CSG Quoting - Not Always Accurate.

[sshafran]

Annoyed.

I use CSG and apparently gave out wrong rates b/c I didn't double check them.

I ran a quote for UHC's Plan G here in OH and while the initial quote is right ($2 discount automatically factored), it messed up the household discount.

Rarely do I ever quote with household discount, but the prospect wanted quotes with it factored since his wife is also T65 - so I took the lazy way out and clicked apply discounts and e-mailed the #'s.

For Plan N, it quotes $94.96 but when discounts apply it goes to $87.38

Same with G - it's also off. It quotes 116.40 then 107.15 with discounts.

I don't know how I didn't see it, but the prospect already decided to go with it based on inaccurate rates.

Sure, a few bucks isn't that big of a deal - but for some prospects it is a big deal, but I hate it when stuff like this happens. "Hey John, I'm stupid, the rate was wrong - but trust me, I'm competent."



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Annoyed.

I use CSG and apparently gave out wrong rates b/c I didn't double check them.

I ran a quote for UHC's Plan G here in OH and while the initial quote is right ($2 discount automatically factored), it messed up the household discount.

Rarely do I ever quote with household discount, but the prospect wanted quotes with it factored since his wife is also T65 - so I took the lazy way out and clicked apply discounts and e-mailed the #'s.

For Plan N, it quotes $94.96 but when discounts apply it goes to $87.38

Same with G - it's also off. It quotes 116.40 then 107.15 with discounts.

I don't know how I didn't see it, but the prospect already decided to go with it based on inaccurate rates.

Sure, a few bucks isn't that big of a deal - but for some prospects it is a big deal, but I hate it when stuff like this happens. "Hey John, I'm stupid, the rate was wrong - but trust me, I'm competent."

Nevermind! CSG is pretty cool.

The title of this thread should no longer have "not always accurate" in it (although, I'm sure CSG makes mistakes).

So, I e-mailed CSG to let them know of the error.

They (quickly) replied - I'll just copy it below. In all my years of selling I never really knew that this was how they figured the 5%. Crazy.:

Scott,

Thanks for emailing in this afternoon.

We have been in contact with UHC in recent weeks regarding the calculation of household discount for their standard rates with early enrollment discount. Below shows an explanation of how the calculation is supposed to be performed. The 5% household discount is applied to the standard rate without enrollment discount.

I copied the rate table from the producer handbook. Take the enrollment discount rate ($96.96) and subtract 5% of the base rate without enrollment discount ($151.50 * .05 = $7.58) and the $2 EFT discount.
$96.96 – $7.58 -$2 = $87.38

If you have additional questions, please let us know.

Thanks,
Lauren

 

[yankee466]

My issue with CSG is that there is no reminder on what is required to qualify for a household discount....so if you work with lots of carriers it is important to remember.. Some give you a discount for having a spouse/partner....while others want the spouse partner to also have a plan. It can't be that hard for CSG to point that out on the screen when running a comparison. You can come up with all sorts of incorrect quotes if you are not on top of your game.

If it is there somewhere....I have never found it....but when you are running quotes for someone turning 65, and they are married, you certainly want them to see rates from carriers that will discount just for having the spouse. You could say the same about the ones that discount for bank draft.

Just saying.....anyone else have the same problem?

 

[sman]

My issue with CSG is that there is no reminder on what is required to qualify for a household discount....so if you work with lots of carriers it is important to remember.. Some give you a discount for having a spouse/partner....while others want the spouse partner to also have a plan. It can't be that hard for CSG to point that out on the screen when running a comparison. You can come up with all sorts of incorrect quotes if you are not on top of your game.

If it is there somewhere....I have never found it....but when you are running quotes for someone turning 65, and they are married, you certainly want them to see rates from carriers that will discount just for having the spouse. You could say the same about the ones that discount for bank draft.

Just saying.....anyone else have the same problem?

I wish the household discount button didn't automatically apply the discount to all carriers. For example, MoO gives the discount if either married or living with someone 60 or older. When a prospect meets the requirement you really can't send out the quotes from CSG since the household discount button applies to all carriers.

It would be nice if you could differentiate when the discount is applied so the rates would reflect it. Not sure how hard that would be to program it in, but it would be a nice feature.

 

[yankee466]

Since I used to have lots of programmers reporting to me in a prior life, I can oversimplify by saying they just need to have two household choice options instead of one.....the first saying "household member also applying or already a member" and the other box saying "qualifying household member exists, but not applying"

It's easy for CSG to know the carrier's rules for when to apply.

It can't be that hard.....and I can't believe it has not been addressed before. We call it a SMOP.....a simple matter of programming,.

 

[yorkriver1]

Since I used to have lots of programmers reporting to me in a prior life, I can oversimplify by saying they just need to have two household choice options instead of one.....the first saying "household member also applying or already a member" and the other box saying "qualifying household member exists, but not applying"

It's easy for CSG to know the carrier's rules for when to apply.

It can't be that hard.....and I can't believe it has not been addressed before. We call it a SMOP.....a simple matter of programming,.

The more complicated situation to program, it seems, is when the spouse/household member age limit is different with each carrier, which it seems to be for those carriers that offer the benefit even when other H/H member isn't applying. I have seen with some carriers it could be a household member in 20's or 30's.

Then each carrier's household discount rules would have to be a drop down option? Not sure how that would work on a multi carrier quote engine.
Household discounts definitely add a layer of extra homework. I guess we have to ballpark that on 1st go round, depending on how the discussion is going, then narrow down to carriers, get details.

 

[ExProgrammer]

The more complicated situation to program, it seems, is when the spouse/household member age limit is different with each carrier, which it seems to be for those carriers that offer the benefit even when other H/H member isn't applying. I have seen with some carriers it could be a household member in 20's or 30's.

Then each carrier's household discount rules would have to be a drop down option? Not sure how that would work on a multi carrier quote engine.
Household discounts definitely add a layer of extra homework. I guess we have to ballpark that on 1st go round, depending on how the discussion is going, then narrow down to carriers, get details.

It still wouldn't be that difficult to have an "apply discount if qualified" option. As long as you'd described the household situation the software could determine whether or not to apply the discount.

 

[yankee466]

also...when they show the quotes......they can display the household qualifications in the notes....then you can decide for yourself whether it applies or not. Then they don't even need to make any program choice changes..other than to display the rules.

Kinda like "show details" option.

 

[ExProgrammer]

also...when they show the quotes......they can display the household qualifications in the notes....then you can decide for yourself whether it applies or not. Then they don't even need to make any program choice changes..other than to display the rules.

Kinda like "show details" option.

But then it wouldn't sort in the correct order, assuming you want to sort by ascending price.

 

[sman]

But then it wouldn't sort in the correct order, assuming you want to sort by ascending price.

Right. This is what I want it to do.

 

[Northeast Agent]

I know this is old, but now I'm annoyed. Writing two UW ones for Humana's new Achieve MS and one is off by two dollars and the other by seven.

CSG is just going to be a guide going forward.