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FGI Appoints VP of Field Execution[s]
Ninety Agents axed in Houston
OKLAHOMA
VOICE
JUNE 2010
Published monthly by United Farmers Agents Association, aka UFAA, Chapter 15 Eastern Oklahoma Chapter 15. The chapter meets the
first Wednesday of each month.
Next Chapter 15 Member Meeting: Wednesday, June 2nd 11:30 AM |
| Chapter 15 will meet in the upstairs meeting room at the Silver Flame Restaurant located at the S/W corner of 61st & Sheridan, Tulsa.A
fixed cost of the meals @ $12.50 per person that includes meal, drink, tax,
gratuity and group appetizer. We'll have a choice of 5 entrees.
Lunch Menu Non-member agents welcome.
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Mission Statement
The United Farmers Agents Association -UFAA-
is a professional association committed to helping our members through
education, communication, support and information and to establish a
true partnership with Farmers Group, Inc.Check out our website
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Oklahoma UFAA Contacts:
UFAA Chapter 15 serving Eastern Oklahoma
President- Mike Gately
918/481-3277 -Tulsa
UFAA Chapter 12 serving Central-Western Oklahoma:
President- Tony Reese 580/355-1335 - Lawton
UFAA Oklahoma Voice Editor
UFAA Oklahoma Voice Ads
To join an
Oklahoma UFAA Chapter
choose one closest to you and
contact the chapter.
Or, sign
up at the UFAA
Website.
United Farmers Agents Association Web Site
UFAA
Chapter 15 Newsletter Archive & Homepage Letters to the Editor
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2010 UFAA Convention- Golden Nugget- Las Vegas
Dates: June (5-6-7) & 8, 9,
10
UFAA National Board Members arrive June 5 to prep meetings for the 2010 Convention
UFAA Chapter Presidents arrive June 6 for a special meeting 8AM-5PMon Monday, June 7
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 Greetings!
Two hundred UFAA Convention Delegate Agents and guests will join ranks from across the operating territory meeting in Las Vegas on June 8, 9 and 10 to discuss the the pros and cons of agency businesses, economy, vast client unemployment, corporate control and solutions.
Several speakers are lined up to speak to agent delegates on business opportunities they have and niche sales opportunities available.
Agent delegates will gather on the evening of June 7 in a large hospitality room at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino to garner old friendships and meet new attendees from 35 states. Several insurance related vendors will be on-hand to assist and improve agents way of doing business in the current business climate. Plenty of food and drink will be available and, as always, agents will group around tables and exchange ideas on how to make their business life better.
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Golden Nugget Meeting Rooms supports 200 meeting attendees
 | At 7AM on Tuesday, delegates will meet next door to the meeting room to enjoy a buffet breakfast and again enjoy round table discussions on how to improve their businesses and those of the agency force at large.
At 8AM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday UFAA Business Meetings will continue through 5PM except for Thursday hours of 8AM to Noon.
Many look forward to the huge buffet available at the Nugget for lunches and dinner. The UFAA Banquet with entertainment will be held Wednesday evening.
Freemont Street Experience- 900' long by 90' high containing 15 million LCD lights. World's largest overhead LCD TV
 | In the evening, delegates will be free to enjoy the entertainment night life available in Vegas. This year, the 900 foot long lighted canopy will be activated with new action packed graphic-like videos that stream across the 90 foot high screen that expands four city blocks. The 10 minute videos begin at the top of each hour following sunset. Plus, this year, there will be plenty of free entertainment on Freemont street with several bands setup at large intersections to boost the music spirit of delegates and others from around the world.
This Convention is about you
 Let us hear from you in support of "Agents Helping Agents"In Oklahoma, UFAA Members may contact: |
Oklahoma Agents and DMs-
Send Message to Home Office
MAY - 2010 Poll Results
Oklahoma Agents have been polled for the last 3 months on which song they would send to Home Office that best describes the current condition of their business, The March poll showed 93% dissatisfied jumping to 100% in April. However, 92% of May respondents relate they are not happy with Farmers Management following 2 months of waiting on FA2 promises.
Previous Poll Satisfaction Results
No Satisfaction Take This Job We Are Family It's a Celebration
March: 50% 43% 4% 3%
April: 79% 21% 0% 0%
Here are your poll results for May
You can hear the songs again by mousing the song title below.
Rolling Stones- 1965
"No Satisfaction" 65%
Johnny Paycheck- 1977
"Take this job and shove it" 27%
Sister Sledge- 1975
"We are Family" 5%
Kool and Gang- 1978
"It's a Celebration" 3%
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| Have the results above improved since our May Agent's Poll? You tell us.
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| Pulse of the Agents: June Agent Satisfaction POLL |
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Do you have a poll question we can ask the agents? Let us know by email
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How about Farmers Oklahoma?
This Farmers press release was created and distributed within a few hours
of the May 10 OKC area tornados and related storms
Farmers Insurance Claims Teams
Helping Oklahoma Storm Victims
Press Release
Source: Farmers Insurance Group of Companies
On Monday May 10, 2010, 11:37 pm EDT
The state office and HP is to be commended for their quick action to the agency force with email updates on the catastrophe. In contrast to the two day delay with the Dec. 2007 ice storm, there just is no comparison. Way to go Farmers! That is a excellent step in the right direction. Now, if they
could only improve the agency morale -ed
The Farmers Mobile
Operations Command Center (MOCC) will be in Tulsa tomorrow Friday May 14
from 11-3 as it
makes a
short stop on its way From Oklahoma City back to KC. State executive
director, John Lucido,
made
arrangements for the bus to make a stop here if any insureds
want to
file claims there and/or if any agents would like to check it out. The
bus will
be located near to the major damage at:
1515 E 71st St in Tulsa.
Did your DM forward you an invitation to visit the MOCC Bus while it was in OKC or Tulsa?
Pulse of the Agents POLL Video of May 10, 2010 tornado near town of Wakita, Oklahoma featured in the 1996 blockbuster film "Twister" starring Helen
Hunt and Bill Paxton in which Wakita was destroyed by an F4
tornado
that was part of a storm system later spawning an F5
tornado.
Hailstones from May 10 OKC storm. Golf ball- 1.75" Tennis Ball 2.50" Baseball- 2.75" Softball 4.50" -not pictured
 | OKC: One of many Okla tornados on 5/10/2010. OKC hit with Softball size hail on Sun. 5/16/2010
 | Roofs and structures damaged by fierce winds at 5AM on May 13th in Tulsa
 | 80 to 100 mph straight winds take out hundreds of trees in a 4x7 mile area of Tulsa
 | |
 The Bloodletting continues... 
FA2, the Big Screw?
"CAPS" The BIG lie
causing more bloodletting
Dear Okla Voice,
After speaking with ServicePoint and Dean in the state office, my secretary has figured out part of the cap problem. They all
blow BS at you with this: The cap is after increases on the policy such as
accidents charges, loss of home discount, etc.
They say the cap is over the current
(would be legacy renewal).
Fine. Dean (state office) says the cap is in addition to the increase from loosing YES discount, Ultra Preferred and any other discount that
would renew on legacy, but isn't on FA-2. This is contrary to what we
read in training & what we heard in BIG meeting. But, then, they said, It appears the wrong data may be fed into one of the columns, stay
tuned for changes to the FA2 landing page for and updated renewal
guide. You should also review the Paid-In-Full discount within the
renewal guide, as it will explain the majority of renewals that range
over 4% but under 10%.
What the does that mean, Dean? Well, it means several things. Farmers cannot get it right no matter how hard they try, It's just more of the same confusion and agency PIF run-off and, get this, those over 10% increase may be including the paid in full disc on their billing? What does that mean? Let's see, hike the rate, then hike the rate on those "tracked" that take advantage of the Paid-N-Full discount? er, ah, er, simply, MORE PIF BLEEDING
COMING coming down the pike over the next series of renewals. Good-by, mom, sis, bro, friends, neighbors, businesses and granny. You have been my most loyal business customers- about have only ones I have left. It must be the Farmers Way. Okie Agent
This week we quote a liability policy on a 17 year old male with 2 negligent accidents and no other business in the household and for 50/100/50 liability only and his rate is $716.
A few days earlier, we quote a female 16 year old new driver with clean record and Good student discount, multi car living with parents with a clean records. All vehicles have 50/100/50. To add daughter and third car cost the household $1,150 on their so-called blended rates among all household auto policies. What is going on with the rating system? That client with 3 cars is now gone to competition. Thanks Again, Farmers. Okie Agent.
Dear Okie Agents, I think we made that FA2 prediction an issue or
two ago based on their history. Get over it- It's now considered normal to-
"Confuse the agents with their brilliance and baffle them with, as you
said, with their BS." These episodes have continued so long, no one can
actually remember when they started. But I do- on my birthday- when they made
the $750/1500 H/O deductible available, that got screwed up in the process,
effective in 2003.
Along with that change came two rate increases then, a severe coverage A increase on
homes over 3,500 sq. ft. as the replacement cost updates had been overlooked on
that business segment for 7 YEARS! The deductible changes weren't effective on the normal 1st or 15th of the month. It was on
an odd day, like the 19th. That was, we discovered later, was the date the then
state director's H/O renewed, to help offset the Coverage A increase he received on his 4,000 sq ft home renewal. Haven't we said for years, "It's all about
them."
An Oregon Agent said it best recently, "When quotes are submitted, there must be someone throwing darts at a rate chart."
P.S. Okie Agents, you are not the only one to bring up this subject. The UFAA
Public Bulletin Board participants have written about similar subjects, intros,
promises, corporate quotes and killer fiascoes. Some are humorous to read. However, at the end,
you may discover, as I did, those are not tears of laughter, they may be tears
of real emotion. Click the link below. ed.
|
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Residential & Commercial
Edmond
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At Red River Roofing, our goal is to provide
you the proper information to make the best roofing decisions.
Should you have any additional concerns, questions, or comments, please
do not hesitate to contact either of our offices. |
Who gets the Blame? | Introduction: In a recent zone meeting
in the Colorado region the fire premium
rates were being discussed when a
DM
asked the fire zone manager why the fire
rates were so uncompetitive. The young
fire zone manager responded, "One of
the reasons the fire rates are
uncompetitive is because the agency
force is making too much money. If we
can shave one to two percent off the
commission side, we will be competitive
again."
UFAA RESPONSE TO- "ARE AGENTS PAID TOO MUCH?"
UFAA received
thousands of responses to the email that recently went out entitled:
"ARE AGENTS PAID TOO MUCH?" Unfortunately, these email responses
reinforced what we agents already know and that is that we are between a
rock and a hard place. Let me explain through what was a very typical
response from an agent. "Hi I am an agent who had 2,800 PIF five years
ago and I now have, 2,200 PIF. I must be one of the lucky ones
because I have only had a net PIF loss of 600 policies in the last five
years. I am doing FFR's, participating in all the soliciting
programs, but I just can't seem to make any forward progress anymore. I
know there are cycles in the insurance business, but geeze this has
been going on way too long."
That typical
response received from the agency force is problematic in many
respects. First and foremost it means that the agent has had zero
growth in five years and on top of that has lost 600 policies. 600
policies is approximately $60,000 income a year. Five years times
$60,000 equals a $300,000 net loss of income over five years. Did you
get what I just said? Not only did the agent have zero growth in five
years, he also lost $300,000.00. Better yet, take $60,000.00 times ten
years and that's a net $600,000.00 income loss to the agent that he
will never recoup.
So ask yourself,
"ARE AGENTS PAID TOO MUCH?"
Okay, we know there is a
serious problem, so what do we do? For too long too many of you have
set on the sidelines and buried your heads in the sand. It's time to
stand up and be counted as one voice. The stronger our voice, the
louder our voice and influence will be. Join UFAA and belong to an
association that exists solely for the agent's representation and
benefit.
Interesting fact,
two weeks ago FGI walked into 90 agent offices in the Houston area and
handed the agents termination letters, with no stated cause. There is
an unnamed source in the Home Office that states that before it's over,
somewhere around 450 out of approximately 875 agents in the
Houston/South Texas area will be terminated.
FYI, if you read
Techcrunch, May 13, 2010, you will see that RightSignature lands
Farmers Insurance as a client. Which in itself is not exciting news,
but it is important news because they are a digital signature services
company. Hmmm, very interesting development and UFAA wonders why
Farmers needs digital signature service ability for its 15,000,000
customers and have not announced it to the agency force. Anyone want to
venture a guess? Ladies and
Gentlemen, it's time to make a decision are you going to settle for
scraps or try to have a voice in the outcome of your livelihood?
"AGENT'S HELPING
AGENTSŪ" (FGI stands for Farmers Group Inc., the management company.)
Tom Schrader
President
United Farmers
Agents Association
END
===================================================================================================
Here's More Background on Houston as Told by Farmers
Editor's update: Farmers Appoints VP of Field Execution?
Here's more background info concerning Houston. This is a portion of Farmers Field Bulletin 10-0141 dated 2/22/10- Read it carefully and absorb it. "Several new Home Office and state office executive appointments have been announced in the last few months as we put the pieces in place to execute our Farmersfuture 2012 strategy. The changes position our top talent in roles of greater responsibility and take advantage of specific expertise.
Catastrophe mitigation has been a significant ongoing issue in the Houston area. To assist in mitigation efforts, we've decided to appoint a senior officer to oversee protecting the Exchanges, while simultaneously creating an environment in which agents can operate effectively. Senior Vice President Ron Coble will fill this new post. Ron's extensive experience in the states of Texas and Oklahoma, as well as his background in legislative, regulatory, compliance, risk management and media relations makes him an ideal candidate for this new role. Ron will continue to report to me, while working closely with Senior Vice President of the Southwestern Zone Roy Smith and the Texas team.
Driving Personal Lines productivity is a primary component in our overall growth strategy, and our Personal Lines Zone Managers (PLZMs) play a major role in that plan. With Ron's transition, our four PLZMs will now report directly to Mark Peterson, our vice president of field execution."
In addition to assisting our leadership team through management of our PLZMs, Mark will also work with Field Operations to drive the ongoing field adoption and advancement of MyFieldPoint. This is crucial tool in supporting our ongoing agency productivity efforts through quality interaction with our field leadership team. Mark will report directly to Senior Vice President of Agency Management Andy Reser.
Bulletin 10-0304 4/15/10- As a proud member company of Zurich Financial Services, we're fortunate
to have the opportunity to share talent between our two great
organizations. As such, I'm
pleased to announce the appointment of Ron Coble to the role of regional executive for
Zurich North America's South Central Region. In this new
position, Ron will have the opportunity to apply his 26 years of Farmers
experience to leading a strong group of area executives across the
states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas & Louisiana.
Bulletin 08-0910 12/18/09- As we continue to introduce new tools, products and resources, it has
become increasingly important to help our agents, district managers and
State Offices swiftly adopt those initiatives and translate them into
sales. To help facilitate this,
I'm pleased to announce that Ron
Coble, currently Senior
Vice President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs will be taking on a
Senior Vice President role in Field Operations working to drive these
initiatives.
============
Did you notice Coble was promoted 3 times over 4 months of Dec, 2009 Feb. & April 2010? So what do you do?
UFAA National Office
9785 Mackenzie #104
St. Louis, MO 63123 800-275-8668
Write "Oklahoma Voice" following your signature on the membership app for priority handling.
-editor
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Click logo above to obtain UFAA Membership App
 | Click logo above to view the UFAA Website
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If you wish to be excluded from future mailings please let us
know by emailing us at ufaa15@.gmail.com or by using the Unsubscribe feature at
the located within this document. Disclaimer - The Oklahoma Voice is published
twelve times per year for the United Farmers Agents Association, Chapter 15
Northeastern Oklahoma. The United Farmers Agents Association and the editor
neither assumes any responsibility for the accuracy of the articles or
advertisers, nor any liability arising from reliance upon them. The Oklahoma
Voice expresses it's appreciation to the many members who assist in and support
it's publication,. Opinions in the Oklahoma Voice do not necessarily express the
views of any single member or Chapter officer or UFAA organization. Products and
services advertised are not endorsed by this Chapter or United Farmers Agents
Association, Inc. Complaints or inquiries should be forwarded directly to the
advertiser. All purchases and services are at the complete discretion of the
consumer. Trademarks and/or logos are the respective products or trademarks of their respective
owners. |
 918-663-5848
Fire,
Water, Storm Damage & Other Perils
Full
Service Mitigation and
Reconstruction |
Pulse of the Agents Poll Results - May 2010
Based on bulletin 10-0205, did you see an
increase in fire PIF following the 2009 rate increases on H/O and LP
policies? (not incl assigned/500#)
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YES........................................................................................................................................ | |
| 9% | NO.......................................................................................................................................... | |
| 27% | NO, the rates caused a severe decline in H/O
&/or LP PIF............................................ | |
| 64% |
Do you agree that all background costs of
policy issuance or QUOTES including MVRs should be paid by FIG as their
cost of doing business?
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YES, leave agents out of the
MVR chg/credit scheme.......................................................................................................................... | |
| 96% | NO..................................................................................................................................
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| 4% |
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Bethel Collision Center in Broken ArrowBBB Rated A+
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Ok Lic #879 Click ad to access our website
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our goal is providing homeowners & small business owners with a wide
range of security options at an affordable price. |
ZIP LOCK BAGS-
Great Tip! Keeps Flies Away
Editor,
We
went with friends to Sweety Pies on Sunday for breakfast and sat in the
semi-enclosed patio section.
We happened to notice zip lock
baggies pinned to a post and a wall.
The bags were half filled with
water, each contained 4 pennies, and they were zipped shut.
Naturally
we were curious! Ms. Sweety told us that these baggies kept the flies
away! We actually watched some
flies come in the open window, stand around on the window sill, and
then fly out again. And,
there were no flies in the eating area! We tried it when we got home. I'm now a
believer!
ARkie Agent
Dear ARkie, Thanks for writing. I was okay with your article until you got to the part about 'standing' flies.
Dunno about Arkansas but, in Okieland they only fly, sit, bite, poop & land. Think about it. So, I had to check your story out on snopes.com, a website that verifies nonsense sounding tales.They report the results of zip bags are "undetermined" as some swear by it while others swear at it. Perhaps, it only works on certain breeds.
There are only six fly breeds in Oklahoma- Horse, Pesky, Poop, Picnic and Banana. I read it works well on the remaining breed of Wingless.
Must also work on Boa Constrictors, Elephants, Giraffes, Mountain Lions, and X-spouses. I haven't seen any of these [before] or since I drowned those pennies. But, flies are still a regular visitor. -ed
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Call for Board up Service 24/7
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Tulsa Broken Arrow
918/664-7904 918/258-7578 |
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Learn more about our advertisers as you or your clients may need their services in the future. Educate yourself so you can give your clients more detail about the services they offer.
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| By Kim Komando  |   I've used a BlackBerry
for a long time. But I'm switching to a new phone. I don't want to
leave my personal data on my BlackBerry. How can I erase it all?
- Jerold in St. Cloud, MN, listens on WJON 1240
AM
 It's becoming harder to keep track
of our personal information. It seems like this important data is
spread all over the place. Much of it is now stored on your cell phone.
You need to take care of it when switching phones. That data
is a treasure trove for identity thieves. Unfortunately, it isn't easy
to erase the data on most phones. And every phone has a different
procedure to follow. Click here to read this week's Killer Tip, on
my site. I'll help you erase the data on a cell phone, no matter the
make. I'll also help you dispose of an old phone the responsible way.
Oklahoma
Voice has reprint rights. Copyright 2008 WestStar TalkRadio Network.
Reprinted
with permission. No further
republication or redistribution is permitted without
the written consent
of WestStar TalkRadio Network. Visit Kim Komando and sign up
for her free e-mail newsletters www.komando.com
|
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|
 Greetings!
Okla. MVRS to Jump from $10
to $25
"So, what that means is that
driver records will be going from $10 to
$25 by July 1, 2010, or possibly even sooner, if the House votes to
approve an emergency clause on this bill. The Senate already voted on
this bill this morning and passed it and the emergency clause out by
a vote of 41 to 5. The House could be hearing the bill now."
Kim Decker,
Oklahoma Farmers Lobbyist. Well, that's not the total end-user price. You can add a 23% vendor markup to the headline price or $30.75 per driver. That's nearly a $100 cost to the agent to be forced to obtain MVRs at your expense for three drivers on two cars. If the sale somehow goes awry, you could be out nearly a $100 bucks. If you sell the business, get this, you make $16.00 new business commission (2x$8) allegedly to compensate you for your costs to obtain and process a new policy. Then, you are hit on your folio for a $92.25 expense. I know, this is not Farmers hiking the MVR cost but, I really wonder just how vocal (our or their) lobbyist became on the issue as Farmers must pay the MVR bill. But, it's just a pass-thru from them to you without your permission or recourse.
Wait, doesn't an independent contractor have to pre-approve any and all deductions from a folio payment? They sure make you authorize folio deductions on selected benefits and marketing programs. Right? I do not remember authorizing deductions for MVR costs, do you? Let's find out in our confidential ten second Pulse of the Agents Poll. -ed
Pulse of the Agents Poll |
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You Have Been Forewarned! Oklahoma Voice,
Forwarded
message is attached from a sharp agent in our area.
This e-mail message and any
documents accompanying this transmission may contain confidential
information
and are intended solely for the addressee(s) named above. If you are not
the
intended addressee/recipient, any use of, disclosure, copying,
distribution, or
reliance on the contents of this e-mail information is strictly
prohibited.
Please reply to the sender advising of the error in transmission and
immediately
delete/destroy the message and any accompanying documents.
Farmers
Group,
Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including Farmers Financial
Solutions,
LLC, reserve the right to monitor and review the content of all e-mail
communications and attachments sent or received by or from this address
and to
retain them in accordance with the applicable regulatory
requirements.
Please consider using a private email address when corresponding
about non
Farmers business. Organian Agent
UFAA Members receive a free email address with their membership.
|
 The Next Generation- Farmers Agent Production Data Center
In an effort to increase the
functionality of our agent's productivity, we are rolling out phase 1
of our Farmers Productivity Officeware. It increases functionality and allows potty breaks without leaving your desk.
Your DM will provide you with more info on the required electrical and plumbing pre-planning on this required office decor in the weeks ahead.
This was sent in by an agent as a funny. We hope it's not coming down the pike. But, who knows, these days as, one agent stated, "Seems Independent contractor's jobs are turning into uncompensated slavery." -ed
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Double Pinocchio Awards for June 2010
Sent: May 12,
2010 1:41 PM
Subject: Life Insurance and
Assigned Policies
Dear Agent ????
You are
one of several agents
receiving this e-mail. It
indicates you have between
101 and 1803 polices in your
500# code and you issued and
paid less than 15 life
policies last year and/or
are not on track to issue
and pay 15 this year (1.25
per month).
The
expectation is, for the
opportunity to work those
households, and grow
business (including life
policies) for your agency,
the District and L A Market,
you received service
commissions. There is no
entitlement to continue keep
the policies and assignment
of them is still at the
discretion of the District.
FTAs have no production
quotas and is a huge
advantage to your Farmers
contract. However the
District has assigned quotas
and needs you supporting the
efforts of the Company.*
The District
is to produce
15 life policies per agent
this year and is asking you
to meet your 15 by the end
of the year. So, you are
required to issue and pay 7
life policies (C I riders
count) by June 30, 2010 or
75 [500#] policies will be
reassigned to another
agent. Each month after you
are to I & P 2 more or
another 50 will be
reassigned. This will
continue until you reach the
15 and/or the 500# polices
are exhausted.
This is not
personal,
vindictive nor an
unreasonable request.
Future policy assignments
will put more weight on
consistent life production.**
Farmers
Insurance
Doug Clagg, DM
POB 30549
Santa Barbara 93130
805.934.1300
================================================================================
From: dgivens@farmersagent.com
To: XXXX
Sent: 4/14/2010
Subj: Life Production
XXXX,
Going through my reports I
noticed that you are at 0
IP'd for the year. I cannot
continue letting agents
write 0 life policies for
the year, it affects my
overall numbers and it is my
job to keep our production
up. You are too good of an
agent to not be writing life
insurance, and if you need
help please let me know. I
am going to be following up
with you on a monthly basis
if this continues, and will
ask of you an explanation
each month to put into your
agent file.*** Thanks,
Dylan Givens
District Manager,
Farmers Insurance
8305 SE Monterey Ave, Ste
110
Portland, Or 97086
(503) 885-9293 ph.
(503) 595-8775 fax
1.*DM Clagg may have crossed the Federal determination line between Employee and Independent Contractor relationship.
2.** In Oklahoma, Clagg would appear to violate the Oklahoma Agent Discrimination Law providing a $500 fine or 6 months in jail or both said fine and slammer time.
3.*** DM Givins through intimidation may also violate the definition listed above in #1 -ed
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Greetings!
When will you & the Agency Force Learn to just say "Hell NO"!
It is a kno wn FACT: "Your silence is your approval", regardless of your opinion. Believe me, Farmers knows it while taking great advantage of it. Seems scores of field bulletins come down monthly from the Ivory Tower changing this or that or what really shakes my bones, is when they insert the words, to be Acceptable, Must, Required, Will, Shall, Expectations and a few others. You know what I mean.
Take the Acceptable Maintenance & Conditions Expectations (ACME), and the RCP 360, for example. Both of these items cannot be completed by agents unless you are a licensed home inspector, or have licensing in plumbing, electrical, roofing and construction. That is just the law in most all states. And, it's also in your Agent Appointment Agreement (AAA) with Farmers that includes a clause for termination for misrepresentation. But, the agent's with their "silence being their approval" are now saddled with these obligations. "Well, underwriting will not approve or issue my policy if I fail to complete these obligations," comes your response. That's true for you and others But, it's not true for the agency force at-large.
You spend hours on travel, photos, vigorous inspecting of a property and then you or staff must input the information gathered and/or upload to the image center. But, you are doing the job of a licensed professional WITHOUT COMPENSATION. Farmers loves you for it or, should I say expects that of you, as it saves them millions of dollars annually as they do not have to hire professional home inspector to do it. Besides, they send out one of their contracting companies to re-inspect what you just inspected a few days earlier. Are they licensed? They damn sure pay him or her for their services but, likely not much when they are the low bidder on a contract. But, the agents' operations costs are multiplied for inspections while compensation is withheld. Is that fair?
Oh, Hell NO it's not. It's time for the current Farmers Agent Employee to become what the Farmer's AAA contractually states what you are- an independent contractor just like all the licensed trades named above. We sell insurance, not volunteer labor as freelance property inspectors. When the structure you inspected burns to the ground or blown off the face of the earth by a weather event and there is an involved quibble over the amount of the claim, guess who will be in court?
How will you answer those courtroom licensing questions on your expertise of the various trades of plumbing, electrical, etc., asked by the grillling plaintiff's attorney? Farmer's defense attorney could also be grilling you with similar questions in court while trying to shift the blame from their claims costs to your professional E&O liability. It likely does not even have to go to court because Farmers could just blame your inspection information as faulty or intentional misrepresentation at the outset. Then simply, file a claim against your Farmers E&O and it be paid, if covered, perhaps without even your knowledge or approval.
It's time for true independent
contractors to stand up and be counted.
The silent majority does not always win. But, you say, "They won't listen to me." And, that is true, however, they will listen to many but, as you will have to join forces with a large number of other Farmers Agents in order to change the current imbalance. You can form your own group and work hard to expand it state-wide or even territory-wide. Unfortunately, it will take years to do it, perhaps decades.
The United Farmers Agents Association (UFAA) is already formed in most of our operating states that nearly includes the entire operating territory. Within the group you have the experience, longevity of the thousands of members who have had the inside scoop on information for years and benefited xx fold over and above the cost of annual dues. Those dues, I might add, are one of the lowest in the insurance industry to be part of an independent insurance association. And, get this- Hundreds of our UFAA members and limited members have changed their Farmers E&O insurance that Farmers nearly totally controls. It was changed to a large A+ rated company that you have control over your covered claim destiny. You will be advised if a covered claim will be paid and You must approve the Professional Liability Insurance Company's payment. E&O is no longer smoke and mirrors
for many UFAA members.
With numbers we can all stand up and shout "Hell No", "we won't play your highly profitable games at our expense. We don't work free or volunteer our time as freelance unlicensed inspectors with a severe lack of knowledge of what we are inspecting." You might impress your insured but, you won't impress a jury when the industry experts testify against you. In addition, most of you have lost control over your business. Rates, renewals, changes, just get spit out of a computer and DIRECT mailed to our client. You have no way to stop errors, problems and those soon-to-be PO'd phone calls that you know are coming. You have burnt all your excuses to clients, your credibility is being questioned. Many of your really dedicated clients are on the brink of jumping ship or already have. You have already lost a quarter, third, half or more of your agency. Just when are you going to wake up? And, when you do, where will it be? Living under a bridge?
Your mortgage may be in the toilet or close to going into default. Perhaps your car is close or has been repo'd. Your pulling out retirement, college or emergency savings dollars to pay expenses both business and/or personal. You are downsizing on cars and your home.Your Robbing Peter to pay Paul. It's not a pretty picture and you sit there and read those field bulletins and now you and staff (if you still have any of them) have to do even more! How did this happen?
The answer is simple- your silence is golden to Farmers. They pile more on the agents and the agents are silent and continue to accept it. When you wake up in the morning ask yourself, " Are you an employee or an independent contractor? Do I plan to go to the office today and get hit with more bulletins that contain verbage such as- Effective Immediately, your are REQUIRED to ... The more silent you are, the more requirements Farmers knows you will accept. Not happily, of course, but after a few weeks, you have blended it into your operation. Why? Because you are an employee. Admit it.
All the hoopla, and DM promises made a few months, years or decades ago either have materialized and have began to or nearly vanished or just have never materialized for newer agents. What do you do or where do you go? Here's a hint....
It's time for the agency force to just say "Hell yes, I am an Independent contractor, as promised, not an employee!" |
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^Farmers Agents^ ^ Farmers Inc.^
Still Hanging on Flush with Profits
Justice swings to those who are allowed to make the rules! Who allowed this to happen?
 | Oklahoma Voice looks back to.. "Destination Greatness 2010"
Above
Farmers campaign was initiated on
Jan 08, 2007 followed not long after with
"Farmers Future 2010"
INTRODUCTION:
Executive
Appointments statement: April 2007
"Farmers
future 2010 vision calls for
excellence in many areas to
achieve market leadership and that includes developing the best
leadership team
in the business. We have that in place today, but like any great team,
it's important that we make changes that recognize and reward
individuals as the
demands of the business increase and the role that they play in our
future
becomes even greater. [Bonuses, perhaps?] As such, we
are pleased to announce several executive appointments, effective
April 1st..."
The question is- Did Destination to Greatness really ever include the "Family" of the agency force? Here's one agent's view on that issue...-ed
Dear Oklahoma Voice,
With all
the hoopla Farmers put out in the introductions of Destination to Greatness
2010, I thought certain Farmers was having a change of heart and finally going to allow the "Family" to get back into a
meaningful business. Looking back, it did not happen, at least from my point of
view. The Oklahoma Voice Agent No Satisfaction Polls in your March and April
really opened my eyes on this issue and hit home with my agency staff and my
real family. I thought I was just felling sorry for my agency failures but, the No Satisfaction Polls increasing from 93 to 100% told me I was not the only agent dissatisfied with management.
We saw many changes during the years to Farmers Future 2010. Unfortunately, it
did not include me and likely excluded the Oklahoma Agency force as a whole.
Seemingly, all they did was keep us both busy and blind by putting out client fires, trying to satisfy
their needs, rates, claims and coverage. Scores of field bulletins kept restricting
our powers of client satisfaction until finally management just turned off
agent satisfaction switch through Service Point and exceptions to the old and
newer rules just vanished. And, so did our clients at even a faster pace than
before. Oklahoma PIF deteriorated fast and furious during this trek to so-called greatness
down to a low of 262,254 households in June of `09. Strangely, that is the
current number on the Customer Matrix on Dashboard, today. Are they continuing to hide the newest lower numbers?
All the while, Farmers was continuing their own agenda to greatness by purchasing another independent company called Bristol-West to combine with Independent Foremost. Then, they purchased 21st Century last year, another independent company with a strong direct channel. For the Farmers Agents, they just kept hiking the rates on our bread and butter income of homes and autos successfully running them to competing companies. The 21st Century media ads are everywhere, even soliciting your Farmers Clients. And, they will take them, right from the Farmers Family. Call them, they will quote and write you as an agent too.
In the May issue of the Oklahoma Voice, you saw the press release of an article from the state
office where Lucido stated we had 503 agents. Dividing that in to our PIF makes
the average agency with 521 policies or a contract value in the neighborhood of
$50k. That is certainly close for my agency PIF that is down to less than half since the
beginning of the decade. I conclude, that Farmers is just not running off Farmers clients but, Farmers Agents and DMs as well. They are heavily concentrating on the independent and direct channels as it must be a less costly way to do business and highly profitable for them including more bonuses at the top. Why would they need all the staff overhead of zone management, state offices, DMMs & DMs?
With my PIF, and commissions down while costs of
doing business, inflation and folio deductions for Farmers Group Aetna
Medical Insurance up 500% over 7 years, it's difficult for me to be
positive. Yeah, my Aetna deductions are now 50% of gross. There are
months I have to pull money from my retirement savings to get by.
Speaking of that, I just received my annual retirement statement from
Social Security showing my SS retirement DOWN another $300 per MONTH at
age 65. That's yet another future loss of $3,600 a year.
Conclusion: Perfect job
Farmers and what an injustice!
I can't afford to stay in business and can't afford to retire. I have to have that medical insurance as I am now on heart medication from business stress and uninsurable without Aetna. Will Obama change that? I think he's just like Farmers- I have swallowed enough of both of them while the promise of what I thought was Family & Agent Greatness in 2010 was non-existent. It was just another round of more corporate propaganda. But, that was not a corporate failure, as it was just expanded to 2012. Likely without me and hundreds of you. Okie Agent.
Okie Agent, Excellent points. I have no comment other than agents must read the following article you provided to the Oklahoma Voice and "Agents Helping Agents."
Sense of injustice causes heart
disease
A team of researchers from Univ. College London Epidemiology & Public
Health have shown that people who feel they are treated unfairly are at
heightened risk of experiencing heart problems. 5726 men and 2572 women from 20 civil service departments
in London participated in the research as part of the long-term
Whitehall II study.
The
findings, published in the current issue of the 'Journal of Epidemiology
& Community Health', show that repeated experiences of injustice in
different areas of life - family, the workplace or society in general -
may produce negative stress-related reactions that, in the long term,
increase the risk of a heart attack.
The participants were asked to score their responses to the
statement: "I often have the feeling that I am being treated unfairly"
on a scale of one to six, with one being 'strongly disagree' and six
being 'strongly agree'. Their mental and physical health was tracked for an average
of 11 years, using validated health and quality-of-life surveys and
data on ill health and death.
During the monitoring period, there were 528 new cases of
fatal and non-fatal heart attack and angina in people who had had no
signs of heart disease when the study began.
Just under 3,000 people felt they were unfairly treated,
and when all the figures were adjusted to take account of traditional
coronary risk factors, gender, age, socioeconomic position, chronic work
stress and unfair treatment at work the results showed that a
heightened sense of injustice directly corresponded to risk of a heart
attack or angina.
People who scored five or six were 55 per cent more likely
to have serious heart disease as those who did not feel they were
unfairly treated and twice as likely to have it as those who scored one
or two. Participants in lower socioeconomic positions and women were
more likely to be exposed to everyday acts of injustice.
Lead author Dr Roberto De Vogli (UCL Epidemiology &
Public Health) commented: "Although people may consider fair what is
unfair and visa versa according to some subjective expectations,
adjustment for a personality characteristic such as hostility did not
reduce the effect of unfairness on heart disease. I understand that this
is a long shot, but the key message is that we must try to promote
fairness in society."
author: Dr. Roberto De Vogli
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Check out the UFAA  Chapter 15 Home Page
with more Farmers, industry news, lots of member benefit information, newsletter archives and breaking news too late to publish above.
Chapter 15 HOME PAGE Link Have you missed past issues of the Okla. Voice? If you missed past issues, you can access them on our home page link above.
Hot articles on our Chapter 15 home page link
above.Well it has finally happened! Farmers Group Incorporated
(Management Company-Home Office) admitted the second week of March 2010
that they are actively blocking emails to the agency force as they see
fit. ^ This article and more on the home page link above. ^
The Oklahoma Voice is seeking some "good news" to print. Does anyone have an article of interest for the agency force? Contact the editor
Have you joined UFAA yet?
We just can't make it much easier. Just mouse the logo above to obtain the membership application. Fill it out; attached a check and mail or use the bank card option and fax it to 1-314-631-7963. United we stand. Divided we fall. |
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