Trial by Fire - Is This How You Learn P&C?

[myfakename]

How wouldnt I?
By them telling me exactly what they are doing...and why.

and studying on my own (CIC or whatever).

Is there something you propose?

State Auto has the Pacesetter program that teaches commercial lines coverage and selling techniques. It does cost a few thousand, but your sponsor can recoup they money if you write enough business with state auto.

Speaking from personal experience it just takes beating the bushes, and being able to handle rejections.

 

[Andle]

its sales...whats not to like?

Why would I go work for a captive?

Captive will likely provide more support and training for someone who has no P&C experience. This is my experience. Others will have a different opinion and no 2 agencies are the same.

As others have said, get everything in writing.

 

[VolAgent]

Captive will likely provide more support and training for someone who has no P&C experience. This is my experience. Others will have a different opinion and no 2 agencies are the same.

As others have said, get everything in writing.

Not that I've been in a captive P&C agency, but I have been in other captive type environments...

A captive will teach you to do it there way. Some good, some bad and some indifferent.

 

[todd02]

I would suggest finding a Top producing Agency with a great staff in place. I'd easily say 70-80% of Agencies out there are run poorly with bad staff. Find an Agent who wants you to have skin in the game but he provides the leads. Unless you already have a great network in place. Make sure the leads are not just cold calling the phone book. Also ask him/her if you could see their scripts they have for sales. How they train and what their training looks like. If it seems like they have their sh/t together then take the job. Also like others have pointed out, get the deal in written form. I use renewals to retain quality producers. If you worked for me for 2 years you'd never want to go out on your own and lose the renewals you worked so hard to build. With the right contract in place being a producer isn't such a bad gig if you don't want the massive headache of staffing running your own agency.

 

[insurance1822]

If I could go back in time, I would have got right into a commercial agency & learned this way. The knowledge & experience is essentially invaluable & I would do it for free.

In fact if I didn't burn out in this business like I have...I was planning on literally taking a 9-5 job at a huge brokerage just to learn commercial while my agency ran itself.

Commercial is where it's at. Commercial training isn't easy to come by. Go into it.

 

[Rick Deckard]

I would suggest finding a Top producing Agency with a great staff in place. I'd easily say 70-80% of Agencies out there are run poorly with bad staff. Find an Agent who wants you to have skin in the game but he provides the leads. Unless you already have a great network in place. Make sure the leads are not just cold calling the phone book. Also ask him/her if you could see their scripts they have for sales. How they train and what their training looks like. If it seems like they have their sh/t together then take the job. Also like others have pointed out, get the deal in written form. I use renewals to retain quality producers. If you worked for me for 2 years you'd never want to go out on your own and lose the renewals you worked so hard to build. With the right contract in place being a producer isn't such a bad gig if you don't want the massive headache of staffing running your own agency.

Hear Hear

-This is sound advice across the board and right down the line. 80% of most everything is run poorly, use that to your benefit and also understand it might take a while to find a really good insurance agency.

-I am a former business owner, been there done that. Being a producer with a solid and mutually beneficial contract is as appealing or more than trying to build it from the ground up. That could change but for now I find no shame in being a 6 figure producer.

 

[shawnmwalker]

I love the idea of Getting into a Pace Setter Program or a Hartford Program. That is a great way to jump in and learn. Get into an agency, attend a 3 week program at a great carrier. Bam! Fly little bird.


Don't go captive. they CL markets are limited on that side. Indy is deep blue ocean.

 

[mr_furly]

I would suggest finding a Top producing Agency with a great staff in place. I'd easily say 70-80% of Agencies out there are run poorly with bad staff. Find an Agent who wants you to have skin in the game but he provides the leads. Unless you already have a great network in place. Make sure the leads are not just cold calling the phone book. Also ask him/her if you could see their scripts they have for sales. How they train and what their training looks like. If it seems like they have their sh/t together then take the job.

From talking to a few Principles...it seems like most are living off of referrals.
If they want to hire me, its because I would be out there getting them new business, in addition to what they have coming in.

I have yet to come across someone that says anything close to "ill provide the leads".
Why is it a bad idea if I took care of lead generation myself?

Im not really concerned about sales training...
...its product knowledge that im after.

As everyone else here...my ultimate plan is to get in...learn the biz...and then get out and start my own agency.

I love the idea of Getting into a Pace Setter Program or a Hartford Program. That is a great way to jump in and learn. Get into an agency, attend a 3 week program at a great carrier. Bam! Fly little bird.


Don't go captive. they CL markets are limited on that side. Indy is deep blue ocean.

yea...im thinking that when Hartford comes to my town I may take the course.
By then I should have a few months experience under my belt...and that should really accelerate the learning curve.

If I could go back in time, I would have got right into a commercial agency & learned this way. The knowledge & experience is essentially invaluable & I would do it for free.

In fact if I didn't burn out in this business like I have...I was planning on literally taking a 9-5 job at a huge brokerage just to learn commercial while my agency ran itself.

Commercial is where it's at. Commercial training isn't easy to come by. Go into it.

believe it or not...your post had a lot to do w/ me going after commercial instead.
I went through damn near all your old stuff when I first joined here.

 

[Rick Deckard]

From talking to a few Principles...it seems like most are living off of referrals.
If they want to hire me, its because I would be out there getting them new business, in addition to what they have coming in.

I have yet to come across someone that says anything close to "ill provide the leads".
Why is it a bad idea if I took care of lead generation myself?

Im not really concerned about sales training...
...its product knowledge that im after.

As everyone else here...my ultimate plan is to get in...learn the biz...and then get out and start my own agency.


yea...im thinking that when Hartford comes to my town I may take the course.
By then I should have a few months experience under my belt...and that should really accelerate the learning curve.


believe it or not...your post had a lot to do w/ me going after commercial instead.
I went through damn near all your old stuff when I first joined here.

1822 has great info. I have enjoyed cold calling personal lines to this point but am realizing the real money is in commercial insurance. And since so many old timers in that industry are fading or retiring there seems to be room for fresh blood and fresh ideas.