So I Started a New P&C Agency. Now What?

[whitealchemist]

I've been licensed for a few years and have a decent book of Medicare/Health renewals. Additionally for the past couple years I've done some P&C work.

Well I have rented an office with high retail exposure in NW Arkansas on the Missouri border. I switched my business to an LLC. Licensed the agency in the states I plan to work with their respective Departments of Insurance and Secretary of States offices. Joined the Big I. Today I am getting my agency e&o lined out today. I've got signs being shipped, mailers getting ready to do every-door-direct, and ads coming out in community publications. I've got a mile long list of people needing me to do their insurance, but I need market access STAT!

I plan to get some appointments with Progressive and some other non standard carriers, but I'm still trying to figure out who to go through to get standard carrier access.

I used to go through a friend's agency, but they went captive. I then went through superior access as a sole proprietor. However I got sick of the way superior access works (No binding authority, long turnaround times for quotes, only 3 carriers in my area, a laundry list of other things), so I started looking at other sources of carrier access. I have been to Agency Equity. Looked at Eagle Agency, Smart Choice, SIAA, Iroquois, ABHE group (TAG), and have been waiting for days to hear back from Agentco.

I talked to a friend who has a big Iroquois agency: he said stay away from them. ABHE wants to only give me 50% on commercial, and thats another reason why I left my freinds agency. I'll probably use Smart Choice to get access to Encompass and a couple others, but I wanted to hear what everyone else has to say on the matter. So... feel free to chime in with your two cents, and if you have a good option PM me.

 

[indienoise]

I had no issues when i contacted agentco. Even though they ended up not being for me, I was impressed with Jason's availability, willingness to entertain questions, and friendly manner. Did you call them or email them?

Also, dont count out progressive for standard and preferred business. They are horribly, horribly inconsistent in that market, but sometimes they are just what you need.

 

[agentinsouth]

I've been licensed for a few years and have a decent book of Medicare/Health renewals. Additionally for the past couple years I've done some P&C work. Well I have rented an office with high retail exposure in NW Arkansas on the Missouri border. I switched my business to an LLC. Licensed the agency in the states I plan to work with their respective Departments of Insurance and Secretary of States offices. Joined the Big I. Today I am getting my agency e&o lined out today. I've got signs being shipped, mailers getting ready to do every-door-direct, and ads coming out in community publications. I've got a mile long list of people needing me to do their insurance, but I need market access STAT! I plan to get some appointments with Progressive and some other non standard carriers, but I'm still trying to figure out who to go through to get standard carrier access. I used to go through a friend's agency, but they went captive. I then went superior access as a sole proprietor. However I got sick of the way superior access works (No binding authority, long turnaround times for quotes, only 3 carriers in my area, a laundry list of other things), so started looking at other sources of carrier access. I have been to Agency Equity. Looked at Eagle Agency, Smart Choice, SIAA, Iroquois, ABHE group (TAG), and have been waiting for days to hear back from Agentco. I talked to a friend who has a big Iroquois agency: he said stay away from them. ABHE wants to only give me 50% on commercial, and thats another reason why I left my freinds agency. I'll probably use Smart Choice to get access to Encompass and a couple others, but I wanted to hear what everyone else has to say on the matter. So... feel free to chime in with your two cents, and if you have a good option PM me.

Congrats!
I just got approved to Broker/ wholesale Liberty Mutual, a great standard lines carrier. PM me if you are interested.

 

[whitealchemist]

I had no issues when i contacted agentco. Even though they ended up not being for me, I was impressed with Jason's availability, willingness to entertain questions, and friendly manner. Did you call them or email them?

Also, dont count out progressive for standard and preferred business. They are horribly, horribly inconsistent in that market, but sometimes they are just what you need.

Jason is friendly to talk to and seems to be a genuine guy who could really help. I don't want it tike I'm seem like I'm trashing the guy or his company, because I'm not, I'm just eager to get going. I will say that he was supposed to send me an email on Tuesday of last week I believe; I never got it. I followed up with him a couple times over the phone later in the week and he said he would get it out. Then on Monday he said that I needed to talk to someone in particular, but that person will be traveling until Wednesday; so that could be it.

 

[Heather]

I went with SIAA because of binding authority from day one. Coming from a Medicare background I appreciated having them to call on for assistance. In my area if I need a quote where I do not have binding authority it usually comes back the next day.