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Sylvia Said:

Im starting a new insurance agency... i need a name?

We Answered:

Something distinguished sounding like Cambridge, York, Canterbury. Sounds a little "fancy pants" but people associate old names with experience and security.

Stella Said:

I'm 28 married and I own an insurance agency, I like to play video games,am I immature? or it's just a hobby?

We Answered:

I am 65 and retired from the US Army. I have a full time job with the Government and I have a lot of responsibilities including a wife and a home. I play video games because I like to keep my reflexes quick and it makes me feel good. I'm not sure how relaxing it is, I am amped when I finish some of them. Playing these games in your SPARE time has nothing to do with being irresponsible.

Steven Said:

how to start auto insurance agency ?

We Answered:

Yep, it's darned hard to get those appointments - and without exactly knowing how to write or underwrite risks, you're pretty much not going to get any carrier to take you on - except maybe Progressive. So start with them.

OR, talk to another local agent, see if you could build a book while brokering stuff through them, and learning the P&C ropes. That's how most independents do it.

Sue Said:

How to start auto insurance agency ?

We Answered:

Congrats on your decision to start an insurance agency. Your life and health experience should help you a bit on the P&C side.

If you don't have much experience with P&C, I recommend starting as a producer for a larger independent insurance agency. They will likely take a large cut of your commission, but it will also save a lot of headaches in obtaining E&O and getting company appointments. Try and find a local agency that will allow you to build equity into your book, that way when you feel like you know and understand P&C you will be able to move your book with you.

If you have P&C experience or you prefer to open your own P&C agency anyway, it is still possible to obtain company appointments. However it will be a bit difficult, as I'm sure you are discovering. There are some non-standard and standard auto companies you can get appointments through (Progressive, Kemper, Unitrin, etc.) without having agency experience. However you are not likely to get many carriers that will appoint your agency, especially preferred like Travelers, Safeco, etc. This does not mean that you can't write with a reputable carrier. The best way to accomplish this as a new agent is finding an MGA (Managing General Agent) that writes with these companies and agrees to add your agency. The great thing about using an MGA is that you have access to SEVERAL markets (home, auto, umbrella, commercial, etc.). The down side is an MGA will likely take away some of your commission and they are probably not going to let your agency have any profit sharing check. But, they are a great for new agents because many MGAs will appoint you even with little or no experience.

Milton Said:

How do you go about getting a job in Europe if you are an American?

We Answered:

Monster , Yahoo Hotjobs, Careerbuilder are some of the largest job boards, where you can apply for jobs and upload your resume. Since Craigslist, allows free job postings, many smaller companies post their vacancies on this online classifieds website. You can also search for jobs from multiple websites using aggregators like SimplyHired and Indeed. Referrals are also becoming a increasingly popular way to
get hired.
More details and website links available at http://tinyurl.com/emdyn