UFAA Header - wide
   Having trouble viewing this email, active links or waving flag below? Mouse  "click here" at the top of this newsletter to view all graphics, images and text as a web page.
OKLAHOMA
         Oklahoma Waving Flag  
 VOICE
December 2011  
 Published monthly by United Farmers Agents Association, aka UFAA, Chapter 15
Eastern Oklahoma. The chapter now meets the first Thursday of each month. 
Next Chapter 15 Member Meeting will be THURSDAY, December 1st 11:30 AM




 
We have mooved3Lone Star Steakhouse
                                          101 E Albany St. Broken Arrow  
Effective Dec 1st
  Chapter 15 Meetings will move to the
more elegant LONE STAR STEAKHOUSE (this is right off the B/A Expressway just past entrances to BASS PRO).  MAP   Chapter 15 Meetings will change from the first Wednesday to the FIRST THURSDAY of the month beginning Dec 1st.    
Non-members welcome

First Ammendment                                                         
The U.S. Constitution Reserves the Rights of Citizens to peacefully 1) parade and gather or 2) demonstrate support or opposition of public policy or 3) express one's views is guaranteed by the freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble.
First ammendment2

REMINDER TO: Okla. State & District Offices
The first Wednesday of each month has been dedicated by Oklahoma UFAA Chapters 12 & 15 for the last 16 years as OUR day to peacefully assemble and meet. Not even Congress can prohibit such peaceful actions.

Due to restaurant meeting space availability we must change our meeting day to the First Thursday of the Month. We would ask that State and DM meetings not be held on the first Thursday of any month between the hours of 11AM and 2PM to avoid conflict of this law.  Thanks in advance. -ed

 

Mission Statement 
ufaa logo 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 UFAA's newly updated website

                                                                Agents Helping Agents.new                       

 Oklahoma UFAA Contacts:    

UFAA Chapter 15 serving Eastern Oklahoma   

President- Glenn Johnson 918/252-0561  

UFAA Chapter 12 serving Central-Western Oklahoma:   

President- Tony Reese 580/355-1335 - Lawton  

United Farmers Agents Assn. National Office 800-275-8668
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  

 
Agents Helping Agents.new

Learn more about our advertisers in this issue. Ads are hot links to their websites.

 

          Only a Few Days Left to Register by November 30th!              
          Members Only

Chapter 15 2011 Christmas Party Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon


Who:
Chapter 15 Members* & spouse or guest

What: The Chapter 15  2011 Christmas Party

When: Saturday, December 3rd  6 PM

Where: Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon 101 E Albany in Broken Arrow, Ok.

See map and driving directions   

Why?: It's our annual get-to-gather for camaraderie, conversation & gift exchange  

How will it work?

All Chapter 15 Members* receive a Lone Star Gift Card upon arrival. 

Affiliate or Associate Member only: $15 gift card card. With guest: $25 card. (Max card value $25)

Regular Member only: $25 gift card. With guest: $50 card.  (Max card value $50

Other: Gift Exchange: EACH person attending is to bring a $15-$20 wrapped gift. 

New: Live entertainer, Gains Kelly (see article below) has been booked for the party and we have expanded the value of the door prize drawings to $200. 

 Reservations Required
4balls flashing (attention0

 R.S.V.P Deadline:  Wednesday, November 30th   

If you HAVE NOT already registered by email to Mike Glass, members may register for this event electronically by completing this short Registration Form 

 

For other party questions, contact Mike Glass by preferred email at [email protected] or

918-663-5314.             [*Limited E&O Members are not considered members of any local UFAA Chapter.]                      

 

 
Comedian Gains Kelly
Comedian Gains Kelly
new1flashing
2011 Christmas Party Entertainer   

 

 We have invited Comedian Gains Kelly to join us for dinner and entertain us at the 2011 UFAA Chapter 15 Christmas Party on Dec 3rd. Gains lives in Broken Arrow. -ed  

 

 Gains is a good 'ol boy sometimes called a redneck from a really small town in Oklahoma, which is where the roots of his blue-collar style of comedy come from. This redneck has a likeable delivery and easy to listen to style paced for lots of BIG laughs. Topics range from divorce and family, friends, dating fluffy girls, the homeless, and a really unfortunate demise of a pony. Audiences, young and old alike, enjoy and relate to his material.   

View our videos on YouTube   

Gains has been on the road for the last five years and is working clubs, bars, VFW's and Elks Lodges from coast to coast. He was a finalist in the Gulf South Comedy Challenge in New Orleans in the Fall of 2009. In the Spring of 2009 he was invited to participate in Yuk Yuk's Great Canadian Laugh Off in Toronto Canada making him an International Comedian. Gains is also part of the Branson Comedy All-stars, which is a non-profit organization raising money for abused children and other charities.  

Paul Davis voice ad wide
 







918-663-5848

Fire, Water, Storm Damage & Other Perils 
Full Service Mitigation and Reconstruction
          www.pdrestoration.com/tulsa
Board up Service             06/12
10344-B East 58th St Tulsa, OK 74146
Elections logo
Notice of Chapter 15 Elections at Dec 1st Meeting

Lunch starts at 11:30 and Meeting begins at Noon at the Lone Star Steakhouse
 View Menu  Driving Directions: Exit Broken Arrow Expressway at 161st East Ave (Elm PL). Go North to light. Turn East On 61st St (Albany) and go past entrances to Bass Pro shop and Lone
Lone Star Welcomes UFAA Chapter 15
Lone Star Welcomes UFAA Chapter 15
Star is on your right.

Chapter 15 Elections
The UFAA Chapter 15 Nominating Committee announced the
following Chapter 15 candidate officers for 2012:
President: Glenn Johnson
Past President: Mike Ward
V. President: Mike Gately
Secretary: Drinda Collins
Treasurer: Terry Wilson
Nominations are open from now and during the meeting up to time a vote is taken. If you would like to nominate yourself or another Chapter 15 member (with their permission) you may do so by email to [email protected]. Also, nominations will be taken from the floor at the meeting.
Those nominated must attend the meeting. You're encouraged to attend this annual election meeting to become involved and cast your vote. 
 Email nominations deadline is Noon Nov 30 2011. 

 

OR, if you cannot attend the election- You may vote now now by Absentee Ballot to elect by acclimation the members nominated by Nominations Committee listed above, or place your vote by proxy assigning your vote to the Nominations Committee in the event others are nominated by email or from the floor.  The online Absentee ballot voting must be completed by Noon Nov 30, 2011.      

CHAPTER 15 MEMBERS ONLY > 4balls flashing (attention0Chapter 15 Absentee Voting Ballot

Ballots returned that do not agree with the Chapter 15 membership email list on file as of Nov 30, 2011, will not be counted. Nor, will ballot vote count by member who attends & votes at Dec 1st meeting.      

 Greetings!     
#3
Okla. State University 52-45
         Earth-Shaking Win Over #17 Kansas State
 
quake shake Map Okla 11.05.11aQuake Makes Oklahomans
Forget about Tornadoes
quake smiley graphic






 Just moments following the Oklahoma State University win in a close game over Kansas State on Saturday Night Nov. 5th, the ground shook across the state at 10:53 PM.


Oklahomans had just experienced the strongest earthquake ever recorded that registered a 5.6 wiping out the previous Oklahoma record 5.0 quake of April 19, 1952. Just 21 hours earlier, the state had experienced a 4.7 quake at about 2 AM. Saturday.

The shaker map shows the several states reporting ground movement from the 5.6 quake from the epicenter near Sparks, Okla. on Nov. 5th. Sparks is located about 65 miles west of Tulsa and about 45 miles east of Okla City. Sparks is just 39 miles SSE of Stillwater, Okla., the home of the OSU Cowboys where the OSU - K-State game was played. No injuries were reported by those leaving the stadium.

Oklahoma typically has about 50 weak earthquakes a year, and 57 tornadoes, but a burst of stronger quakes east of Oklahoma City has contributed to a sharp increase. Researchers said 1,047 quakes shook Oklahoma last year, prompting them to install seismographs in the area. The reason for the increase isn't known, and there was no immediate explanation for the weekend spurt in seismic activity.                    
What a Sales Opportunity- Thanks OSU!
As you know, flood insurance is very difficult to sell unless the mortgage company demands it. Earthquake endorsements have been near impossible to sell because no one believes it will happen here. That's all changed as of November 5th, thanks to the earth-shaking OSU win over K-State. Contact your clients now and talk about quake insurance- the timing is now ripe.

An E&O claim for not making such coverage available is not smart. However, you will likely have to watch for any no binding restrictions as a result of subsequent quakes that will surely appear on dashboard. -ed
 
Property Section page 31 June 15, 2009 (Be glad this Und. Rule has been suspended per Oklahoma State Office or 45% of the state would have remained under a no bind rule for 2 months within 100 miles of the quake epicenter. Thanks State Office!)
Binding Authority is also automatically suspended at the time of a disaster that occurs without prior warning such as riot, civil commotion or earthquake.
After a reported earthquake of 4.0 or greater magnitude, DO NOT BIND or INCREASE any earthquake coverage to be effective within 60 days after the earthquake at any location within a 100 mile radius of the earthquake epicenter.
After any other disaster event, binding authority is restored when notification is received from the regional office. The suspension of Binding Authority applies to all transactions, including New Business, Reinstatements, Increased Coverage and Additional Coverage. Always recognize your underwriting responsibility by not binding a risk where insurance is being purchased through fear of loss due to any increase in normal hazard from any source.

Enagic Product
Attention: KAGEN WATER LOVERS

Through Dec 15th, I'm offering large referral fees for these wonderful Enagic Electrolysis Machines:

 

SD 501 (7 plates) $3980 = ref fee  $1300

 

Leveluk Jr 11 (3 plates) $2380 = ref fee $800

 water pic

Sunus (3 plates) $1280 = ref fee $250

 

Call Glenn Johnson 918 519 9077     

For more info on Enagic & these machines go to this link   

 

07/12 

Farmers Complaints Texas 2011
      Farmers Insurance leads in Texas
 consumer claim complaints
By Purva Patel, Houston Chronicle
Published 11:11 p.m., Friday, November 4, 2011

 

Farmers Insurance has received more complaints about its handling of homeowner claims than any other insurer in Texas, state records compiled by a watchdog group show.

     Farmers, whose various Texas units combine to make it the state's third-largest insurer, received 207 complaints from Oct. 1, 2010, to Sept. 30, 2011, according to Austin-based Texas Watch, which obtained complaint data from state regulators.

      That compares with 198 against State Farm, which has the largest market share in Texas, and 159 against Allstate, the second-largest home insurance company in the state.

Click here for Farmers response on their 207 complaints. 

 

You might note the Texas Insurance Industry listed complaint percentages is below their market share percentage, except Farmers.  -ed  

 

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 00:00  the latest Class Action Settlement News!

Farmers Insurance UM/UIM Stacking Class Action Lawsuit

By Mike Holter    

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 
Farmers InsuranceFarmers Insurance is in trouble, once again, for allegedly denying claims to people injured in auto accidents. Just one month after we reported Farmers had reached a class action lawsuit settlement for failing to pay medical expenses relating to automobile accidents covered under Med-pay and PIP, the company has been hit with another class action lawsuit for failing to cover auto accident claims under an invalid "anti-stacking provision."

According to the Farmers Insurance anti-stacking class action lawsuit, filed in Nevada District Court, Farmers Insurance unlawfully denies claims filed by subscribers who try to "stack" Underinsured/Uninsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. "Stacking" UM/UIM coverage allows subscribers to increase their coverage limits by insuring multiple cars.

Under Nevada law, car insurance subscribers are entitled to stack UM/UIM coverage if they, or their household and family members, pay full premiums for multiple insured cars.

"Farmers has a business pattern and practice of not providing its insureds with an anti-stacking discount in violation of Nevada law and unlawfully denies its insureds' claims for stackable UM/UIM benefits...[despite] charging full UM/UIM premiums on multiple vehicles owned by its insureds," the Farmers Insurance stacking class action lawsuit says. "Such conduct constitutes an intentional and blatant violation of, among other things, [Nevada law.]"

The Farmers Insurance anti-stacking class action lawsuit is brought on behalf of all Nevada residents who (1) were occupants of a motor vehicle insured by Farmers under a personal auto insurance policy; (2) were injured in a motor vehicle accident due to no fault of their own; and (3) who were, between September 8, 2005 to the present, denied stackable UM/UIM benefits under an invalid anti-stacking provision in a Farmers auto policy.

The lawsuit is seeking class action certification, compensatory damages, special damages, punitive damages and more.

A copy of the Farmers Insurance UM/UIM Stacking Class Action Lawsuit can be read here.
 
The case is Nayanananda Ratnayake v. Farmers Insurance Exchange d/b/a Farmers, Case No. A-11-648013-CX, District Court, Clark County, Nevada.

Another Class Action settled in Oklahoma-
 Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Case(s):  In Re: Farmers Insurance Co., Inc. FCRA Litigation, Case No. CIV-03-158-F, MDL No. 1564, U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma.
Join UFAA Now
Click logo above to obtain UFAA Membership App
 
Agents Helping Agents.new

Click logo above to view the UFAA Website  



 

If you wish to
be excluded from future mailings please let us know by emailing us at [email protected] 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 its appreciation to the many members who assist in and support its 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.

J D POWER 2011 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study

In 2009, Farmers ranked 841 points with an industry average of 842
In 2010, Farmers ranked 820 points with an industry average of 837
In 2011, Farmers ranked 804 points with an industry average of 846
Between 2010 & 2011,  the industry average improved 9 points while Farmers lost 16 points. 21st Century, on the other hand, lost 10 points while the industry average improved by 9 points.

Inquiring Agent Minds want to know just what is wrong with this ranking picture? 

The Oklahoma Voice published an article in the Oct. 2010 issue about a lady who expressed her grief on the Public Internet concerning Farmers Claims procedures. Could this be the cause of customer dissatisfaction with HelpPoint services? You be  the judge. -ed    

2011 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study

In 2009 and 2010 21st Century ranked last or near last with 781 points falling to dead last in the J D Power 2011 rankings with 771 points.

Yee..Haw!  Tell us again, as we love to hear it.  

"It's a great time to be a Farmers Agent!"


How many Claims Adjusters does it take to change a light bulb?  Okla Voice Oct.. 2010
The above title was an industry joke that went around in the 1970's on the process of insurance claims handling. The punch line is- It takes 5 adjusters- one on the ladder to hold the bulb and 4 adjusters to turn the ladder to unscrew it. Back then, a claim was split among adjusters, each handling liability, medical, material damage, uninsured motorist and subrogation.
     After 35 years, and tens of millions spent on the latest highly automated claims processes, the question remains. Has the claims process really improved? Not, according to this woman's well written experience -ed
 Internet Posting Summer 2010: Once upon a time, before being rear-ended by a Sonnet and getting whiplash, I had never heard the phrase: "You can't receive treatment and be paid for it too." And the only thing I knew about Farmers Insurance was the check I wrote them every month [as an auto policyholder].

 

"What do you mean I have to pay Farmers back for any medical bills they pay?" I said frustrated to James, the latest Farmers Insurance adjustor assigned to my medical claim.  
"Well, you can't receive treatment and be paid for it too." James stated as if I understood what he was talking about.
"I don't understand." I said confused.
"Farmers is putting a lien on your medical settlement payment, you have to pay Farmers back any money it pays out on your medical bills." James snidely replied.
"What the hell are insurance premiums for?" I asked annoyed.
"I don't understand." James said as if no one had asked him that question before.
"Well the reason you buy an insurance policy and pay insurance premiums is so that when you have a claim the insurance company will pay for the damages." I explained as if this was new information.
"Yes, I understand that concept, but in California you can't receive treatment and be paid for it too." He explained.
"Then why the hell do I have insurance if I have to pay the insurance company back for my medical treatment out of my settlement?" I angrily asked.
"I know it's frustrating but that's how it works in California." James placated."When you negotiate your settlement with the other party's insurance you need to negotiate enough for yourself over and above what you have to pay Farmers back for the medical expenses they pay." He continued.
"But the other party's insurance company is Farmers too!" I exclaimed. "Can't you settle that in house? Why do I have to pay the medical expenses back out of my settlement?"
"Because the two party's policies are treated as separate entities. We have to treat the other party as if they were Allstate or State Farm." James explained.
"Do you understand?" He asked.
"I think I have the gist of it." I said annoyed. "What happened to Alexis who I was dealing with before? Why are you now assigned to my claim?" I asked.
"She is still handling the reimbursement portion of your claim for your medical expenses, I've been assigned to handle subrogation for Farmers." He explained.
"And the two hundred dollar check Alexis sent me for medical co-pays reimbursement generated your letter?" I asked trying to understand.
"Yes, that's correct." He said.
"So you're the one I negotiate my settlement with?" I asked.
 "No, I handle Farmers reimbursement. There's another adjustor assigned to the settlement." He stated giving me the name of the adjustor I would negotiate a settlement with.
Ugh! I sighed as I wrote down another adjustor's contact information. "Wouldn't it be easier for one person to handle every aspect of my claim instead of Alexis in Utah, you in Washington, and now this Doris in Visalia, California?" I asked exasperated. "And the person who took my claim information and arranged for repairs to my vehicle was in Kansas! And every letter I receive comes from Oklahoma!" I continued.
"Actually no. We each handle a different aspect of your claim. That's the way its done in Farmers and it works well." James proudly said.
"It seems ridiculous to me." I said fed up. "And very frustrating!" I added. Somehow I don't think he does...
"Now when you're all done receiving treatment and Farmers has paid all of your medical bills, you'll negotiate a settlement with the other party's policy and pay Farmers back for your medical bills." He summed up.
"Ok, I understand Farmers' process, but my health insurance is paying the medical bills, not Farmers." I explained.
"Oh well that makes things more complicated." He stated. "Your health insurance will want to be paid back too." He continued.
"I had my health insurance agent call PacifiCare and find out what the process is in an auto accident; and he was told that the doctors bill the health insurance because they have contracts with PacifiCare, and then when I'm released from treatment, PacifiCare will recover its expenses from Farmers." I explained.
"PacifiCare could place a lien on your settlement too." He then stated.
"But wouldn't Farmers pay PacifiCare and then be reimbursed from my settlement?" I asked.
"It's possible. You might want to hire an attorney to handle everything for you." He replied.
"An attorney? Do you think I need an attorney?" I asked.
"I can't advise you either way regarding an attorney. I can't offer you legal advise. But if you hire an attorney, the attorney gets 1/3 of your settlement." James in Washington informed me.
Ugh! Sigh! "Ask me how bad my head and neck hurts!" I stated. Navigating the Farmers Insurance national domination conglomerate is more painful than my whiplash!
"I'm sorry ma'am." He apologized. "I hope I've helped you understand how things work at least." He continued.
After I hung up the phone with James in Washington I read Farmers motto on the bottom on his letter:   
Farmers Inc.

"Our goal is to provide you with the best possible service, including a clear understanding of your claims process and outcome, and to respond promptly to your inquiries."  

 

 In Nov. 2011, it now takes 6 HelpPoint Adjusters to change the same lightbulb 

Just two days after completing this article, a client of mine called complaining of similar HelpPoint procedures being used following her Nov. 2011 accident. She complained of taking over 45 minutes in contacting the HelpPoint via the 800#. Over two hours to get a tow truck dispatched by HelpPoint.  After advising HP of the Initial claim (HP1), she was contacted over the next several days by Rebecca (HP2) concerning injuries; Mike (HP3) a field rep who would look at her car; Lindsay (HP4) who would process the vehicle damage assessment; Elizabeth (HP5) in the Total Loss Dept; and Tammy (HP6) concerning title release for payment of totaled vehicle. -Editor 

 

It just makes me wonder if 21st Century ranking near the bottom of the Claims Satisfaction Survey in 2009 when purchased by Farmers. Did we adopt the 21 Century claims procedures bringing Farmers to the near same low  satisfaction levels with 21st Century over the last 2 years?  - ed

Pegasystems' Technology Enables Farmers  

to Transform Its Claims Operations

 

CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwire - Nov 22, 2011) - Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGA), the leader in Business Process Management (BPM) and software for customer centricity, today announced that one of its clients, Farmers Insurance Group, has been recognized for success and innovation in connection with its claims handling system which is driven by Pega technology. Farmers was named a 2011 Innovative Solution Award winner by Information Management magazine for its standout claims application.

The recognition marks the fifth award Farmers has received in the last year. The Innovative Solution Award recognizes groundbreaking initiatives that bring constructive change and provide quantifiable business value in organizations working to manage information as an asset. Winning projects involve new technologies or the adaptation of existing technology in a new use or different domain, or in combination, to create new value.

 

Brad's Seamless Guttering Panel1
Brad's Seamless Guttering Panel2


Our Guarantee 
  Check our website
Thank you choosing Brad's Seamless Guttering for your rainwater control system, Please accept this as our written letter of Guarantee, Our Guarantee is as follows: Brad's Seamless Guttering will repair or replace any defect in workmanship or materials for a period of two years from the original date of installation, This covers any guttering that leaks sags or comes loose as a result of faulty workmanship or materials This guarantee does not cover repairs which are due to acts of nature or neglect. 9727 East 46th Place Tulsa, Ok 74146  Call us-  918.252.RAIN for New Guttering, Repair or Cleaning.                                           09/12    

Bethel Collision Center in Broken Arrow
BBB Rated A+
Bethel Collision Center.jpg
View our website                  02/12    

Farmers kept busy with both catastrophes, public events and news releases


Here is a listing from Yahoo News

====================================

Oklahoma Agents Bite the Dust in 2011

Looks like we're off to another rough year with farmersagent email addresses  returned with non-existent addresses from these issues of the  Oklahoma Voice.  

January issue- 15  

February issue- 8  

March issue-     8

April issue**    10 

May issue         5 

June issue        2 

July issue         5 

August issue    3 

Sept. issue       9 

Oct issue          4 

Nov issue          0 

YTD                  69*    

*These figures may not match actual as it's based on returned email only.    ** Included 3 DMs  

  Agents receiving suspicious Calls

If you receive a phone call from a prospective Farmers Agent be VERY careful how you respond.  Several agents have said that they have been receiving call asking a series of questions about working for Farmers. 
It seems highly suspicious that a prospective agent would call an unknown Farmers agent out of the blue asking- "What they think of Farmers," "What it is like to work for them," "Would you do it again," "Is it a good opportunity," etc.

It is not beyond belief that FGI would make these calls to see if you are bad mouthing the company and then terminating you for negative remarks about the company. I was also suspicious as both calls in the last several days have been out of my area code.  So be cautious when you are talking to someone you don't know on the phone and they are asking you about working as an agent for Farmers.

UFAA National  

Foremost Introduces their Enhanced Auto Program into Farmers Marketing States
Farmers Foremost sign
Foremost has been introducing their enhance auto coverage in mostly eastern states that FGI is now populating with Farmers Agents in their east coast expansion. Arizona and Texas are two of Farmer's top ten PIF states.  Foremost launched the same or similar auto programs in these states this year.
Texas, Oct. 11; Arizona, Sept 23; Michigan, May 19th; Pennsylvania, May 5th; Florida, Feb 24th, Maryland, ??; Mississippi, Sep 28, 2010;

In the Oct. Okla. Voice, the Pulse of the Agents Poll, this question was asked, Do you believe Foremost will introduce their enhanced Auto Program in your state as competition against your Farmers Auto?
YES    76%                    NO    24%

The Pulse of the Agents Poll also asked,
Did your Farmers Agent assigned Foremost log on work on the AIproducers.com link?
Yes   20%                       No    80%

Take 5
Arrow.moving.up

 

Every single day, UFAA receives emails and phone calls from agents around the country alerting us to the fact their DM's are pressuring them to make a certain number of quotes a day.

The DM's state they don't even care if they are legitimate quotes as the DM's just don't want to be in the hot seat with FGI, at year end. 

 

 

Additionally, some DM's have made the following statements to their agents,
"Yup it's time to get rid of some agents, So, I can bring my year end averages up. If you are in the bottom 20% of quoting agents in 2012, FGI is going to terminate you."

"Yes the AGM is alive and well and agents will be terminated in 2012, if they don't move within the agency matrix."
from the UFAA President

OK Lic #879   Click to access our website
power cords and receptacles
TNT Security- Our goal is providing homeowners and small business owners with a wide range of security options at an affordable price.    04/12  
We now repair auto electric Windows
Call  for Board up Service 24/7

Robinson Glass ad
Click to check out our website   08/12
      T
ulsa                    Broken Arrow
918/664-7904           918/258-7578

Ads are now hot links to websites 
Support Our
Advertisers
 
Please support and recommend our supporters.  
 

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. 
computer. moving finger on mouseAds are hot links to our advertisers websites. Click any ad.  


ads rotated for 12/11 issue
.
  

Getting the right viewing distance from your TV 

Kim Komando Santa
By Kim Komando
 
 

Lauren from Hyannis, MA, listens to my national radio show on WXTK 95.1 FM. She just splurged on a new, 42-inch LCD TV. Now she's setting it up in her living room and isn't quite sure how far away the couch should be. She wants to make sure she gets the optimum viewing experience and wants to know what I suggest.

Congratulations on the new TV, Lauren. I'm sure it will provide you with a great entertainment experience, once you get it positioned correctly.

I don't know about you, but my mother always told me not to sit too close to the TV. I'm still not sure there was a fact-based reason for that in those day. Now, with an LCD TV, there is a very good reason to sit farther back.

Sitting too close lets means you'll see the individual pixels on the screen, and that distorts the image. Of course, if sit too far away, you'll strain to see the image or miss details. So, the middle ground is good.

That optimal point will be determined based on your room and TV size. So you'll need to test it out to see what works for you. However, there are some general guidelines.

The formula is simple. Multiply the screen size by two and three. The lower number is the minimum distance you should sit from the set. The higher result is the maximum distance.

So, for your 42-inch TV, you want to site between 84 and 126 inches from the set.  That's between 7 and 10 feet. You can see why a large screen becomes problematic in a smaller room.

Viewing distance is just one factor in creating the perfect home theater experience. I discuss all the information you'll need to know in this tip

Getting all the right settings for your system is good. However, you may want to add more hardware to your setup. Find out what will improve your experience.

How to revive a dead hard drive

Oklahoma Voice has reprint rights. Copyright 1995-2011 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
Agent experiments with 21st Century

Questionable results from Take 5 . . .
Regarding the 20 quotes per week....I've been doing that, but recently....

I used 10 prospects (actually friends
Dog with ear to ground
Ear to the ground in Okla.
 of mine that left FIG due to pricing about two or three years ago) that agreed to "play along" So I quoted all 10.

About two weeks later, as I suspected, eight of the ten quotes that were keyed into the system rec'd Century 21 quotes that easily competed with the FIG quotes.
I believe this is referred to as a "house divided" Also; this might be the reason for FIG's pressure to get those 20/wk. It's actually ingenious if you look at it from an "expense transferring" perspective on the part of the company. Now this might be purely coincidental.
21st Century logo
Email your results and comments to [email protected]
Greetings!question mark image First Name),

Have you lost Auto Policies?
Violation of the Oklahoma Insurance Code?

Apparently, there's been an ongoing problem with auto caps being released with mid-term policy changes. For example, when you change or ad a vehicle on the multi vehicle policy, the premium caps that were reserved are immediately released, hiking premiums on the other vehicles. Could this be a violation of the Okla Insurance Code? In the past, on offers to renew, premiums could not be changed until next renewal.
 
Farmers says this caps release problem is in process of being stopped. 
Pulse of the Agents Poll4balls flashing (attention0  

How Large is an Oklahoma 100-Mile Radius Quake Zone?

According to freemaptools.com most of Oklahoma's largest cities are within 100 miles of the earthquake epicenter. Source: Google zips by 100 mi. radius from zip 74869 for Sparks, Okla.
This Google map with the 100 mile radius polygon clearly shows all of Oklahoma's largest cities included, except Lawton. Those include Okla City, Tulsa, Norman, Broken Arrow, Edmond, Moore, Midwest City, Enid, Stillwater and Muskogee with 47% of the states total population.
Okla. Population in 2010-  3,751,351.
 
The 31,400 square mile area within the 100 mile radius polygon is nearly 45% of the state's total land mass of 72,000 square miles. According to freemaptools.com the 100 mile radius polygon would include up to 497 Oklahoma zip codes from the Okla.-Kansas line to the north; to near Ardmore to the south; from near Tahlequah to the east; to near Weatherford to the west. 
100 mi radius of Sparks, Ok 74869

Life Insurance Greetings!

Do Your Customers Know You Sell Life Insurance?

That may sound like a silly question.  Of course they know - it's on your business cards, your letterhead, all those brochures and postcards...
But according to the latest LIMRA research, 52% of multi-line customers say their insurance company does not offer life insurance.

Two thirds of customers who buy life insurance from multi-line companies say they started the conversation about Life, not their agents.  46% of customers say the single best source of information about life insurance is a personal conversation with their agent.  Of customers who did buy Life from the same company as Auto, 41% said they spoke with their agent about life insurance at their very first meeting.

So, do your customers know that you sell life insurance?  Make sure you and your staff mention life insurance in person with every new customer. 
 The Insurance Cross-Purchase Survey: How Consumers Buy Life Insurance From Multi-Line Insurance Companies, LIMRA, 2011

Red River Roofing logo transparent Check out our website
 Edmond 405-330-0025
Tulsa 918-270-2888
At Red River Roofing, our goal is to provide you the proper information to make the best roofing decisions. Should you have any concerns, questions, or comments, do not hesitate to contact our offices.
Residential & Commercial
Roof Repair & Replacement  Factory Certified Contractor
Visit our Edmond & Tulsa Showroom  www.redriverroofing.com     [email protected]            05/11

                                     UFAA LAbel
Check out the UFAAChapter 15 Home Page
with more Farmers, industry news, lots of member benefit information, newsletter archives and breaking news too late to publish above.  

The following is a list of the insurance companies comprising the Farmers Insurance Group� and the states where they are licensed:


Members Don't forget to register for the Chapter 15 2011 Christmas Party to be held Dec 3 (see article in this issue)
 
   
Quick reference Advertiser listing in this issue you can print or download for your office

Chapter 15 HOME PAGE Link   

 -- On our Home Page link this month -- 

 

Former Stigler, Ok Insurance Agent Jailed  

 

Claims Adjuster Cheats Own Insurer  

Agent expresses warning on AGM metrics and stats  

 Farmers Filings with the Oklahoma Insurance Dept

The OID has updated the Oklahoma Auto and H/O rate comparison charts as of Aug. 2011 on our home page.

============================

Did you know? As a member of UFAA you get:

1 hour of tech support a month

1 Free @ufaa.com email

1 Free web page with your domain name


Call us today Toll Free, Primary # 1-866-441-8018

Alex Conger - UFAA Tech

 

 

 

Okla Ins Dept: Change of address or name more than thirty (30) days after the change occurred shall be $50.

 

 

Join Ufaa now
 Have you missed past issues of the Okla. Voice? If you missed past issues, you can access them and other article headlines on our Chapter 15 Home Page Link above.  
 
Have you joined UFAA?

 We just can't make it much easier. Just mouse the Join UFAA logo to obtain the a 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.