Opinions on This Job Offer

Billy Ray

Expert
31
I have a job offer on the table to sell health insurance. I have spoken with a few guys on the board and as I expected they were very helpful. I thought I would throw this out to the rest of you and see what the consensus is.

Here goes: Draw is $1500 per month. There would be very litttle cost to me, (no lead cost, desk cost, e&o cost, etc). The company uses Norvax, no cost to me. Owner is a solid producer who wants to focus more on business accounts especially larger business accounts.

The owner has years of experience selling only health and will supply all leads. They have accounts with the usual lead providers talked about on the forum daily. The leads are a hodge podge some are excellent and some are not. Owner is looking for 2 sales per day with a 20% drop out rate, [(252*2)*.8] = 400/year. Owner says lead vendor leads close at 1 out of 20 and the others close at around 30-50%

There is staff that will handle customer service so it is all selling all of the time. I am the only sales person besides the owner. The commute from my house is very easy and I would probably be able to work part time from my house in the future. Non compete clause, 5 years. In house and out of house training with the owner and others. The training appears to be fantastic.

Now the important stuff....My commission is basically $100 per life, couples $150, families $200; After one year $2/month per life trailing. The commission schedule is more complicated but it's basically what I have listed above.

I'm struggling with this. This job is in California and I think the owner mostly sells BC/BS. I looked up the commission schedule for BC/BS and it appears that if I sell 400 individual lives in a year at an average yearly premium of $3000 there is alot of money on the table.

Thoughts...Thanks very much in advance to all!!!!

Email: [email protected]
 
I'm struggling with this. This job is in California and I think the owner mostly sells BC/BS. I looked up the commission schedule for BC/BS and it appears that if I sell 400 individual lives in a year at an average yearly premium of $3000 there is alot of money on the table.

Thoughts...Thanks very much in advance to all!!!!

Email: [email protected][/quote]

A lot is an under statement!

400 policies w/ an AP of $3K w/ 16% commish is $192K. Compare that to what you are expected to make based on your numbers which would be 400 policies at $150 (avg) a pop would be $60K.
 
I'm not sure I understand why you are leaving money on the table. You, like everyone else, must get started somewhere. If you have a nice bank roll to pay the bills while you fill the sales pipeline, than I would probably advise you to go in another direction. However, if you need the draw every month, then this doesn't sound that bad. I wouldn't concentrate to much on how much the other guy is making...think about you..

400 a year is about 33 a month and at $100 each, you'll bring in over $3,000 each month. That's a living..and to have no other expenses is a pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
 
The part that would get me is the 5 year noncompete.

You're right...he's making a lot more than you. He's also putting up all the risk of which you have none. I would definitely make sure that the noncompete is null and void if he fires you. The problem is that if you're doing a good job, you're stuck making $30-60K/year when you could be making $200K.

It's all about risk/reward. It's like someone mentioned on the whole life board....you COULD do better, but without guarantees. It just depends on where along that line you want to be.

Sounds like you could learn a lot from him, but that's not what the opportunity sounds like. It sounds like you're accepting a career with a salary, not unlimited income potential like an Ins. career normally provides.
 
PLEASE LISTEN TO ME:

NEVER SIGN A NON-COMPETE IN THIS BUSINESS. NEVER.

I signed one with my first GA and it was nothing but horror for a year after I left them. I lost all of my clients, and it cost me tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees just to win, but I never really won.


That guy is BSing you and you need to run away.

I have been in sales for 20+ years, and the only reason someone wants to pay you a draw against any commission is to get you hooked in so you can't get out.

Sorry, but I think this is a bad deal.
 
I would be very reluctant to enter a 5 year noncompete contract. Is this a new thing he is taking on or are you replacing somebody?

Personally, I wouldn't agree to something like this. The pay scale seems to be rigid. I would ask for a tiered system that rewards a greater slice of the pie if the numbers warrant it.
 
LGilmore: You claim Lentini is full of crap, and now you happen to agree with him? Do you read your own posts?
 
HealthGuy, are you in Washington? It seems like they feel the same way you do. If you disagree on one thing, you HAVE TO disagree on everything. There is no middle ground.
 
I definantly would not sign this deal with a 5 year non-compete....having said that from your discription it sounds like the owner is taking all the risk paying for leads , back office service support etc and all you have to do is pick up the phone and dial...this could be a good way to learn the business but you definatly need to get the non-compete either removed (unlikely) or lowered....also are you sure its a non-compete meaning you can not compete for new business in a certain area and field or is it a non-solicitation clause in effect meaning you can steal his client base?
 
"LGilmore: You claim Lentini is full of crap, and now you happen to agree with him? Do you read your own posts?"

Healthguy, you forgot I also said you are full of crap too!

Now now, dry your eyes little one. I sure you can find more silly things to whine about that reflect so well upon you.

Run into any Northwestern Mutual Agents lately?
 
Back
Top