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Salvador Said:

Auto/home insurance agents, I am going to apply for a job as a CSR but I want to see if I can do this job in..?

We Answered:

It depends completely on how "automated" the agency is - are they Paperless? If so, it is a possibility to work from home. It will obviously require some set up (computer networking, phone, fax, etc.) but the initial expense is minimal.

Also a possibility, if it is the type of business that has walk-ins, would be to work from home 3 days per week and have "office hours" on site a couple of days a week. I don't have walk ins because I work in large commercial accounts - I know personal lines can be different. it's all about training your clients.

Harold Said:

calling all home insurance agents......?

We Answered:

OK, sounds like you're in Florida, right?? Sounds pretty reasonable for Florida. NO COMPANIES are taking new homeowners business in Florida. Oh, except Citizens, and the LAST big hurricane that came through, they took 9 - 12 months to pay out the claims.

If you've got a voluntary company writing your coverage now, stick with it.


**Galveston! You're practically a next door neighbor, LOL. OK, I know Galveston well, have a house down there. Remember two years ago, when we had Hurricane Rita pop through? They evacuated the whole island, predicting that it would be ENTIRELY under water? That's why your coverage is so high. The GOOD news is, aside from the wind and the flood (which have to be purchased through NFIP and the Texas Windstorm Assn), you CAN get quotes on your homeowners. Your house HAS to be fully updated within the past 20 years, and you've got to have good credit - but you should be able to beat that price if you go to a local, independent agent. I use Town & Country (Phone: 409/763-6376 Fax: 409/763-5150 Web: http://www.townandcountryins.com/ ) but you also might want to ask for quotes from Galveston Insurance associates (Phone: 409/740-1251 Fax: 409/740-0513 Web: http://www.gia-tx.com/ ) ***

Arthur Said:

Home Insurance Agents ?$?

We Answered:

It is 15% to 20% of the annual premium. So, if the premium is $500 per year & the commission is 20% you get $100 (from the company on your commission statement). On a refinance, you just change the mortgage clause on the current policy & the premium will not change & the commission will not change. Remember, this commission is for a full year, so you still have to take every phone call, every change to the policy, every question, etc for the same $100. You do not make any more if the insured calls a lot or doesn't call at all. But, if the insured cancels half way through the policy, you have to pay back half of the commission to the company.

Courtney Said:

Proven marketing for auto & home insurance agents?

We Answered:

I'm not in your field, but there are generally three approaches to marketing to people about necessary items:

1) Gentle fear-mongering with an upbeat resolution. i.e. "the thing we feared most happened or almost happened, but this company cared and was immediately there for us and now we're fine." Putting a human face on something rarely fails. Some marketers call this Rule #1.

2) Having a likable agent represent that company. People sometimes see a company as uncaring and only there to make money. When they see a nice person instead of a company, that becomes the company in their eyes.

3) People often wonder why annoying commercial campaigns are so successful. They think "who could possibly like this commercial?" They don't realize that the *point* is to make viewers hate the commercial. They will notice it a lot more and remember the advertisers, and while the annoyance fades the name remains in their mind. This works a lot more often that people would think.

Other things I can suggest: A quick punchy catch phrase and/or jingle, so the association slips into people's minds more quickly. Same for a simple original logo. Many college students doing graphic arts do fantastic work and don't cost much because they're doing it for experience it and to build their resume. Also, "viral marketing" is free and reaches a younger demographic. Advice on viral marketing is also available for free from a bunch of internet sources. Finally, a decent website is essential. More and more people are preferring to work with a web page instead of a person.

Although the economy is quite slow, people are getting more skeptical about large companies, and this may be a good sign for smaller businesses.

GOOD LUCK!

CJ

Helen Said:

proven marketing for auto & home insurance agents?

We Answered:

Congrats on your decision to open an agency. It is difficult to start an agency because there are so many insurance agents out there. I recommend doing some passive and active marketing. It is a good idea to go out into the community and meet people. What helped me when I first started was meeting with friends, family and old business associates and asking them about their insurance needs. Some of them bought from me, some of them didn't. But almost all my friends, family and business associates helped introduce me to people who I could help.

The key to success in this business, at least early on, is getting in front of as many people as possible. I have never heard of an insurance agency opening their office and having loads of customers come in off the street. The key to marketing your agency is meeting lots of people and asking them if you can help with their insurance needs.

I have some advertising campaigns as well. For me personally, I have found that they are usually not very good sources for new business. At least not right away. Every now and then I will have someone call me because they got a postcard from me or they saw my ad in a magazine. But, what I have found is that advertisements usually just keep my agency in their mind when they are thinking of switching. It hardly ever prompts a potential client to immediately give me a phone call to talk about insurance. However, I have found that advertising (passive marketing) complements my agency very well. I have been an agent for almost 2 years and I have been finding when I introduce myself in a public setting, more people have heard my name before. This definitely helps with credibility when a client is ready to take a look at their insurance options.

Good luck with your new agency! Insurance can be a great business!