Not sure if anyone else has experienced this, but I'm having extreme problems with AHCP's accounting of GR business that I've done. I haven't been "active" for almost 2 years with GR or AHCP. My contract has a whopping 1% renewal and my advances are at 1.25% interest....making me trapped eventhough 90% of my business has been on books for 3 years.
What's crazy is my YTD totals are not being applied to "beginning" balance, which makes no accounting sense since YTD totals are what is "earned."
So, they're not only saying that I owe them money, but they are also taking the 5% renewals or more and sticking me with a interest rate that is more than my renewals....
Just to make sure I don't get any replies that says
"you're only made because you wrote bad business".....about 90% of the business that I wrote is still on books for 3 years I've been appointed with AHCP.....
You're only mad because you went through AHCP. (Sorry, it had to be said).
I feel for you. I fortunately only wrote a handful of plans through them with Aetna before I realized it was not to my benefit. I know of other agents who received a 5 month advance then go 18 months for any renewals.
Rick
------------------------------------ ILIAA
Training, Community, Support, and Success Independent Life Insurance Agents Assn rick@iliaa.org
Call your area Golden Rule rep and tell them you want to go direct if they'll allow it. Mine offered me 22% and all I had to do was ask. I doubt AHCP is offering better than that.
I wish it was that easy...AHCP is not releasing me because of this "supposed" debit balance that they can't even explain to me....
I'm not mad because I went through AHCP. I'm mad that most of my business is still on books and I'm not getting paid on any of it....
Here they are holding at least a 25% commission rate, and they're giving me a whopping 15% and 1% renewal rate.....and they're renewal rate is at least 5% or more....
Either way you look at it....it's a wicked thing that a company would do something like this....especially when it looks like they owe me money
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They won't release me....so I can't go direct at all... (they say I "owe" them....but won't tell me how...and this is after they've robbed me on commissions and renewals)
They really are wicked when it comes to this type of issue.
Last edited by jmarkk1 : 08-20-2009 at 09:21 AM.
Reason: Posts merged
I wish it was that easy...AHCP is not releasing me because of this "supposed" debit balance that they can't even explain to me....
I'm not mad because I went through AHCP. I'm mad that most of my business is still on books and I'm not getting paid on any of it....
Here they are holding at least a 25% commission rate, and they're giving me a whopping 15% and 1% renewal rate.....and they're renewal rate is at least 5% or more....
Either way you look at it....it's a wicked thing that a company would do something like this....especially when it looks like they owe me money
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They won't release me....so I can't go direct at all... (they say I "owe" them....but won't tell me how...and this is after they've robbed me on commissions and renewals)
They really are wicked when it comes to this type of issue.
How much do they say you owe? I know it may not be right but if its small enough and then lets you move your contracts it may be worthwhile to pay it off....Sorry to hear about your problem....Its one of the reasons I have always been a little leary of Advances....but then again I've been screwed on as earned contracts as well.
I would not recommend having a "debt account" to receive advances. I think it's a bad move. If you're looking for advances there are MGAs that will advance without a debt account.
------------------------------------ Health Insurance Agents: Training, Support, Discounts, E&O for $440 www.ihiaa.com
[COLOR=black]We have a DIRECT contract with Golden Rule that pays the same or BETTER commissions and has NO production requirements. That's the key... Golden Rule will knock you down to 15% if you don’t consistently hit your quota. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Our brokers are exempt from any quotas and are still paid DIRECTLY by Golden Rule... [/COLOR]
Regardless of the AHCP advance/debit balance system and the strengths and weaknesses of it, the commission levels that are paid are completely determined by the Division President that you are contracted under. If you are receiving a 1% renewal, that rate was determined when you contracted and is between you and the Division President, it's not fair to bash AHCP for the commission level when that is not something that they controlled when you contracted. It’s the same as blaming Assurant or Golden Rule because your GA is only paying you 15% commission, low renewals and not providing service, etc…
I would take your issue up with your Division President and ask them for the release if you are not satisfied . AHCP does not contract any agents directly, they all go through a Division President as do any release requests.
At Health Choice One, we pay agents top first year and renewal commissions. We provide daily product & sales training, ongoing phone support and back office underwriting services. Call Scott to learn more about HCO’s agent contracts.
I would take your issue up with your Division President and ask them for the release if you are not satisfied . AHCP does not contract any agents directly, they all go through a Division President as do any release requests.
At Health Choice One, we pay agents top first year and renewal commissions. We provide daily product & sales training, ongoing phone support and back office underwriting services. Call Scott to learn more about HCO’s agent contracts.[/quote]
We ALL know what's going to happen with that.
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"Some are weather-wise, some are otherwise."
- Benjamin Franklin
I'd stay far away from HCO as well. I've been fighting with them for 3 months to get Humana and Aetna commissions they owe me. It has been very frustrating because you can never get a direct answer as to when or if I will ever get paid. I have lost all trust in HCO. It is impossible to speak to Scott or Jen directly, they have to many gatekeepers protecting them from pissed off brokers. Go direct and save yourself a headache.
NOT screwed by HCO or AHCP. First I have ever read anything bad about HCO. HCO is very rapid on replies and getting things done. Perhaps there is a failure to communicate; and it takes 2 to communicate. Their staff gets it done.
We don't pay commissions for Aetna. They either come directly from the carrier if you are set up for as earned commissions or from AHCP if you want advances.
In fact, we don’t typically pay commissions to agents. We set up our agents on "DIRECT PAY" to receive their commission checks directly from the carriers...and we have over 75 of them. There are a few exceptions though. Humana is one of them.
With Humana, if you want advanced commissions instead of as-earned, then Humana dictates to HCO that we have to do the accounting and pay the commissions to the agents.
Once we get the master commission check from Humana, we process and pay commissions within 24-48 hours. In fact, there have been three times this year where Humana didn’t post commissions by the 1st of the month and therefore did not pay HCO any money that month to pay our agents. HCO used its lines of credit to pay EVERY single agent due commissions each time that happened…and I’m talking about 10’s of thousands of dollars each time. All agents were paid on time and paid every penny they earned.
Humana also has licensing issues from time to time where they hold an agent’s commissions, but we also manage to fix these issues and often pay the agent prior to receiving the actual commission check from Humana.
I can assure you that if you email me your specific concerns, you'll have a reply within hours.
We don't pay commissions for Aetna. They either come directly from the carrier if you are set up for as earned commissions or from AHCP if you want advances.
In fact, we don’t typically pay commissions to agents. We set up our agents on "DIRECT PAY" to receive their commission checks directly from the carriers...and we have over 75 of them. There are a few exceptions though. Humana is one of them.
With Humana, if you want advanced commissions instead of as-earned, then Humana dictates to HCO that we have to do the accounting and pay the commissions to the agents.
Once we get the master commission check from Humana, we process and pay commissions within 24-48 hours. In fact, there have been three times this year where Humana didn’t post commissions by the 1st of the month and therefore did not pay HCO any money that month to pay our agents. HCO used its lines of credit to pay EVERY single agent due commissions each time that happened…and I’m talking about 10’s of thousands of dollars each time. All agents were paid on time and paid every penny they earned.
Humana also has licensing issues from time to time where they hold an agent’s commissions, but we also manage to fix these issues and often pay the agent prior to receiving the actual commission check from Humana.
I can assure you that if you email me your specific concerns, you'll have a reply within hours.
We're here to help. Just ask... :o)
Scott, while I commend you guys on paying us off of your lines of credit and I certainly appreciate the liability you guys take by advancing when the carrier would prefer you don't, the bolded portion there just ain't so. HCO has been late with my Humana checks three times so far - you guys have paid, and you've paid what you promised, but the Humana comps aren't always on time. One of those times, my check was a week late. Once it was thirty days, and once it was either 45 or 60 (can't recall).
I like you guys just fine, but nobody's perfect - and the Humana payment schedule is a reflection of that.
With all due respect, we don't pay commissions late. It's not possible. When we get the check from Humana, we cut your check and every other agent's check within 24-48 hours. When WE get paid....YOU get paid. It's just that simple. :o)
To pay you late would mean we somehow held onto your check... Again, not possible because we clear out the Humana commission account every pay cycle and NEVER hold commissions for any reason. Make sense?
We NEVER hold checks. Our books are open if you would like to audit them to see that you have never been paid late by HCO...
Being paid late by Humana is another story...
The Humana commissions are unlike any other. Three things have to happen for Humana to cut commissions to HCO.
1. Policy must be Issued
2. Policy must be In Force
3. Client's premium must be posted by Humana
Most carriers that advance will cut the check within a week after the effective date, regardless of whether the policy is in force or not.
The additional criteria with Humana on the "In Force Status" and "Posted Premium" is what makes them a "slow pay" carrier. We tell agents this during training.
For example, one of the cases listed above was issued 04-01-2009 and we didnt receive the commissions from Humana until 05-15-2009... This is quite common, but it's clearly not an HCO issue...It's a Humana issue. Make sense?
Constantly agents don't receive the amount they are expecting from Humana because the premium doesn't get posted before the commission cut-off date. When that happens, the commissions come on the next check.
Call me for details, but please don't add fuel to this fire as it's bogus.
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Last edited by ScottHCO : 08-20-2009 at 08:27 PM.
Reason: Posts merged
Scott, I had a big long response typed out and then I got your email. All I'll say is this: I didn't mean to imply that it was an HCO problem. You and I have had conversations in the past about this, and I know it starts at the top, impacts HCO, and trickles down to agents. My choice of wording was poor - you've never paid me late, but to circumstances beyond our control I have received checks later than I originally expected them.
To clarify for other folks reading the discussion: hell, sorry, I communicate ineffectively. It's not an HCO problem. My conversations with Scott, Darrene, and Eric have very much convinced me of that. If you're putting your health contracts through HCO, you're doing the right thing.
We recently met with Humana and discussed this very issue. Other carriers pay much faster and we made that point in an attempt to help our agents...and Humana. We know that many of our agents would write more with Humana if they paid faster, upon issue...like everyone else. They were very interested in our feedback and completely understood where we were coming from. Very promising. I'll keep you posted on any potential changes with Humana on this issue.
Here's the bottom line... When a carrier makes a mistake, especially with commissions, or just pays slow, the agents suffer. That's why we step up to the plate and come out of pocket to make it right whenever possible. It stings, but we know it's the right thing to do.
Thanks for your support Nick! I truly appreciate it!
I have to admit, I am impressed. Would you recommend this agency, Souldeaux?
Health Choice One? Yes, I would. I currently write Assurant (advanced), Humana (advanced), Golden Rule (advanced through AHCP for now, but will soon go as-earned straight from HCO), and Aetna (as-earned) all with Health Choice One. I'm fairly certain Eric (Hartmeister, at HCO) is ready to kill me, but especially over the past few days his services up there have stood out as particularly valuable.
They're good people. I think the best part of HCO is that when you call in, you feel like you're talking to a group of real people, not a bunch of wage-slave customer service reps. It's very personable.
Health Choice One? Yes, I would. I currently write Assurant (advanced), Humana (advanced), Golden Rule (advanced through AHCP for now, but will soon go as-earned straight from HCO), and Aetna (as-earned) all with Health Choice One. I'm fairly certain Eric (Hartmeister, at HCO) is ready to kill me, but especially over the past few days his services up there have stood out as particularly valuable.
They're good people. I think the best part of HCO is that when you call in, you feel like you're talking to a group of real people, not a bunch of wage-slave customer service reps. It's very personable.
I am currently appointed to a mish-mash of carriers and need to unify things. Thanks!
Getting Screwed by AHCP
NOT screwed by HCO or AHCP. First I have ever read anything bad about HCO. HCO is very rapid on replies and getting things done. Perhaps there is a failure to communicate; and it takes 2 to communicate. Their staff gets it done.
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