Anyone here complete the Farmers Associate Agent Program? I’d love your honest experience.
I’m looking for honest feedback from people who have experience with the Farmers Associate Agent Program or who have become Farmers agency owners.
I recently interviewed with a District Manager who has offered me an opportunity to enter the Associate Program in which I would work hybrid (remote and out of the DM’s office). The program includes a small monthly base salary of $500 per month, 100% commission on my sales, and the opportunity to keep the book of business I build. The goal is to produce $150,000 in premium (75 personal lines policies, 6 life policies, and 2 commercial policies) in 12 months. Once those goals are met, I would have the opportunity to open my own Farmers agency. He told me that many associates in her district reach that production goal in about 6 to 7 months.
Bonus Goals:
$25k in premium = $800 in lead credits
$60k in premium = $2,400 bonus and $800 in lead credits
$100k in premium = $3,600 in bonus and $800 in lead credits
$150k in premium = $7,000 bonus and opens your agency to start on the 3 year bonus program as an agent.
A little about me:
I recently earned my Property & Casualty and Life insurance licenses.
I have no insurance sales, or any sales, experience.
I have no experience owning or managing a business.
I enjoy learning, I’m coachable, and I’m willing to work hard.
I need a dependable income while I’m learning because I’m replacing my vehicle soon and have family responsibilities.
I’m trying to determine whether this is a realistic path or whether I’m looking at it with rose-colored glasses.
I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have actually been through the Associate Program or currently own a Farmers agency.
Some questions I have:
What did your first month actually look like?
How much of your day was spent calling leads versus talking to interested prospects?
Were leads provided, or were you expected to generate most of your own business?
Realistically, how much did you earn after 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and your first year?
Is reaching $150,000 in premium within 6 to 7 months realistic for someone without prior sales experience?
When you graduated, did you actually feel prepared to run your own agency?
What surprised you most about becoming an agency owner?
What are the biggest ongoing expenses after opening an agency (office lease, staff, marketing, technology, etc.)?
Looking back, would you choose this path again?
If you were starting over today with no insurance sales experience, would you still choose the Associate Program or would you recommend another path into the industry?
I’m not looking for a sales pitch. I’d really appreciate hearing the good, the bad, and the ugly from people who have actually lived it.