Afflac - Pros and Cons

[CaNewAgent]

I was approached by an Afflac manager recently. My wife thinks I should meet with him to listen to what he has to say. Before I do this I thought I would see what the experts here have to say about Afflac. He did say he targets businesses.

I'll listen to the good and bad.

Thanks

Bill

 

[Robert_Brown]

Just letting you know, you're going to hear mostly bad here.

I'm not sure why. I mean Aflac is a GREAT product.
I am going to be selling Aflac within the next few weeks.

Study your product. Believe in your product. Do your best to help everyone, and the rewards will come.

 

[Josh]

First, if you search you'll find a lot of info about them.

The short answer is that it's probably a complete and total waste of your time. Listen to what he says and consider that they actively recruit agents all the time with an extremely high turn over rate. Much easier ways to make a living.

 

[Robert_Brown]

Don't most insurance agencies recruit all the time and have extremely high turnover? I mean I see ads all the time for Farmer's, Bankers, State Farm etc...

of course I'm just a newbie so what do I know lol...

 

[Josh]

Well, sort of. State Farm to a lesser extent.

If it's straight commission with a high turnover, that usually means there are no leads and the agents struggle with lead generation. If you can't solve that problem, you're destined to have the same results they did. I doubt the guy you're talking to is going to have a legitimate answer to "how do I generate enough leads to earn a healthy income?" If you ask him, I'd be curious to see what he told you.

 

[MO knight LIFE pro]

I'm always amazed when I read the Fortune 500 list, and AFLAC boasts such a ranking as 51 or 31. The products, sure - they are for a certain market, but they are great products for that market. In fact my mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer and it was a tough time for the family, especially financially. Having represented Aflac previously, when I found out that she had some aflac policies, I sat down with her and her policies and we found over $12,000 that she was owed. Did they pay? Absolutely. They didn't hesitate. However, for the sales force, it's a tough gig. Its up there with Primerica and NAA if you ask me. If a person has the stones to do what they've gotta do (I'm sure Robert is going to do well- he believes in the company and himself), then said person will be fine, maybe even great - for a while. (Then they'll leave and go be an indy somewhere, dropping direct mail campaigns.)

A buddy of mine stayed much longer than I, and he did very well. He's no longer with them, but I think we both feel the same way. And that is, the product is helpful to the people that need it - and they thank you for delivering that check. The pressure to recruit and keep people selling warm market just so they don't starve - and so management will get bonused - is sad, unfortunate, and wares on some people.
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the cnn money lists like them

 

[GeminiGroup]

Josh's above two post are on point, once again.
I also, think MO knight LIFE pro hit it on the head.

Aflac pays claims, as do many insurance companies and
Aflac's numbers look good overall as a whole, for the company.
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As, for an opportunity for an agent from scratch Aflac is a tough road to hoe......the OP said the guy told him, his office "targets businesses." well of course they do, my dear easier for you to go COLD DOOR KNOCK, grasshopper. (Snow White and Karate Kid in same sentence...C'mon man)

Don't think, you'll be the first Aflac schmuck to have graced that block, either.

The Aflac name works for and against you when marketing, a lot like WalMart or McDonald's......
the prospect knows the 'name' and because of it you can hello.....but 'because the prospect' "knows" the name,
they feel they KNOW your story already, so it becomes tougher to TELL your story.
(And we know telling is selling...if you can't tell you can't sell)
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It's like a McDonald's rep walking in to pitch the Big Mac, yet AGAIN...........
'Thanks buddy, WE KNOW...we'll drive-thru when we're READY"
...........What the rebuttal to that?

Versus just, knocking and 'creating" your own backdrop or pace
(That opportunity stolen, from you when you walk in as yet ANOTHER duck pusher).

Again, McDonald's is great but franchisees generally WAIT for clients to come to them,
cookie cutter works better for mailing, radio and TV not D2D...

plus McDonald's at least gives the franchisee a couple of blocks worth of exclusive territory to work.

Whereas, Aflac has agents throwing the same stuffed duck over and over and over......
rarely will you hear "No, we've NEVER seen an agent".

You WAY more likely hear "Damn, how many times are you guys gonna come, in here....
we can't stop every 3 weeks for another one of you guys to come bumbling in here with the same ole "filet o fish".
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As said earlier, can it be done, yes............Are there less stressful ways to get there, hell yes.

***Two exceptions:
a) For the person that needs
full direction
isn't self-motivated
structure, desperately

b) Some Aflac offices hire "enrollers' to work on other agents accounts. (Like the LA school district)
The commission isn't nearly the same but you're basically a CSR anyway so what the heck.
If you're ok with that type of income and being an assistant-type....
I'd be ok with my daughter doing that gig for a while (no offense ladies).

It'd be a nice start to a career, inside the office like underwriter or some other 'social worker-type' gig.

 

[LOM58]

I don't know a lot about AFLAC, but having been in the field for a few years selling group benefits, the biggest concern (complaint) that I have heard is that their agents hard sell the employees during the open enrollment and push them to buy more insurance than they may need or can probably afford. I would ask the recruiter what they expect of their agents in that regard. Everyone wants to upsell if there is a legitamit need, but making employees insurance poor just to jack up volume on a sale is not how I would want to do business.

 

[xrac]

There is a lot of good information posted above. As I understand AFLAC:

1)They have oversaturated the markets with agents. The business you are calling on many have already had 3-8 agents ahead of you call on them and the owner is tired of seeing AFLAC agents.

2)They want agents to buy an expensive computer set up to write business. My understanding is this junk is in the $3,000-$4,000 range. There is no doubt that the company is profiting off of the poor schmucks who are trying to make a living.

3)It appears that the only people who make real money with AFLAC are the managers.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I believe you also have to buy software? Am I correct?