 Can I write business before receiving an agent number with a company?
Innovative Marketing Strategies does not encourage agents to write business before receiving
an agent number. Agents will not be annualized commissions
on business submitted or dated before they are appointed with a company.
Furthermore, many states, deemed "sensitive states", do not
allow agents to solicit business before being appointed with an insurance
company. If you have a case that you would like to submit before
you are appointed, please call your marketing representative to discuss
the possibility and/or procedures for this situation. |
Do
I need Errors and Omissions insurance to contract with a
company?
Click Here
to check
out our E&O Insurance information page for additional information
How
are commissions paid with each company? Here are a few answers.
|
Company |
Commissions
Paid On: |
Direct
Deposit |
|
F&G
Life |
Every
Saturday. All requirements must be received by the Friday prior. Checks
are mailed the following Monday or Tuesday.
For
more info on how to understand your commission statements, see F&G's
Commission
Statement Guide |
Available
Note: You
will not be mailed commission statements if you are registered for SalesLink,
so be sure you are checking your commissions online! |
|
West
Coast |
Checks are mailed out 4 business days later. Direct Deposited funds
are available 3 business days later. |
Available paid twice per month |
|
Life
Investors |
As-earned
Commissions. Paid last working day of the month.
Annualized Commissions - paid daily. |
Available
|
|
Old
Line Life (American General) |
*Old Line Life commissions must be over $50 before they will pay commissions
|
Available
Paid on 15th and last day of the month |
|
US
Financial |
Paid
on the 1st and 15th If the date falls on a Sunday, commissions are paid
on following Monday.
Commissions must be at least $50 before a check will be mailed (policy
fees are not commissionable). |
Not
Available |
How
can I check pending business and commissions?
The
best way to check pending business is through each company's website.
Most websites are updated daily to give you current status on your
cases. Please
visit our
Company
Information
page for a list of websites that allow you to view
the status of your pending business (after you contact the companies
get an agent number and log in information). You
will also be able to check your commissions, download software, and
print forms from these websites. |
How
do I get my commissions annualized or sign up for direct deposit?
You
will need to complete an Annualization agreement if you did not do so
upon contracting. You may download Annualization forms from our
website or contact us so we can email or fax you a copy so you can ... print,
complete, sign, and fax it to us.
Cases will not be advanced until your Annualization
becomes effective and any cases written and dated previous
to your effective Annualization date can not be advanced. If
you would like Direct Deposit for any company, also send us the respective
carriers' Direct Deposit Form and remember to attach a copy of a voided check
.
Here are a few guidelines often requested regarding submitting applications?
|
Companies
|
Fax
#
|
Missing
Requirements
Fax # |
Details
|
|
F&G |
|
|
Faxed applications
are NOT accepted. Missing requirements may be faxed.
|
|
West Coast |
|
415-433-9773
Attn: Policy Issue Dept. |
Faxed applications
are NOT accepted. Be sure to write the policy number on the missing
requirement before you fax it in! |
|
Old Line Life (American
General) |
800-915-9937 |
800-516-5362 |
If an
application is faxed, DO NOT SEND the originals to the home office.
If you have a check to submit, please wait for confirmation, which will be
faxed within 24 hours. Please submit the check with the policy
number, writing it on the memo line along with the copy of the transmittal
form. Mail the check to Attn: New Business. Always use the fax transmittal form when submitting
application. Use one transmittal form per application and include Underwriting Team assignment
on transmittal. |
|
Americo
|
800-395-9261
|
800-395-8238
|
Faxing Information:
• Fax Applications to appropriate fax number.
• Fax delivery and pending requirements to appropriate
customer service fax number.
• Fax pages in the same direction.
• Place forms for each Proposed Insured behind their application.
• Retain the original application in your files - do not mail.
• For 1035 forms, fax copies of the forms and mail the original
1035 forms.
• If your application includes payment, include application transmittal
so we can provide the policy numbers. You must note the policy number
on the check before mailing the check to the Home Office. If payment
method is bank draft and the bank draft card and voided check are faxed,
we will draft for the first premium immediately upon underwriting approval,
assuming no other requirements are outstanding. To avoid draft, hold
voided check until application is approved.
|
How do I get supplies?
You
should receive a start-up kit upon contracting with a company from
Innovative Marketing Strategies. This kit will include the
rate books, product guides, underwriting guidelines, and other useful
information. Kits you receive generally will not include
applications, as national marketing organizations typically do not stock applications for
all companies for every state and instead rely upon agents to contact
companies directly or download applications from our website or the respective company's
website for you to print. Downloads are highly recommended
because faxed copies are especially low quality to present to clients
and downloads are much quicker than mail. And downloaded copies are
always the most up-to-date form required by the carrier. Once printed, you may copy
applications as needed until you are able to order and receive supplies
from the companies.
If
for some reason, you are unable to download and print an application
and are in need of one, you may contact us for an EMERGENCY solution to your problem. We
will try to get an application to you by fax or mail as soon as
possible. We do not stock supplies
for everyday use for all of our agents so we would have to order them
from the insurance carriers ... receive them than mail them to you. It
is much faster to order them directly or download them from the
company's website once you are appointed.
Many Insurance Carriers are
using more web-based services for delivery of applications and software.
For Example: West Coast Life does not print and distribute applications
or supplemental
forms (HIV consent, replacement, etc.). These forms must be
downloaded from the West Coast Life website or our online forms engine and
then printed by you for your clients.
|
Which ParaMed company should I use? How do I order a ParaMed?
Click Here
to be taken to our ParaMed information Link Page
Click Here
For ParaMed
Tips - A form to leave with the client to obtain optimal ParaMed results
Who can I call for troubleshooting problem
cases?
We
know how important it is to get business issued! Until a case is
paid
for, time, energy, and resources are wasted! If you have a problem
case in which you need assistance getting issues resolved, please do
not hesitate to call your marketing representative. We do ask
that you take the initiative to look at the case first and try to address
any issues. Once you feel that you have done your part and the company
is not doing theirs, contact us so that we may assist you. |
Who
do I call if I have an underwriting question on a particular case?
|
Most
underwriters will be glad to help you on a case where the rating may
be
hard to determine.
You
can find most of your general underwriting guidelines in the rate books
and underwriting brochures for each of the companies. If you have general
underwriting questions and cannot find the answers, feel free to call
your marketing representative or the IMS Pro assigned to your needs.
|
First-Time
Licensing Information
|
|
The below list consists
of the states in which the agent submits first-time
licensing paperwork directly to the state:
AL, AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN,
IA, KS, KY, MA, ME,
MD, MI, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, TN, VA, & WI
Please check with your manager or marketing representative
to confirm if your desired
carrier will allow First-Time Licensing sponsorship. |
All other states should
have the first-time licensing paperwork and contract for sponsoring
carrier sent to your marketing
representative or manager. |
| |
|
|
