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Jaqueline,

I only stated that considering the length of your tirades on this forum, you must have alot of time on your hands. If you spent this much time studying the A.M. Best A-4 Reports from your state, you would know who is writing non-standard auto and their volume. That might tell you who is likely to appoint you. If you think Hartford or Travelers or Zurich should walk into your inexperienced office and appoint you due to your alleged disabilities, think again. We all started marketing by walking in and out of businesses who would not speak to us. We all got doors shut in our face.

Other posts are correct, I am a company marketing person and based upon your willingness to complain and whine before even writing any business, I would not appoint your shop.

I did not intend to sound male or female with my post. I have many years of experience and have dealt with problem retail agents, problem general agents and problem companies. I steer clear of those problems when practicable.

You continue to want something handed to you? You sound extremely democratic. You obviously have probably figured out the free rides available to you from your state and have "sucked them dry". Whatever, you may not like this business, but I do. You may not be in the correct business? Maybe, you should try another occupation if you think you have been treated unfairly?

I think you expect a free ride from an industry that only makes money by the professionalism of the retail force from who they accept business. Being the front line underwriter for millions of dollars of premium and "RISK", every company has an inherent right to expect their producers to be fully qualified to underwrite the business submitted. You seem to want to be able to "learn" on the financial "back" of others.

Good luck with your "I deserve a chance no matter what the cost to another" attitude.

I would suggest a Dairy Queen. "You want fries with that?" Sounds like you would take much less risk with your assets and the assets of others doing that.

Sorry if you do not like what you are hearing, but I do not like your "give it to me free" attitude. You do not deserve anything free. You should gain the experience necessary to be an attractive retail producer to potential companies. Telling them they are not being fair will not result in producer agreements...

Good luck and I suggest another forum to whine. Try Dear Abbey...

Feel free NOT to respond.

Jacqueline,

I don't mean to be rude but a dummy such as your self has no business at all opening up an insurance agency. This business is not for the weak. You need to get off your disabled ass and start hustling. You are lucky you are self-employed because if you worked for me I would tell you to hit the bricks. My early years in this business was spent passing out flyers early in the morning, seeking referrals from real estate offices by day and cold calling prospects tell 9:00 pm and then doing paperwork. I would have never had the time to spitting out my self pity on an insurance forum. So prove me wrong and get to it or get out of this business because nobody cares.

Yours truly,

Dope smoking agent

Jacqueline wrote:As for the Donegal rep, he came off like the typical "good old boy" who refused to give me any concrete answer as to why I was not qualified for an appointment and what I have to do in order to be qualified for appointment in the future. In fact, he in so many words told me that the auto and property insurance field was a well-connected privileged white male "old boy clique" that I didn't belong in ( I am a disabled middle-aged woman) or fit in with. He was very nasty and rude to me on the phone.

Sorry but thats sound like bull to me. I know lots of females in this business and female owned agencies that got appointments. I don't think gender has anything to do with it but perhaps attitude? I haven't seen any discrimination in this industry but thats just me.

As someone else said, I would suggest a comparative rater. Quote on the phone based on the information they provide. Make the appointment. Then when the person is in your office, tell them you're going to run their MVR and if something shows up that they "forgot" about and it changes the price to the point where they don't want to buy the insurance, that they will need to pay for the MVR. This always worked for me.

What about marketing to other disabled people, perhaps you could have a niche?

This isn't an easy business but with hard work and the right attitude you can do well, disabled, not disable, male, female, foreign, or whatever.

Hmm I think you guys are being too rough on Jacqueline however mhutch is right. It's a very very tough business and if you don't put 120% of your time you will not survive. But there are options, wholesalers that have standard carriers and other possibilities. Worst case scenario Superior Access will give you access to standard carriers

Jacqueline,

I am a 42 yr old black female and single parent of one daughter in college. I started an agency 8/2005 with no book of business, no mentor, no agency appts. But with the help of Smart Choice Agents program, I am still afloat.

Hey, I have a few strikes against me, just as others have had. One is living in an area in which the powers-to-be are not sensitive to diversity. Of course that mind-set has a trickle-down effect. I have suffered through many obstacles. But I turned those obstacles into opportunities. I get my joy from offering the right product to my clients...giving them what they need, not what they ask for. Each day, I focus on building new relationships, bringing credibility to my agency by obtaining designations, attending industry seminars and surrounding myself with like-minded people.

Keep the faith, dear... And try Smart Choice Agents program in your area.

Promised that I was not going to re-enter forums but this is too much. From what I can summarize, you feel like you should be given something for nothing, crying discrimination, poverty, gender bias, and the like. You consider insurance a "racket", and want to do something else once you have milked the insurance market dry. Doesn't matter what appointments you might get, what wholesalers you may join-you will never make it with that attitude!!!
Next you will probably whine and ask for no monthly/annual dues with the wholesalers and demand free leads so you never have to actually work.

Jaqueline, Wow what a lot of posting! ( You are carrying a tremendous amount of frustration on those shoulders ). Sales in any business require plenty of enthusiasm and plenty of rejection from the carriers to the insured or client. And this can come in many forms Rejection of a piece of business Rejection of and appointment by a Tier-1 carrier and many other reason. This forum is not the place to vent and BASH men and the carriers. We are insurance people men and women god bless them we need each other. Jaqueline, i will not go to your level, in this case its very easy to see there is no future for you in the insurance business. You need to find another avenue Good Luck

sanddog1 wrote:..... Jaqueline, i will not go to your level, in this case its very easy to see there is no future for you in the insurance business. You need to find another avenue Good Luck

I don't think she needs to change career, just take a vacation!