales, but I have no idea if their med supp is competitive, and I can broker Mutual of Omaha for med supps and other life products without their help, so I decided to pass.

They probably should introduce some stand alone supplemental products like accident and disability and so on- and move away from the individual health products. They are slow to do this.

All the training and leads seemed to be centered around individual health. Not my market.

May I suggest you check out Physician's Mutual or Mutual of Omaha if you are looking to be a career agent with med supps. Maybe Sterling as well.

This is all just my opinion, and if you wish to try it- go for it, report back. I think the company itself is wonderful- it's just that I do not see them transitioning fast enough away from individual underage health. They need a marketing model. Sounds like they chose the over 65 model in your area. Each office is different- depends upon the management.

gmhopks · 10-12-2010, 11:40 PM

HomeService -

Thanks for the info. They also will offer Gerber and another line - I just can't recall it.

The interview I had was specifically to contract a person to focus on their senior market products and then individual health line after that.

I haven't decided yet, but they would like my decision by Thursday of this week.

HomeService · 10-12-2010, 11:50 PM

Yeah, they told me they were going to offer Gerber as a second alternative for med supps, which confused me because they were very proud of their med supp. However, I never did study their own med supp to see if it was competitive. Also John Hancock for long term care. It sounds like your office -there -is more ready to start concentrating on senior sales- than this office was here. There is nothing wrong with concentrating on the senior market. If you got till Thursday, check into Physician's Mutual and Mutual of Omaha and Sterling. Seriously. Just look around. Why Thursday, anyway? You could check back with them next week and next month and they would still be there.

gmhopks · 10-13-2010, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by HomeService

Why Thursday, anyway? You could check back with them next week and next month and they would still be there.

The DSM told me he is trying to hire 2 people this week so they can get trained and in position for Nov.1. I will take your suggestion and check PM and Sterling.

I interviewed with MoO and they would not agree to let me focus on senior market - wanted me to sell mainly financial planning products and services and only senior-specific if I found a senior client.

Ideally, I would like to be independent, but get some good training from one of these 'senior-products-oriented' carriers.

magagent · 10-13-2010, 09:59 AM

I wouldn't waste my time on PM.

gmhopks · 10-13-2010, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by magagent

I wouldn't waste my time on PM.

Can you please give me some details on why? Thanks.

HomeService · 10-13-2010, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by gmhopks

Can you please give me some details on why? Thanks.

PM-they do concentrate on the senior market. They do have a bunch of leads. They train well. In some markets, they are competitive with their med supps. Here in TX they are not competitive, really. Maybe magagent was trying to tell you they are not really competitive I guess. I will let mag explain. However, their long term care is fairly good.

MoO is fairly awesome, you need to reconsider this, in my opinion. I know a guy who for the last 20 years has just concentrated on the senior market with them- pretty much only the seniors. His renewals are awesome. The other thing they like to sell a lot is disability and life insurance to folks under age 65, but they have great med supps and long term care. So a person could go in there and make some money.
Why so rigid that you only wish to do the senior market- anyhow? There is nothing wrong with it- just curious.

2112Greg · 10-13-2010, 12:05 PM

The PM office here in Austin is a joke. Several years ago, I brought them on in my portfolio of carriers. After learning about their (crappy) mini-med (seriously, this this is garbage), I walked away and said I don't want anything to do with it. Amicably, but still. Several weeks later, the DM emailed me asking for my help in a sales contest. I thought he was a decent guy, so I asked what he wanted me to do. All I needed to do was sell a dental plan for 14 dollars to someone that they had already lined up, all I needed to do was be the agent of record. The contest was all about how much business 'new' agents were generating.

So I went over there, signed the flurry of paperwork...and tucked away in the stack was E&O that I had to have to make the sale. Turns out it put me on the hook for 250-something dollars. Never heard of it until it hit my credit report from a collection agency. I was rightly pissed. This was so dirty and underhanded, I filed a complaint with the DOI, but 'since I signed' the E&O paperwork, I tecnically agreed to it. Even though I was just trying to help out a seemingly nice guy. Never again...

And the MoO office isn't much better. Some of the most incompetent unprofessional people I've ever met, quite honestly. The first day I was in there, they were doing vodka shots during lunch. Seriously. It was Christmas time and I think their Christmas party, but I left with my head shaking with disbelief.

I surely hope these two offices don't represent these two companies well. Of course, this is all opinion based on two situations as I experienced them. Your mileage may vary...

HomeService · 10-13-2010, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by 2112Greg

The PM office here in Austin is a joke. Several years ago, I brought them on in my portfolio of carriers. After learning about their (crappy) mini-med (seriously, this this is garbage), I walked away and said I don't want anything to do with it. Amicably, but still. Several weeks later, the DM emailed me asking for my help in a sales contest. I thought he was a decent guy, so I asked what he wanted me to do. All I needed to do was sell a dental plan for 14 dollars to someone that they had already lined up, all I needed to do was be the agent of record. The contest was all about how much business 'new' agents were generating.

So I went over there, signed the flurry of paperwork...and tucked away in the stack was E&O that I had to have to make the sale. Turns out it put me on the hook for 250-something dollars. Never heard of it until it hit my credit report from a collection agency. I was rightly pissed. This was so dirty and underhanded, I filed a complaint with the DOI, but 'since I signed' the E&O paperwork, I tecnically agreed to it. Even though I was just trying to help out a seemingly nice guy. Never again...

And the MoO office isn't much better. Some of the most incompetent unprofessional people I've ever met, quite honestly. The first day I was in there, they were doing vodka shots during lunch. Seriously. It was Christmas time and I think their Christmas party, but I left with my head shaking with disbelief.

I surely hope these two offices don't represent these two companies well. Of course, this is all opinion based on two situations as I experienced them. Your mileage may vary...

You and I have talked before, 2112, I am in Austin as well. I think the MoO here in Austin has since closed and they consolidated it into the S.A. office. I think. But, at any rate, there are good managers and bad managers, good offices and bad offices, for all these different companies. It varies from state to state. Heck, it varies from town to town within that state. There is also Bankers Life and Casualty, and Pennsylvania Life for seniors as well. There are tons of the senior-oriented companies out there -to look into. The original poster just wanted some training for a while until he can break out on his own. Nothing wrong with that. If AR is giving the original poster good training and what he wants- he should go for it. I was just suggesting that a person can get some good insight into the business-by looking around.